BOSTON, MA//December 12, 2018 – Today, Real Impact Tracker announced the addition of two leaders in responsible and impact investing to its Certified Community of Fund Managers: Boston Common Asset Management and Praxis Mutual Funds. Real Impact Tracker is a new tool to help investors find money managers that are committed to creating positive social and environmental benefits with their investments.
Real Impact Tracker assesses and recognizes those investment managers creating impact across strategic categories, including: fully integrating ESG considerations into their investment processes, in-depth shareowner engagement, and publicly advancing environmental and social initiatives through their thought leadership. Real Impact Tracker estimates that only 7 percent of assets under management (AUM) scored with their rating system would meet their certification threshold.
“We are thrilled to be acknowledged as leaders by the Real Impact Tracker community for our path-breaking work in integrated ESG investing and shareowner engagement,” said Geeta Aiyer, Founder and President of Boston Common Asset Management. “This past year alone, Boston Common engaged over 270 companies, which led to 60 measurable improvements and commitments across corporate polices, processes, or products.
“The phenomenal growth in active ESG integration by investment managers has been amazing. However, it should only be a starting point for investors seeking to truly make a difference in the world through their investments. Real Impact Tracker is the first investment manager evaluation system designed to look beyond a portfolio’s holdings to assess the many strategies that create ‘real impact’” said Mark Regier, Vice President of Stewardship Investing of Praxis Mutual Funds.
We hope that Real Impact Tracker will help distinguish the intentional leaders from others in the increasingly crowded impact investing field. Both Boston Common and Praxis are excited to join the Certified Community and be part of its growth and development going forward. We encourage others to learn more and join us.
ABOUT BOSTON COMMON ASSET MANAGEMENT
Boston Common Asset Management is an experienced investment manager dedicated to the pursuit of financial return and social change. We invest approximately $2.7 billion in Global equities on behalf of institutional and individual investors. We analyze investment risks and opportunities from a broader perspective, because we believe understanding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues is fundamental to valuing a company. We combine this research with rigorous financial analysis to build diversified portfolios of what we believe are high-quality, sustainable, undervalued companies. We strive to be responsible stewards of our clients’ assets by seeking competitive investment returns from portfolios of companies that can contribute to and benefit from sustainable, global growth. As shareowners, we urge our portfolio companies to improve transparency, accountability and attention to ESG issues. Boston Common is a women-led and majority employee-owned firm. We are proud to have built a strong investment record and believe we have meaningfully improved corporate practices globally through our engagement.
For more information please contact: Lauren Compere, Managing Director, lcompere@bostoncommonasset.com
ABOUT PRAXIS MUTUAL FUNDS
Praxis Mutual Funds®, advised by Everence Capital Management, integrates social and financial considerations, while seeking to make a real, positive impact on the world around us. Some call it socially responsible investing or values-based investing, Praxis calls it stewardship investing, because we believe in being good stewards with our investments. Invest in Praxis Funds directly or incorporate our Funds in your investment portfolios and retirement accounts.
For more information please contact: Mark Regier, Vice President of Stewardship Investing, Mark.Regier@everence.com
ABOUT REAL IMPACT TRACKER
Real Impact Tracker measures impact in public equity investing. We score ESG strategy and execution, shareholder advocacy intensity, and public sphere activity. We certify financial institutions to a high bar minimum threshold of impact, based on our academically-backed methodology, which we are in the process of open-sourcing.
For more information please contact: Gabe Rissman, Co-Founder, www.realimpacttracker.com, gabe@realimpacttracker.com
