Upon Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Zevin Asset Management President Sonia Kowal was quick to share her perspective on the investment community’s role in enabling the crisis, and to offer solutions on how investors could best support Ukraine moving forward. In the weeks since, Sonia, a Ukrainian-American and former Russian-equity analyst, has continued to share her insights on the situation and what investors can do to mitigate further human rights harms. Her commentary has been featured in a number of webinars, podcasts, and interviews on the subject.
Zevin Asset Management’s Testimony to EPA in Support of Clean Truck Rule
On March 28, 2022, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule that would set new, more stringent standards to reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles and engines starting in model year (MY) 2027. The proposed standards would significantly reduce emissions of smog- and soot-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) from heavy-duty gasoline and diesel engines and set more stringent greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for certain commercial vehicle categories.
Zevin Asset Management presented the following testimony in a virtual public hearing at EPA for the proposed rule.
Russian Aggression Puts ESG Investors to the Test
Zevin Asset Management President Sonia Kowal and Director of Sustainable Investing Marcela Pinilla break down the investor response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:
The Investor Response to the Russian War in Ukraine
As another needless war unfolds, it’s important to consider how investors have enabled Putin over the years and the lessons to be learned from burying one’s head in the sand.
His invasion of Georgia in 2008 and then of Crimea in 2014 should have been early warning signs for asset owners and managers. Yet many responded with yawns and shrugs over the years, prioritizing profit over values by choosing to stay invested. I understand this more than most, as an ex-Russian equity analyst who saw up close the potential for making gobs of money by investing in Russian-owned businesses. On Feb. 24, when Putin invaded Ukraine again, those that remained invested had no excuse.
Top Tier Impact: Interview With Sonia Kowal
Net Zero Cannot Be a Net Disappointment: The Social Cost of Carbon Offsets
When oil companies announce net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals but provide no details on how they plan to reduce that in the short term or whether their largest source of emissions — in this case, emissions from the use of products of oil and gas — is included, it’s clear that the term “net zero” can be co-opted. While the growth in corporate net-zero targets is an important signal of increased ambition to fight climate change and is required to move us towards warming below 1.5 degrees C, there is little ability to keep companies accountable to these goals.
Audiocast: Introduction to Marcela Pinilla, Director of Sustainable Investing
We invite you to listen to this audiocast from Marcela Pinilla, our Director of Sustainable Investing, and hear about the issues she sees as the primary focus for Zevin Asset Management, including:
Racial equity
Climate change
Corporate governance