What Can Our Business Do?

Responsible Investment

Investment is a significant part of sustainable finance. Responsible investment refers to making sustainable finance choices in your investments, and the incorporation of ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) into your decisions. There are many ways to do this, which can range from asking questions of your bank about their progress to net-zero, through to moving accounts and funds to vehicles which are more closely aligned with your corporate values. Which is most appropriate for you will depend on you and your goals. Need help? We’ve put together an overview of established approaches in our sustainable finance pack, which you can download above.

Employee Pensions

For many businesses, employee pensions represent one of their largest investments. If you manage pension investments for your staff, you can make a big impact by opting for sustainable funds. 

Remember, it’s important to get your staff on board in the beginning. Ensure they understand why you’re making this change, what they need to do, and what the impact on them will be. Generally, sustainable funds perform just as well or better than traditional funds, so the financial impact shouldn’t be a concern, but it’s critical to be transparent, and to be prepared for questions from your team. Once you've made the shift, don't forget to tell your story far and wide - these moves are hard work, but will generate great returns in goodwill, reputation and talent management.

Good things take time

Financial changes are big decisions. We know that you will want to spend a lot of time talking to advisors, asking good questions, and getting informed about sustainable finance. But as every runner knows, the longest mile is the one from the couch to the front door - just by starting conversations and thinking about the impact of your financial decisions, you're taking a major step towards investing in the planet you want to see. POW is here to support you every step of the way, whether you want to be connected with a pensions expert or develop some cool communications about finance (yes, that IS possible!) for your staff. Connect with us anytime. And we want to tell your story - once you've decided to adopt sustainable finance practices, sign our pledge and we'll include you in our celebration campaign with the whole POW community.