Investors have become increasingly aware of the ways their dollars can create positive social and environmental change through impact investing. Atlanta Jewish Foundation is creating new ways to grow our impact in the Jewish community. Through our partnership with investment manager NEPC, we are developing a robust impact investing strategy which includes investment options to ensure that your funds are supporting the causes you care about.
“Every investment has the potential to be impactful, both on the investor’s portfolio as well as the social impact it may drive. I am proud that the Atlanta Jewish Foundation recognizes this potential and has partnered with NEPC to strengthen our impact investment offerings for our donors, as well as our Jewish community as a whole.” — Blair Rothstein, Atlanta Jewish Foundation Investment Committee Chair
According to JLens, an investor network that uses a Jewish lens on impact investing, this Jewish Advocacy Strategy continues to grow. Nearly 40 institutions across the country have invested approximately $150 million in values-based companies.
JLens modernized the concept of Jewish values-based investing by applying ancient wisdom to today’s investment process. JLens utilizes six values pillars inspired by Judaism’s framework of mitzvot (obligations) to evaluate companies and engage in long-term investor advocacy: Obligation to Coexistence, Obligation to Society, Obligation to the Worker, Obligation to the Environment, Obligation to Ethical Business, and Support for Israel.
Some investors might be concerned that socially conscious or impact investing might mean sacrificing profits; however, JLens has not found this to be true. In fact, their Jewish Advocacy strategy has performed in line with the S&P500 benchmark since inception six years ago, according to JLens.
Atlanta Jewish Foundation currently offers an Environmental Social Governance portfolio (ESG) that provides our donors with a portfolio option with a focus on companies and sectors that have positive ESG characteristics. Our moderate investment pool currently includes JLens in its portfolio.
To learn more about impact investing with Atlanta Jewish Foundation, contact Jori Mendel. To learn more about JLens, visit www.jlensnetwork.org.