SRI360 | Sustainable & Responsible Investing, Impact Investing, ESG, Socially Responsible Investing

When you think of venture capital, you might picture fast-paced deals, tech unicorns, and ambitious growth strategies. But what if it could also drive real, measurable change for the planet? That’s exactly the vision behind Serena, whose co-founder Xavier Lorphelin joins me today. Xavier is here to explain, among other things, why the firm integrates impact considerations into every decision, movi...

Last month I had insightful conversations with two leaders in impact investing and sustainability. The first was with Rochus Mommartz, who is the CEO of responsAbility, and the other was with Jonathan Maxwell, who is the founding partner and CEO of Sustainable Development Capital.  This episode is a special one which serves as a recap of the episodes from last month. It features a couple of key cl...

When we think of impactful investments, public fixed income probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.  Yet, it’s driving far more capital into climate finance than we see in private equity, venture capital, and public equities combined. It’s not just statistics – it’s proof of the powerful impact fixed income can achieve. To learn more about the role of fixed income in sustainable impact...

Here's something I learned in this interview: We're wasting three-quarters of the world’s energy, half of its food, and a third of its water. That’s a crazy amount of lost resources! But what if, instead of just seeing this as an environmental problem, we saw it as a huge economic opportunity? The truth is, we don’t need to wait for new technology, or find new resources, or produce more...

In honor of COP16, the biodiversity 'Conference of the Parties', which begins next week in Cali, Colombia, I’ve put together a special compilation episode featuring four insightful conversations on nature-focused investment strategies. Each segment explores different approaches to nature-based investing, highlighting the diverse asset classes and strategies designed to protect and enhanc...

Welcome back to the second part of the interview with Rochus Mommartz, the visionary CEO of responsAbility and a true impact warrior. With his specialized impact asset management house, Rochus is on a mission to create accessible opportunities for all, focusing on sectors that touch on the core needs of underserved populations – sustainable agriculture, climate finance, and financial inclusion. To...

Rochus Mommartz has spent decades creating opportunities for people in emerging markets. ⁤⁤Today, he's with us to share his insights and his experiences from that incredible journey.⁤ Rochus is the CEO of responsAbility, a pioneer in impact investing that has evolved from a leader in microfinance to a prominent force in impact investing across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It is known for...

Today, I'm speaking with Nimrod Gerber, Managing Partner of Vital Capital, a private equity firm that is redefining impact investing in emerging markets, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Vital Capital focuses on providing essential services such as healthcare, food production, water, and sustainable infrastructure, often through "overlooked opportunities" – greenfield projects th...

My guest today is Nancy Pfund, the visionary founder and managing partner of DBL Partners. She invested in Tesla when others ridiculed the idea of electric cars transforming the auto industry.  DBL was among the first to see Tesla's potential, driven by a commitment to decarbonize transportation and create jobs in an industry most believed would never succeed. Today, they’re not just an inves...

Today, I'm speaking with Monica Brand Engel, a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Quona Capital, an impact pioneer focusing on financial inclusion in emerging and frontier markets. Quona’s mission is to generate impact and returns by investing in micro, small, and medium-sized businesses across South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The company is dedicated to transforming lives...

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its second year anniversary. To celebrate, I’ve been curating special compilation episodes, featuring some of the best segments over the past two years of SRI360. Today, I’m revisiting two extraordinary guests who have harnessed the power of impact investing to create a better, more sustainable world. What ties these two pi...

In celebration of the SRI360 podcast's second anniversary, I’ve prepared a special four-in-one episode featuring curated segments from four extraordinary leaders in impact investing and social change. These stories highlight their unwavering commitment to using finance as a tool for positive change, showcasing how these pioneers are leading the way in sustainable and responsible investing. He...

In a society pushing most planetary boundaries, how can venture capital step in and scale the technologies we need to change the world? That’s the power behind Planet A Ventures, led by environmental advocate and policymaker Lena Thiede. Lena is a co-founding partner of Planet A — a cutting-edge green tech venture capital fund that only invests in European startups with a proven and significant po...

What happens when Bono meets impact investors? They create The Rise Fund! In this episode, I’m speaking with Maya Chorengel, the co-managing partner of The Rise Fund — the world’s largest global impact platform committed to achieving measurable, positive social and environmental outcomes while securing financial returns for its investors. Founded by TPG, a private equity firm with $224 billion in...

Today’s episode is a follow-up to our first “best of” compilation in celebration of our 2-year anniversary as the SRI360 podcast.   I’m highlighting some of my favorite and most interesting responses from one of the most popular questions in my interviews. Tune in to hear what these world-class investors in sustainable and responsible investing had to say. This episode features: François Bourdon:...

Biodiversity is essential for the survival of humankind, yet we threaten it every day as a society. But what’s most concerning is how it’s vastly overlooked by companies in the investment space, not realizing how their future returns depend on having healthy ecosystems. To help shift this narrative is my guest Ingrid Kukuljan, Head of Impact and Sustainable Investing at Federated Hermes. Ingrid’s...

To celebrate the SRI360 podcast's 2nd anniversary, I've created a “best of” episode with some of my favorite responses from one of the most popular questions in my interviews: the lessons learned from investments that didn’t turn out as expected. This episode features: 1. Bram Bos: Green Bonds Investing (02:12)  Managing Director, Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Former Lead Portfolio Man...

Have you ever thought about what happens with the clothes you toss out, or all the unsold items in malls? The apparel industry is a $3 trillion market that mass-produces tons of garments. Yet, a large portion of these items end up as waste without ever being sold. For many brands, it’s more cost-effective to write off unsold items as waste rather than consolidating and reselling them — a practice...

Have you ever stopped to think how we’re treating biodiversity like it’s free to use? Our planet’s biodiversity does a great service for all humankind, and it's time we give it the financial value it deserves. This is the core of natural capital investing, and today’s guest, Martin Berg, is here to share its inner workings. He is the CEO of Climate Asset Management, and he made his way into c...

Research shows that 81% of adults would like their investments to do some good as well as provide a financial return. However, the skepticism surrounding impact investing and limited awareness of the tools, standards, and regulations that support it holds many investors back in their impact journey. What the world needs now is greater advocacy for integrating social good into mainstream investment...

Portfolios looking to make a real-world impact are increasingly considering real assets as part of their investment strategies. With a trillion-dollar investment gap in our global infrastructure, this seems like a smart move. Real asset investing is not only driving progress worldwide, it’s also a smart long-term investment to secure our planet’s future. But some may ask… what is the real extent o...

When you think of the circular economy, it’s inevitable to also bring up the significant challenges in the transition to this model, such as high transition costs, logistical complexities, inconsistent regulatory support, and low business and consumer participation. Regardless of its complexities, there’s hope in impact venture capital. To share how venture capital investing is playing a huge role...

Traditional timberland investing has historically attracted those with long investment horizons, drawn by its reputation as a solid inflation hedge and ability to deliver cash yields competitive with public equities over the long term. But imagine investing in forests not just for profit, but as a powerful agent of global sustainability and conservation. It’s a powerful win-win! This episode is al...

The world of finance has proven that it has the power to drive the global decarbonization effort and advance interest in ESG investments. ⁤⁤Learn how this is happening with one of the architects of the Green Bond Principles. ⁤Today's guest is Marilyn Ceci, a titan in the world of sustainable finance. ⁤She started in interest rate sales at JP Morgan, making her way to Head of ESG Debt Capital...

Emerging and frontier markets are full of opportunities often overlooked by the mainstream investment community. Today’s guest will help us understand these markets and prove how systematic investing in publicly listed equities can unlock their potential for alpha and impact generation. Meet Asha Mehta, the managing partner & CIO at Global Delta Capital, a US-based equity long-only investment...