Why
Portfolio 21
In This Section
What's wrong with Wall Street's economic fundamentals
Understanding, and protecting, the real value in our natural resources
These days there is a lot of conversation surrounding global warming, peak oil and our diminishing natural resources.
Equally, there are an increasing number of companies racing to tell us how much they care, and what they are doing to improve our planet. Figuring out which ones are backing up their words with action and which ones are greenwashing isn't always easy.
Defining Sustainability
Sustainability—especially environmental sustainability—is a hot subject. But what does it mean? For us, it's simply "securing people's quality of life within the means of nature."
This working definition acknowledges the limits of nature and society's dependence on nature. It recognizes the fundamental challenge we face in meeting human needs without undermining nature's ability to support our economy into the future. Portfolio 21 is founded on this definition of sustainability. Our methodology is informed by the work of The Natural Step and the Global Footprint Network.
Applying Sustainability
Portfolio 21's detailed evaluation criteria identify companies that truly recognize the enormous opportunity that exists to save money by saving natural resources and prosper by providing the products, services and technologies that are needed to create a sustainable society. Portfolio 21 companies are developing cleaner and more efficient energy solutions, products designed to be reused and rebuilt, and processes that eliminate the need for toxic inputs while producing little or no waste.
The business and investment case for environmental sustainability has become increasingly clear and the corporations that are embracing it are strategically positioned to prosper in the 21st Century.
The Fund's environmental policy could cause it to make or avoid investments that could result in the portfolio underperforming similar funds that do not have an environmental policy. There are no assurances that the fund will achieve its objective and/or strategy.