As part of today’s global Climate Strike, Boston Common participants in Boston, San Francisco, and Harrisburg, PA joined millions of demonstrators around the world in demanding transformative action be taken to address climate change. It was a fitting kick off to Climate Week in New York, which took place from September 23 to 29 in coordination with the UN and The City of New York. Boston Common’s Geeta Aiyer, Lauren Compere, and Steven Heim attended a variety of investor and multi-stakeholder events throughout the week.
Boston Common is committed to addressing the climate crisis, advocating for a sustainable future each day through our investment decisions and engagement work. Climate week is a great opportunity to take part in the multigenerational climate movement and discuss solutions. We hope you’ll join us.
Our Commitment
- Carbon Neutral
Since 2005, Boston Common has offset its annual carbon emissions by supporting sustainable reforestation in South America through Camino Verde (2015), South Pole Group (2009-2014), and Las Gaviotas of the Marion Institute (2005-2008). We include employee commuting and travel as well as visitors’ travel in our emissions calculations. In 2015, we signed the Montreal Carbon Pledge, committing to measure and publicly disclose the carbon footprint of our investment portfolios annually.
- Sustainable Investment Approach & Environmental Stewardship
Boston Common’s investment approach integrates rigorous financial analysis and insightful ESG research to build diversified portfolios of high-quality, sustainable companies. We seek to invest in companies that develop solutions and innovative products that bolster society’s efforts to overcome major environmental challenges stemming from climate change. This approach has resulted in strategies that generate far fewer carbon emissions than their respective benchmarks. As responsible members of the community, as an organization, and as individuals, we are proud to be a part of the global effort and strike for climate change.
- Impactful Engagement Initiatives
We work with portfolio companies to address the social and environmental costs of climate change, focusing on the transition to a low carbon future through our flagship engagement on banking and climate change. Our eco-efficiency engagement initiative calls for companies to reduce water and energy use and eliminate waste, especially plastics. The impacts of deforestation are a clear risk to the global economy as seen from the recent fires in the Amazon. We advocate for better practices across the value chain from producers to those who source and finance them.
Highlights from Climate Week
Steven Heim, of Boston Common spoke on a panel as part of the 10th annual event in the Mary Robinson Speaker Series on Business and Human Rights and discussed how Indigenous Peoples and businesses can work together to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy via renewable energy. Steven offered the investor perspective and explored the risks companies face when Indigenous Peoples rights are not respected.
Lauren Compere spoke on a panel at the kickoff event for the Green Your Wallet series! “A Financial Response to the Climate Crisis” and showcased how positive private capital and commerce can drive positive investment, production, and consumption to deliver climate-smart impact.
Boston Common attended the official signing for the Principles of Responsible Banking at the UN Headquarters in NYC. Only 1/3 of the banking sector has signed on—and of those 130 banks, only one was a major US Bank. That’s why we asked each of the 58 global banks we engaged this year under our Banking on a Low-Carbon Future initiative to join the Principles for Responsible Banking, which provides a framework for a sustainable banking system that integrates the goals of both the Paris Agreement and the SDGs.
Boston Common was an organizer of the one-day workshop, Climate Safe Learning Lab, which brought together banking professionals and climate finance experts to collaborate and explore best practices to advancing climate performance of banks. Lauren Compere sits on the design and strategy team for the host organization, the Climate Safe Lending Network.
