What’s Next for Investing?

What’s Next for Investing? SRI Conference Kicks-Off the Morning After Presidential Election; Among Key Topics: Post-Vote Analysis, Clean Energy, LGBTQ Rights, Shareowner Advocacy.

DENVER (October 12, 2016) — In about a month, the largest and longest-running annual conference for responsible investors will convene in Denver. The annual SRI Conference – on Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing will host 650-700 investors and investment professionals and convene the day after the conclusion of the American presidential race.

Registration is still open for the annual SRI Conference November 9–11, 2016. For registration and full agenda more information, go to http://www.SRIconference.com.

Highlights from The SRI Conference agenda for 2016 include:

• The Post-Election Policy Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Responsible Investors. This plenary panel will feature: Bennett Freeman, previously senior vice president, sustainability research and policy at Calvert Investments and currently board secretary of the Global Network Initiative; Joe Keefe, president and CEO of Pax World Management; and Lisa Woll, CEO of US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investing and the US SIF Foundation. The panel discussion will be moderated by Patsy Doerr, Global Head of Corporate Responsibility and Inclusion, Thomson Reuters. These industry leaders also have deep experience in the public policy arena. They will address post-election challenges and opportunities related to climate change and environmental sustainability; labor and human rights; financial regulation and economic innovation; shareholder rights and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). What are the possibilities, and what should be the priorities, for
  responsible investors given the new Administration and the new make-up of Congress?
• Navigating the New Political, Economic and Market Environment. In this keynote, Zachary Karabell, PhD, head of global strategy at Envestnet and president of River Twice Research, will assess the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, its possible consequences for markets and economic policy, and what that may mean for sustainable, responsible, impact investors. Karabell will discuss what we can expect, and also what areas of our system are unlikely to change regardless of who occupies the Oval Office and controls Congress.
• Clean Energy: Policy and Opportunities in the New America. In the 21st century, our wealth of energy resources must be adapted to the challenges of sustainability. Very few Americans have a breadth of experience in this arena comparable to former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and former National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) Director Dan Arvizu. Governor Ritter is now the director of the Center for the New Energy Economy, Colorado State University. Dr. Arvizu is a consulting professor at the Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University.
• Climate Change – Risks and Solutions. Climate change is an ever-evolving risk to investors, though also an area of investment opportunity. With an eye to the recent Paris Accord, this panel will provide an overview of the different solutions that are available for investors and how they can better integrate climate change into their investment portfolios. Moderator: Heike Reichelt, head of investor relations and new products at the World Bank. Panelists will include: Stephan Bonte, director of sustainable investing, Standish Mellon; and Bill Page, senior vice president and portfolio manager, Essex Global Environmental Opportunities Strategy.
• Shareowner Advocacy in the Global Struggle for Full LGBTQ Rights. Despite achieving same sex marriage equality, the LGBTQ community still faces legally sanctioned housing and employment discrimination in the U.S., and in many countries, same-sex relationships are criminal and even punishable by death. This session will explore the continuing need for shareowner and corporate advocacy for full LGBTQ equality. Shareowner activism aimed at securing LGBTQ rights in the workplace ranks among the most successful investor advocacy campaigns ever. Shareowners have convinced nearly 200 companies to improve their policies, according to data compiled by Clean Yield Asset Management. Moderator: Matt Patsky, CEO, Trillium Asset Management. Panelists: Shelley Alpern, director of social research and shareholder advocacy, Clean Yield Asset Management; Tim Gill, founder and board member, Gill Foundation; and Kris Hermanns, CEO, Pride Foundation.

ABOUT THE SRI CONFERENCE

The 27th annual SRI Conference will be held November 9–11, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Denver, Colorado. The SRI Conference (http://www.SRIconference.com) is the premier annual forum for investors and investment professionals engaged in sustainable, responsible, impact (SRI) investing. Conference participation includes investment professionals, institutional investors, and related organizations. The SRI Conference features educational sessions and focused opportunities to network with hundreds of like-minded individuals, organizations, and leaders in the field of Sustainable, Responsible, Impact investing.

The SRI Conference is produced by First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC (http://www.firstaffirmative.com), a Registered Investment Advisor offering investment consulting and asset management services through a nationwide network of investment professionals who specialize in serving socially conscious, impact-oriented investors (SEC File #801-56587).