US SIF Foundation Releases 2018 Financial Advisor Roadmap: Incorporating Sustainable, Responsible and Impact Investing Into Your Practice

    WASHINGTON, DC, April 16, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The US SIF Foundation today released a guide for financial advisors on how to incorporate sustainable, responsible and impact investing into their practice. The Financial Advisor Roadmap was prepared with insights from financial advisors and other industry professionals.

"This valuable guide is part of our strategic plan to identify and disseminate information about best practices and provide tools for practitioners to undertake a rigorous and comprehensive approach to sustainable and impact investing," said Lisa Woll, CEO of the US SIF Foundation. "The guide provides the necessary resources and steps to not only get started, but to move towards a deeper practice. Financial advisors who use this guide will have an advantage in incorporating a variety of sustainable investment options and strategies."

The comprehensive guide provides an overview of the key components of an SRI practice, including ESG incorporation and investor engagement. It explains the business case for responsible investing with a review of current research on SRI financial performance and risk reduction, recent guidance on fiduciary duty, and data on the growing demand for and awareness of SRI among institutional and retail investors. The guide also discusses activities that financial advisors can undertake to develop or deepen their SRI practice, including seven practical steps with follow-up information. Finally, the guide concludes with sample investment policy statements and resources on impact measurement and management.

"Sustainable, responsible and impact investing is here to stay, and financial advisors who aren't able to discuss it with prospective clients are missing out on business opportunities," said George Gay, CEO of First Affirmative Financial Network. "I congratulate the US SIF Foundation for producing this succinct and practical guide for financial advisors who want to get on top of current trends."

The guide will be shared on US SIF's website and distributed at gatherings throughout the year, including US SIF's annual conference in May. To view the Financial Advisor Roadmap, please click here.

The Financial Advisor Roadmap was produced with the support of The Ford Foundation and The J.A. & H.G. Woodruff, Jr. Charitable Trust. Later this year, the US SIF Foundation will release roadmaps for asset managers and asset owners.

About US SIF

The US SIF Foundation is a 501(C)(3) organization that undertakes educational, research and programmatic activities to advance the mission of US SIF.

US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment is the leading voice advancing sustainable, responsible and impact investing across all asset classes. Its mission is to rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment and the generation of positive social and environmental impacts. US SIF members include investment management and advisory firms, mutual fund companies, asset owners, research firms, financial planners and advisors, broker-dealers, community investing organizations and nonprofit organizations.

The 8th US SIF Annual Conference will take place from May 30 - June 1, 2018 in Washington, DC and will feature a track for financial advisors. Immediately preceding the conference, The Fundamentals of Sustainable and Impact Investment course will be offered.

Learn more at www.ussif.org.

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