Latest news with #TimNash
National Observer
11 hours ago
- Business
- National Observer
Ethical investments can make a difference
These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity. Tim Nash is changing investment finance to support the continuation of life on Earth. As the founder and president of Good Investing, this young economist and new dad from Toronto has supported individuals, not-for-profits, charities, universities and corporations to align more than $9 billion of their money with their ethical, environmental and fiscal values. Tell us about your project. People choose their level of engagement. For the merely curious, we offer an informative podcast covering ideas, like the progress of the clean economy and the concept of green bonds. Thousands of those who wish to begin their values-aligned investment journey have opted to join our virtual classrooms. We make it easy for folks to take charge of their own investing and thus, to avoid the often significant trailing fees charged by brand-linked financial advisors. Others want one-on-one advice about options which we provide for a fee unrelated to their investment choices, so they can be confident they are getting straight-up, honest advice, free from industry bias. For those who don't want to manage their money themselves or who want values-aligned financial or estate planning, we partner with sustainable investment companies. Decision-makers in universities, pension plans, charities and not-for-profits, who are trying to align their institution's investment portfolios with their sustainability goals, benefit from understanding the data and research we provide demonstrating that fossil fuels are often not the most lucrative or resilient options when compared with the growing power of the clean economy. I also enjoy helping university student divestment groups learn about options. I like knowing I am helping make their powerful voices for change even more effective, and they will carry the knowledge they gain into their working lives. We are not brokers, advisors or money managers. We are coaches and teachers supporting people to make intentional decisions about where their money is invested. If a million Canadians can see for themselves that aligning their values with their money can be both profitable and impactful, we believe the entire system will tip to become the norm for everyone. This is already a multi-trillion-dollar trend and it is having a significant impact. I want to be part of empowering Canadians to amplify that wave. How did you get into this work? Tim Nash is changing investment finance to support the continuation of life on Earth, as the founder and president of Good Investing. My dad worked in the investment industry and discussion of financial markets was common at home. I was unhappy with the economics classes I took at university because they almost never discussed any impact other than financial return. On a student exchange in New Zealand, I had a spiritual epiphany when I encountered a 2,500-year-old tree. I understood that its secret to sustainability and that of all life on Earth is a deep connection to the Earth. I discovered in myself a deep empathy and resulting grief for all the life that has ended because humans have failed to maintain that tie. I resolved to dedicate my life to changing that. This is the way that I have chosen. What makes it hard? The main barrier is not money or even the market. It is mindsets. My ability to earn a decent living from this project is relatively recent. What keeps you awake at night? I am soon to become a father of a daughter. Will my efforts, and those of the millions of others around the globe who are working to decouple rising emissions from economic growth, succeed soon enough to leave her a livable planet? What gives you hope? The people who ask for my help are earnestly trying to do the right thing. They often feel alone, and it is a delight to introduce them to the size and scale of the existing movement they are joining. In 2009, there was $1 trillion invested in the clean economy, protecting water and growing renewable energy, green infrastructure and electrifying transportation. In 2025, that number has grown to $20 trillion. It's unstoppable. What do you see if we get this right? An economy that works for everyone, including the most vulnerable and the life on this planet on which we depend. What would you like to say to other young people? Hope is a sweater you decide to put on every day. It's a choice, but you will be warmer if you make it. Put your own oxygen mask on first. We will spend the rest of our lives contending with the wicked problems climate change brings. Promise yourself to be there for the long haul by taking care of yourself and those around you every day. Whatever your work or studies, find the places where the light shines brightest for you. It's only sustainable if it feeds you. What about older readers? Your money and the money held by the organizations you participate in, like your pension fund, not-for-profit or church, can work for your values, but if you don't pay attention, it is likely undermining them. Get some good advice and then, start making deliberate decisions to funnel it toward the common good.
Globe and Mail
12-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Starting your investment journey as a new grad? Here's how to marry your money with your values
Aishwarya Puttur opened her first bank account when she was 14, at a time when she admits she knew little about financial literacy. As she got older and became more involved in climate justice, Ms. Puttur was shocked to learn that many large banks invest in fossil fuels – an industry she saw as contributing to environmental and human harm. 'That's when I started exploring this intersection of financial institutions and social impact,' she says. Besides working out of Waterloo, Ont. as an activist and a youth columnist for CBC, Ms. Puttur – now 19 – is an adviser to Cool Climate Club, a youth-led brand that works with retailers to advance sustainability through tree planting and forest stewardship. What people might not see is how her values inform the kind of financial portfolio she's building in her personal life. 'I'm making a conscious decision to research who I'm investing with,' she says. 'Businesses can no longer be just for profit. They must be for the people and for our planet as well.' Ms. Puttur is by no means an outlier among her peers. A survey by found that 68 per cent of investors 18-29 are willing to divest from socially irresponsible companies – such as those that commit human rights violations, engage in unethical labour practices or lack environmental sustainability initiatives – in favour of ethical stocks. Values-based investing isn't new, but Generation Z might not always know the best way to begin. Tim Nash is the founder of Toronto-based Good Investing, a coaching service that aims to help a million Canadians invest more intentionally. He says Gen Z professionals should build their financial portfolios by approaching it as a sustainable investment journey – a lifelong activity where continuing planning will pay off over time. A good starting point would be setting up what he calls an 'ethical emergency fund' to avoid having to make hasty decisions based on short-term financial needs. Save up three to six months' worth of expenses and put it in an account or fund that is liquid, he suggests, meaning its value won't drop if you need to convert it into cash. This could be done through a credit union, a solution like Wealthsimple Cash or an institution like EQ Bank, he says. In your long-term bucket, you can then look for exchange traded funds (ETFs) made up of companies that are focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. All-in-one ETFs are made up of a highly diversified set of stocks and bonds, however, and Mr. Nash says conversations with your investment adviser should clarify where exactly your money is going. 'You want to earn the same rate of return as you would otherwise, but get rid of the nasty stuff,' he says. 'And everyone's going to have a different idea of what that means.' Cindy Marques, a certified financial planner and director at Open Access Ltd., says there can be misperceptions that values-based investing means sacrificing wealth. 'It's not a matter of choosing one over the other, where you say, 'I'm going to be socially responsible with my investments,' or 'I'm going to get competitive returns,'' she says. 'In many instances, companies that are structured to ESG-compliant metrics, or socially responsible metrics, tend to be more resilient and prepared for other risks that come up. And they're able to sustain market downturns or volatility in a similar manner as any other competitive company or fund.' Ms. Marques suggests reflecting on whether you're simply trying to avoid investing in certain areas – such as the alcohol, tobacco and gambling sectors – or want to invest in companies pro-actively doing good in the world. This could include organizations that are putting people from under-represented communities on their board, for example, or which have committed to sustainability goals. 'You have to make sure you're satisfying what's actually important to you as an investor, rather than just applying a negative filter,' she says. Values also tend to change over time, Ms. Marques points out. Approaches to running a business that once seemed acceptable may become taboo or even considered unethical. That means values-based investing can require careful research into the claims a company makes, the actions it takes to back them up and how they are measuring their progress. 'This is a lot of work for the average investor, and I would not necessarily task them to do that themselves,' she says. Instead, look for advisers that make their philosophy for picking and choosing their investments clear, and let them do that due diligence on your behalf. Values-based investing may appeal to Gen Z professionals in part because they have been witnesses to continuing cracks in the economic system, Mr. Nash says, leading to consequences ranging from climate change and food insecurity to affordable housing and more. 'When you understand those systemic issues, all of a sudden you start to say, 'Okay, I want to be part of something different.''
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How to make money ethically
As tensions rise globally, some people are becoming more conscious about where they invest their money and how they can align their financial goals with their personal values. UBC students recently called a two-day strike, demanding the university divest from companies they say are complicit in Palestinian human rights violations. There's also a backlash against those who invest in Tesla stock. Good Investing founder and president Tim Nash explains what ethical investing is.
