Seasons: The Longwave Impact Newsletter
We've finally reached the time of year when winter is starting to ease up. The days are longer, we see the first buds of spring and even if snow tries to make a last minute comeback, sunnier days are always right around the corner.
In this issue of the Longwave Impact newsletter, you'll find:
Three ways to recharge
Non-profit spotlight on Wellfare
Can you measure values? Brandon shares how we help ensure that your portfolio aligns with your values.
Green Living
While you may still need a coat, the countdown to spring is officially on! There's no season better suited to a reset. Here are a few ways to ease into the sunshine.
In & Out: While we are all dependent on online shopping for efficiency, it's easy to accumulate more than you need. When a new order comes, take a look around the house to see if you can fill the box with items that have outlived their purpose, to donate or recycle.
Out & About: With the days lengthening, afternoons are the perfect time to bike with the kiddies, take the pupper to play in the dog park or treat yourself to an "awe" walk, where you put down the phone and stay present.
Reset & Resolve: New Year's isn't the only time of year to start fresh. Make an Earth Day resolution to pick up one new sustainability habit or hack for spring/summer. In a season filled with possibility, think of something that you'd be excited to take on, indoor or out, to make an impact.
Non-Profit Spotlight: Wellfare
Food insecurity and a lack of healthy options in low income neighborhoods create particularly insidious cycles. With fewer "good" choices available locally or affordably, obesity and disease increase, creating generational impact. At the same time, there are tremendous amounts of usable products being lost every day. Wellfare, a non-profit started during COVID, decided to solve for sustainability and accessibility in NYC.
Qualifying individuals and families sign up for Better Boxes, packed with healthy, tasty snacks and drinks as a replacement for corner store or bodega options filled with sugar, salt and fat. Companies focused on healthy foods donate their surplus products rather than letting them go to waste. With the objective of changing behaviors and health long term through engagement and accountability, they're creating networks of people who can make better choices through their monthly Better Boxes.
Longwave is proud to support Wellfare's work and we're excited to kick off our spring filling Better Boxes ourselves at their Brooklyn headquarters.
Can you measure values?
Our Longwave portfolios are not only constructed to meet your financial needs but also to do well for our planet, communities, and markets. We analyze ESG data from several providers that operate as independent 3rd party resources including AsYouSow, Sustainalytics, USSIF, and YourStake. We utilize YourStake extensively for value alignment in our portfolios and to achieve measurable impact because they utilize only 3rd party data from NGOs, non-profits, educational resources, and more to help ensure their data is not self-reported but verifiable and reliable.
What are some areas we consider when constructing portfolios?
1 + 2 GHG emissions
Deforestation
Tax water pollution
Exposure to tobacco, alcohol, gambling and civilian firearm manufacturers
Political transparency voting support
On a more granular level, when portfolio-appropriate, we choose to partner with asset management companies that not only provide ESG focused funds but are also values aligned themselves. We seek investment companies that are employee-owned, mission-driven and philanthropically inclined. We also look for examples of leadership in improving business practices. When fund families choose to invest in companies that not only meet their investment criteria but also focus on ESG benefits, it shows the markets and the world that doing good and doing well can go hand in hand.
If you'd like to know more about the values metrics of your Longwave portfolio, we'd be happy to review together at your next meeting.
Investments are subject to risk, including the loss of principal. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are a set of non-financial principles and standards used to evaluate potential investments. The incorporation of ESG principles provides a qualitative assessment that can factor heavily into the security selection process. The investment’s socially responsible focus may limit the investment options available to the investor. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
