“The Amazon rainforest is burning.”
That revelation — spread by advocates, scientists and affected communities — demanded the world’s attention in 2019. This summer was a record fire season in Brazil’s Amazon region, often called “the lungs of the world” for the zone’s importance to our atmosphere and our climate. Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro claimed that the fires were fabricated or overblown. We know that this is false thanks to satellite imagery and NGO reports.
Steven Dray, senior portfolio manager and chief investment officer, breaks down our perspective on performance and market outlooks as we enter the final quarter of 2019:
In the third quarter of 2019, we continued using shareholder advocacy for positive impact and long-term risk management. This work included submitting a shareholder proposal challenging Apple on human rights and diversity, engaging with Costco about food systems and sustainable protein, meeting with UPS about climate change strategy, and contacting several pharmaceutical companies about global access to medicines and the Sustainable Development Goals.
You can read about all of these initiatives and more in our Q3 Impact Update. Contact our Director of Socially Responsible Investing Pat Miguel Tomaino (pat@zevin.com) with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
A responsible investment approach should be informed by the real world beyond balance sheets and earnings statements. At Zevin Asset Management, we examine key environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors to shape our view of the future and find companies that respect people and planet.
That is why, as impact investors, we must confront racial injustice. Inequality and injustice based on race, after all, were founding economic realities of American life. Two centuries later, inequality, abuse, and discrimination are still present in every sector — in education, housing, healthcare, and policing.
For the fourth year in a row, we have earned a place on the Best for the World lists within the Certified B Corporation community. This year Zevin Asset Management was named Best for Customers by scoring in the top 10 percent of all Certified B Corps because of our firm’s focus on serving clients as we help solve pressing social and environmental issues.
