ESG Investing: Building A Sustainable and Socially Responsible Investment Practice with Theresa Gusman

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing has grown in popularity as people become more aware of sustainable and responsible investing. Investors are increasingly interested in companies that are aligned with their own personal values. How can they incorporate socially responsible investing into their portfolios? In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Theresa Gusman, Chief Investment Officer and Chair of the Investment Committee at First Affirmative Financial Network. As Chair of the Investment Committee, she coordinates implementation of the investment philosophy and strategy with other stakeholders by designing and executing investment protocols, policies, reviews and reporting. As a CIO, Theresa is committed to incorporating environmental, social, and governance issues into investment decisions. Theresa talks with Rusty and Robyn about how a portfolio can make a positive impact in the world, what ESG investing is, and how this type of investment strategy can be incorporated into portfolios. Key Takeaways [04:02] - Theresa's career highlights in the financial services industry. [07:43] - What SRI investing is and how it began. [11:32] - How SRI investing has grown over time. [14:01] - How ESG investing fits into the current market environment. [15:09] - How First Affirmative Financial Network facilitates change in corporations. [18:33] - A few ways investors can incorporate climate change into their portfolios. [23:51] - What Value-Aligned Direct Index Solutions are and how to invest in them. [26:23] - How direct indexing works. [29:04] - How direct indexing can be used for ESG investing. [31:26] - What greenwashing is all about. [33:55] - The challenges of investing in ESG and how First Affirmative resolves them. [38:22] - What prevents people from investing in ESG. [40:06] - How Theresa keeps her health and wellness at a high level. [41:23] - Theresa’s recommendations for learning more about ESG investing. Quotes [06:18] - "Authentic ESG refers to a true commitment to incorporating environmental, social, and governance factors into investment solutions to make the world a better place." - Theresa Gusman [10:51] - "When we talk about values aligned, we're talking about true values alignment. So, every individual has their own personal environmental and social ethical preferences. And when we talk about values-aligned investing, we believe that you should be able to reflect your values in your portfolio." - Theresa Gusman [31:08] - "When you are able to offer a portfolio that allows you to determine how you want the world to look and then reflect that in your portfolio, it becomes a really powerful incentive to move in this direction." - Theresa Gusman Links  Theresa Gusman on LinkedIn First Affirmative Financial Network Thunderstruck by AC/DC Deutsche Bank Morningstar MSCI JP Morgan Bank of America YourStake Orion Advisor Solutions BlackRock Allianz CrossFit George Gay Bill Hairgrove Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0762-OPS-5/3/2022