SGI – Page 3 – Seventh Generation Interfaith Coalition for Responsible Investing

Thanksgiving Blessings and Prayers for Those Without

November 25, 2020January 25, 2021Chris Cox

After reading this morning’s headlines (“Dow Cracks 30,000 for First Time“), I went for a run. I had heard the 1 minute press conference yesterday where President Trump referred to this milestone as a “sacred number”.

In a contrast that has defined this year, I listened to the NYT The Daily podcast: A Day at the Food Pantry during my run. A Times journalist described her visit to a food pantry in Brooklyn a few weeks ago. In pre-Covid days, this pantry served 60 people a week and is now dealing with a line of over a thousand. The journalist interviewed people in line, most of which had never visited a pantry before the pandemic hit. “This is my worst nightmare.” The journalist even shared a bit of her own past, growing up on food stamps and sharing a frozen burrito with her sister. Although painful to listen to, I highly recommend you take the 36 minutes to listen to it.

The pandemic has exacerbated food insecurity that already existed in the U.S. The crisis has revealed the dysfunction of our food system and how structural inequalities contribute to the growing number of food insecure and hungry across the nation. Job losses from the pandemic overwhelmingly affected women, low-wage earners, and minority workers the most. As a result, one in six adults were food insecure two months into the COVID-19 recession. Feeding America reports that, among children, the projected food insecurity rates for 2020 range from 15% (North Dakota) to 32% (Louisiana and Nevada). You heard that right: one third of the children in the richest country of the world go to bed hungry!

So as I sit down to our Thanksgiving turkey tomorrow, perhaps feeling a little sorry for myself for not being surrounded by our typical family gathering, I will count my blessings and pray for those without.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you…

Sr. Ruth Geraets, PBVM to receive SGI’s 2020 Fr. Mike Crosby Award

September 8, 2020January 25, 2021Chris Cox

The Board of Seventh Generation Interfaith coalition is pleased to announce that Sister Ruth Geraets of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Aberdeen, SD has been selected to receive the 2020 Fr. Mike Crosby Award. The award will be presented at the SGI member meeting on October 12. The Fr. Mike Crosby Award recognizes a person who has promoted a more just and sustainable world and exemplifies the passion and commitment of our founder, Michael Crosby, O.F.M., Cap.

“We are so happy to honor my dear friend Sister Ruth”, said SGI Board Chair Dan Tretow. “She worked closely with the SGI staff and other members in engaging several companies to operate more just and sustainably.”

“Ruth’s dedication to those most vulnerable guides her shareholder advocacy”, added Frank Sherman, SGI Executive Director. “At the same time, her cheerful and gracious attitude creates common ground with corporate management. This is why Sister Ruth has been so effective in her work with companies. Father Mike would be very pleased with this well-deserved recognition.”

Sister Ruth entered the Presentation Convent in August 1961. She earned a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education and Mathematics at Northern State University and went on to obtain a Masters of Arts Degree in Pastoral Studies from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN. For 21 years, Sister Ruth taught in Catholic Schools in MN and SD. Her ministry then led her to McDowell County, WV, where she worked with Catholic Community Services serving with those made poor as coal companies were leaving the area. Her compassionate heart led her back to South Dakota where she directed shelters for abused and neglected women and children on the Cheyenne River Reservation. She was Coordinator of Formation and Director of Novices 1999-2011. In January 2008, she was appointed Congregational Treasurer, a position she still holds today.

Sister Ruth became involved with SGI in 2008, serving on the Board for the past 6 years. Her Presentation Congregation has a particular interest in Care of the Earth and the Rights of Women and Children.

Please join us in congratulating Sister Ruth.

SGI Statement of Solidarity

June 1, 2020February 25, 2021Chris Cox

Milwaukee, WI, June 1, 2020: Members of Seventh Generation Interfaith Coalition for Responsible Investment are traumatized and outraged by recent incidents of police brutality in our neighborhoods and cities that manifests individual and institutional racism. We mourn the recent police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, and stand in solidarity with the victims of systemic racial injustice in the United States. While recent events disclose injustice in law enforcement and our criminal justice system, we recognize that institutional racism exists as well in our corporations, our economy and throughout our society.

We lament that years of protests, demonstrations, and marches have failed to bring an end to the suffering, the dehumanization, the oppression, and the loss of so many precious lives. So many people of color who historically have been disenfranchised continue to experience economic inequities, sadness and pain; a pattern seen as well in the path of the COVID-19 pandemic, disproportionately affecting people of color in the number of cases and fatalities.

We recognize our obligation to work as institutional investors, as citizens, and, most importantly, as people of faith to address and change unjust and immoral cultural patterns and social systems. We commit ourselves to listening to the stories of those subjected to institutionalized racism to more authentically accompany them. Through the lens of faith, we will reform our investment practices and challenge companies to increase diversity and address their negative impacts on people of color. We recommit to building a more just and sustainable world for our brothers and sisters who are most vulnerable.

Click to access sgi-statement-of-solidarity-june-1-2020.pdf

Frank Sherman, new chair of ICCR Board

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019Chris Cox

We just received word from Josh Zinner, executive director of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility that yesterday the Governing Board of ICCR elected its new Executive Committee. Our own Frank Sherman was elected as the new chair of ICCR. The new officers for ICCR are:

Chair: Frank Sherman – SGI
Vice Chair: Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster – T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Secretary: Rob Fohr – Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (PCUSA)
Treasurer: Jeff Perkins – Friends Fiduciary

To learn more about ICCR’s Governing Board, click here.

The outgoing officers are Fr. Seamus Finn, O.M.I. (who was the keynote for our annual event), Kathryn McCloskey (United Church Funds), Tim Brennan (Unitarian Universalist Association), and Anita Green (formerly of Wespath, who also assisted us in webinars).

Dan Tretow, chair of the SGI board, said, “I congratulate Frank on his election as Chair of the ICCR Board of Directors. His commitment to ESG issues and dedication to social justice is admirable. We value his leadership at SGI and know he will be appreciated as Chair of the Board at ICCR.”

We at SGI are grateful for Frank’s generous service to our organization and to ICCR.

Look Back at 2019: The Difference Between Hope & Despair

December 17, 2019December 17, 2019Chris Cox

By Frank Sherman

As I reflect on 2019, there was plenty of news to discourage me: wars continue in the Middle East, and nations continue the proliferation of nuclear arms; refugee and migration crisis across multiple continents; rise of nationalism and hate crimes; growing wealth and income gaps; undeniable climate crisis, water scarcity, deforestation, and biodiversity loss…not to mention the rollback of regulations and social safety nets, polarization of political discourse, and impeachment hearings in our own country. A review of the global progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals found that, despite progress in a number of areas, progress on some Goals has been slow or even reversed. “The most vulnerable people and countries continue to suffer the most and the global response has not been ambitious enough.”

But late last night, I was sent a message that woke me up. As I looked through the Capuchin Community Services 2020 calendar, a quote caught my eye. “The difference between hope and despair is a different way of telling stories from the same facts” (Alain de Botton, The School of Life, London).

I then thought of Greta Thunberg’s (Time Person of the Year) speech at the UN Climate Action Summit in September excoriating world leaders for their inaction in the climate crisis, and the student March For Our Lives demanding more gun control. I recalled watching CNN’s annual Heroes of the Year Awards honoring the top 10 men and women who are making the world a better place by helping families affected by tragedy, cleaning up the environment, protecting neglected animals, and so much more. I read that worldwide terrorist attacks actual fell by 33% compared to 2017, to the lowest level since 2011. This year scientists learned to spot Alzheimer’s earlier and got a step closer to curing diabetes. China, the largest greenhouse gas emitter, is becoming a leader in electric vehicles.

I also find hope in the work of Seventh Generation Interfaith and ICCR. We added 10 new members with the merger with the Midwest Coalition to our coalition bringing the total to 39. This year our members engaged several companies in the food and apparel sector asking them to conduct human rights impact assessments and to develop a human rights policy. We continued our work with Midwestern electric utility companies to accelerate their decarbonization plans and ensure a just transition for employees and local communities. We leveraged the Business Roundtable’s statement on the Purpose of a Corporation to promote transparency in corporate political spending and lobbying. We challenged pharmaceutical companies to base their executive remuneration policies on innovation and patient outcomes rather than predatory pricing. We challenged companies to trace their supply chains back to the wildfires in the Amazon and asked them to meet their 2020 deforestation targets. We asked food brands and restaurants to improve their nutritional profile and follow marketing-to-children guidelines to fight obesity. We hosted our annual conference, this year on impact investing, in October. Our quarterly webinars, blog articles and weekly newsletters kept our members informed on our issues and trained on our tactics.

How will you tell your story this holiday season?

Blessing to you and your family and a hopeful New Year!

SGI Board presents 2019 Fr. Mike Crosby Award to Sr. Barbara Jennings, C.S.J.

September 8, 2019September 11, 2020Chris Cox

The Board of Seventh Generation Interfaith coalition is pleased to announce that Sister Barbara Jennings of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet has been selected to receive the 2019 Fr. Mike Crosby Award. The award will be presented at the SGI annual conference on October 8. The Fr. Mike Crosby Award recognizes a person who has promoted a more just and sustainable world and exemplifies the passion and commitment of our founder, Michael Crosby, O.F.M., Cap.

Sr. Barbara was born in St. Louis, educated at Fontbonne College with English for Secondary Degree. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1967. Barbara has taught high school in Waco, TX and Kansas City, MO. She has also facilitated Religious Studies classes on the University level at Avila and Fontbonne adult MBA students.

Since 2007, Sr. Barbara has been working at Midwest Coalition for Responsible Investment, monitoring the shareholder activity of MCRI members in various companies such as Ameren, American Outdoor Brands (Smith & Wesson), Boeing, Chevron, Conoco Phillips, Emerson, Johnson and Johnson, Monsanto, Merck, etc. She has served as Lead on Ameren, Boeing, and Monsanto/Bayer. She is active at ICCR on the Food and Water WG and the HR WG. She was Chair of the ICCR WG on Department of Defense companies. She served on the Board of ICCR for three years.

Barbara serves on the Board of Fontbonne University and Carondelet Community Betterment Federation, a neighborhood organization.

SGI 2019 Conference Will Make An Impact!

September 5, 2019September 11, 2020Natalie Wasek

As fall begins to make an appearance, we start looking to the weeks and months ahead. While not everyone likes to leave the summer behind, fall brings the excitement of cool air, crisp leaves, spices wafting through the air, and the annual SGI conference, this year on Impact Investing: Social Return on Investment on October 7th. This transition from summer into fall is the perfect time to evaluate the different impacts our institutions and we personally have on relationships, community, and society. How do we nurture what needs caring for? How do we help ourselves and others continue to grow and thrive? And, can our financial investments reap the same benefits while including this sense of intentionality?

We’re excited about the opportunity to listen to our keynote speaker, Seamus Finn, Missionary Oblate’s Director of Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation and ICCR Board Chair, and our expert panelists, who I’m sure will bring their opinion on the change of seasons, but more importantly will share their unique experiences and stories on impact investing.

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) defines Impact Investing as “investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.” Imagine a world where our investments have an impact outside of solely generating a profit, creating positive change. Amit Bouri of GIIN, in an article geared toward faith based investors, explains:

Simply put, impact investing is investing to achieve both a financial return and positive, measurable social or environmental impact. It differs both from traditional philanthropy, which aims for impact but is unconcerned with financial returns, and from other forms of values-driven investment which aim at the avoidance of harm, but not necessarily the creation of additional, measurable positive benefits.

GIIN’s 2019 survey found that the impact investing industry is diverse, including many types of institutions investing in all asset classes. It continues to grow and mature with over $500 billion invested assets. Over 90% of impact investors report that returns meet or exceed their expectations. GIIN’s Impact Investing Guide provides an excellent background for our members.

We’re lucky to be welcoming George Hinton, Greg Lane, Salli Martyniak, and Ken Vander Weele to the panel, alongside moderator, Sr. Dorothy Pagosa to help us explore this topic. Our speakers and panelists will walk us through the purpose and focus of impact investing and all that it can hold. We’ll learn about their mission, motivations, takeaways, and advice in the growing market.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, George Hinton, CEO of the Social Development Commission (SDC) coordinates programs for Milwaukee County’s low-income residents. The SDC’s mission is to “empower people with the resources to move beyond poverty,” which they have been doing since 1963. Greg Lane, CFO of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, helps the sisters utilize their resources for the benefit of the common good. He has helped developed a mission-aligned impact investment portfolio and repurpose real estate according to need. Salli Martyniak, president of Forward Community Investments support “organizations, initiatives, and coalitions throughout Wisconsin.” They make it a priority to offer their loans and grants at an affordable cost to assist both the small and mid-sized projects and organizations. Co-founder and partner in Creation Investments Capital Management, Ken Vander Weele, will show us the global side of impact investing. Ken has worked in India, South-east Asia, Eastern Europe, and the United States investing in emerging market financial services companies that serve poor clients. His local and global work will show us the social return of impact investing around the planet. Finally, Sr. Dorothy Pagosa, Director for Social Justice for the Sisters of St. Joseph – Third Order of St. Francis and a member of SGI, will moderate the panel. Sr. Dorothy has first hand experience in identifying and managing impact investments in the midwest.

The event will be preceded by a member meeting and followed by a reception. We hope all of our members and friends will attend what is shaping up to be a very exciting conference.

MCRI merges with SGI Coalition for Responsible Investing

August 5, 2019August 21, 2019Chris Cox

By Barbara Jennings, CSJ

After two years of discussion about the best path forward, the St. Louis-based Midwest Coalition for Responsible Investment (MCRI) merged with Milwaukee-based Seventh Generation Interfaith (SGI) coalition to make both organizations stronger.

MCRI began in 1977 focusing on the issue of the day: South African apartheid. Michael Crosby, OFM Cap, the founder of SGI, visited St. Louis to explain the process of shareholder engagement and encouraged the formation of a regional socially responsible investment coalition. Several Catholic institutions in the area decided to form MCRI. Other connections between St. Louis and Milwaukee: beer towns, Midwest agriculture, defense industry, and racial disparity.

MCRI joined the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility shortly after it was formed. This connected us to many Catholic religious’ women and men congregations, as well as to representatives of other faith traditions. We expanded our tactics beyond the traditional “negative screens” (e.g. no weapons, tobacco, gambling, birth control) to include corporate engagements, proxy voting and shareholder meeting attendance.

MCRI’s first resolution in 1978 asked McDonnell Douglas to build up its commercial business over military contracts which were dependent on foreign policy and regional conflicts. The proposal was presented by Sr. Mary Ann McGivern, SL. From that auspicious beginning, the work of MCRI expanded. By 1980, MCRI had thirteen institutional members. That same year, the coalition sponsored a local conference entitled “Corporate Responsibility: Why the Churches Must Be Involved.” It was well attended by both treasurers and social justice representatives.

Under the leadership of Susan Jordan, SSND, MCRI’s issues expanded to include nuclear waste (Union Electric, now Ameren), foreign military sales (General Dynamics, McDonnell Douglas/Boeing), and agricultural pesticides and GMO’s (Monsanto, now Bayer). Other issues on which we engaged companies on were infant formula in Central America, AIDS medication from the pharmaceutical industry, and labor slavery in various supply chains.

By 2007, Barbara Jennings, CSJ, who had been on MCRI’s Advisory Committee in the 1990’s, became the Executive Director of MCRI. The issues at ICCR had grown tremendously, almost too much so that the saying at ICCR meetings was “We never met an issue we didn’t like.” In 2015, ICCR adopted a human rights lens to all its’ work. Priority issues included climate change, human trafficking / labor rights, water stewardship and food justice.

MCRI continued to work with Ameren concerning their disposal of coal ash. A 2018 resolution received 53% vote, a rare majority for a shareholder resolution! The coalition worked with Monsanto for several years on water issues. The company now uses low drip and recycling of water in their labs after a 2010 successful withdrawal of a resolution. After many years of engagement with Boeing, the company hired a third party auditor to delve into their supply chain for labor infringements.

So, the work will go on….and with a more supportive business atmosphere than in 1977. What has changed? A greater awareness of the risks posed by climate change? Recognition of the liability posed by pollution? Understanding that companies can outsource manufacturing but not the responsibility associated with it? The internet and social media together with increased societal expectations has placed more responsibility on corporations to account for their environmental and social impacts.

Each of the nine MCRI members (SSND, GSPMNA, CSJ, CPPS, OSU, SJ, SM, CSJ Congregational Center, and JAG Capital Management) will continue in corporate engagements as part of SGI’s coalition. I ask that you please stay active to bring the faith-based investor voice to corporate board rooms.

As for me, I have joined the SGI Board of Directors and will continue to remain active in this work. I was proud to be part of this journey and thank you for your support.

A hearty welcome to Riverwater Partners

January 22, 2019January 22, 2019Chris Cox

As you likely know, last year, SGI added 5 new members, and we are grateful for the efforts of our members, in particular Mark Peters (an SGI board member, chair of our development committee, and director of Justice, Peace and Reconciliation for the Priests of the Sacred Heart), to encourage more organizations to join SGI and to make us genuinely an interfaith organization. We’d like to introduce our newest member, Riverwater Partners, to the broader SGI family.

Our members may have learned a bit about Riverwater Partners from a recent article from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
Wisconsin’s B Corporations want to be a force for good, not just profit.

Additionally, they describe their work in the following way:

Riverwater Partners, an employee-owned registered investment advisor, believes it is in the best interest of our clients, our firm, our communities, and our world to consider the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies and practices of the firms in which we invest our clients’ assets, as we do at Riverwater Partners. Therefore, we evaluate potential investment candidates on the basis of their ESG efforts, alongside their more traditional investment characteristics of Superior Business, Exceptional Management, and Reasonable Valuation.
Riverwater Partners uses a Three Pillar Approach to evaluate the ESG efforts of companies being considered for inclusion in client portfolios:
Research
Riverwater Partners analysts and portfolio managers research the ESG efforts of companies, gathering information provided in sustainability reports, financial statements, corporate disclosures, and press releases. In addition, we inquire about ESG efforts when we speak with management directly.
Engagement
Riverwater Partners engages company Executives and Boards regarding their ESG efforts, or lack thereof, in order to assist them in understanding the benefits of, and in initiating and/or improving their ESG efforts. It is our goal to promote greater impact over time with respect to improved corporate governance, fair treatment of all stakeholders, enhanced environmental impact, and ultimately, superior financial outcomes and real economy benefits.
Collaboration
Riverwater Partners collaborates with organizations that promote ESG efforts to inform our practice. Riverwater is a member of US SIF, CDP Worldwide, Seventh Generation Interfaith Coalition for Responsible Investment, and is a signatory of United Nations PRI. In addition, Riverwater is a Certified B Corp. Membership in these organizations provides us with thought leadership on best practices, current trends, impact, etc., which enables us to focus our ESG lens effectively.
Many believe one must sacrifice financial gain to achieve real economy gain; however, history has shown that companies that incorporate ESG policies and practices into running their business have generally outperformed companies that do not. The fact is that these practices often result in meaningful financial gain in the form of increased revenue (as customers want to support the efforts) and/or decreased expenses (as a result of lower energy consumption, for example) or potential liability. Our commitment to investing in companies that consider impact on all stakeholders will likely generate superior investment returns for our clients and will surely lead to a better world.

Again, we offer a hearty welcome to Riverwater Partners and look forward to their collaboration with us in the work of building a more just and sustainable world.

“Change is inevitable, growth is optional”

December 20, 2018December 21, 2018Chris Cox

By Frank Sherman

December is a time of hope……a time to reflect on the past and dream of the future.

As I look back on 2018, I think of Nobel Peace Prize winners Nadia Murad, 25, who became the voice and face of women who survived sexual violence by the Islamic State, and Dr. Denis Mukwege, 63, the Congolese gynecological surgeon has treated thousands of women in a country once called the rape capital of the world. I think of Time magazine Persons of the Year, “The Guardians” – a group of journalists who have been targeted for their work. I think of CNN’s Hero of the Year, Dr. Ricardo Pun-Chong, a physician who provides rooms for poor families who bring their children from the countryside for life saving surgery in Lima, Peru. These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

What about our members of Seventh Generation Interfaith? Are they making a difference?

This year SGI members worked with Midwestern electric utility companies to develop long term climate change scenarios and set ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. We promoted transparency in corporate political spending and lobbying. We challenged pharmaceutical companies to base their executive remuneration policies on innovation and patient outcomes rather than predatory pricing. We helped companies eliminate deforestation and reduce water pollution in their supply chain. We asked food brands and restaurants to improve their nutritional profile and follow marketing-to-children guidelines to fight obesity. We advocated for human rights policies and ethical recruitment to support workers and communities impacted by global corporate supply chains.

Our message is growing. Over the past year, SGI added 5 new members and are developing many more prospects to diversify our faith traditions. Our quarterly webinars, semimonthly blog articles and weekly newsletters kept our members informed on our issues and trained on our tactics.

So what do we have to look forward to in 2019? Our Corporate Engagement Plan is bigger than ever including 53 companies in active dialogue with over half of our members. SGI members have filed or cofiled 28 resolutions to amplify our voice to the broader shareholder base. SGI staff and members are active in ICCR leadership and program workgroups.

Fr. Dan Crosby said it best in his keynote speech at our 45th anniversary when he spoke of his bother Fr. Mike’s conviction to live the Gospel. He reminding us that “change is inevitable, growth is optional”. He ended saying that “…four virtues are essential to SGI’s work: collaboration, solidarity, courage, …….and hope”.

A very blessed holiday season to you and your family, and a hopeful New Year!