WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE INVESTING (ESG)

We consider ESG Investing, Sustainable and Responsible Investing to be interchangeable. As sustainable or responsible investors, ESG (environmental, social and governance) factors are incorporated into the investment process, alongside traditional financial analysis.

The following are the factors we consider most important:

Environmental Factors

Energy Stewardship
Water Stewardship
Emissions Stewardship
Waste Reduction
Recycled Materials Used
Supplier Environmental Standards

Social Factors

Fair Treatment of Employees
Employee Diversity
Worker Safety
Product Safety
Supply Chain Human Rights
Giving Back to Community

Governance Factors

Executive Diversity
Board Diversity
Board Chair/CEO Separate
Executive Pay Tied to Performance
Stock Ownership Requirement for Executives/Board
UN Global Compact Signatory/PRI Signatory/B Corp™

HOW WE ESG

We believe that responsible investing or ESG investing is in the best interest of our clients, our firm, our communities and our society.  Therefore, we consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies, practices, and outcomes, alongside traditional investment criteria, when evaluating potential investment candidates.

Cindy Bohlen, CFA®

Chief Mindfulness Officer / Director, ESG Investing
Cindy Bohlen, Chief Mindfulness Officer and Analyst at Riverwater Partners

WHY INVEST RESPONSIBLY

Do Good

Sustainable investments support companies that consider the people and planet, alongside profits. We think these companies are more resilient than companies that are focused solely on profits, sometimes at the expense of people and planet.

Do Well

Numerous studies have shown that companies that incorporate ESG policies and practices into running their businesses generate superior returns versus companies that do not.

And this belief is backed by data. In fact, a recent meta-study of over 1000 research papers on the relationship between ESG investing and financial performance and found either a positive and/or neutral relationship between ESG and financial performance.

We believe that these better business practices generally result in superior returns over the long term:

  1. Increased revenue (as customers want to support the efforts), and/or
  2. Decreased expenses (as a result of lower energy consumption, for example), or
  3. Decreased potential liability (reputation risk).

Click here to read more about debunking the myth of returns and ESG investing.

OUR SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Riverwater Partners | ESG | Responsible Investing | Wealth Management | Milwaukee | Madison

2023 Sustainability Report

Our 2023 Sustainability Report highlights our Sustainable Investing framework and the role it plays in fulfilling our responsibility as a fiduciary.

Overall, Riverwater Partners’ Sustainability Report is a testament to our commitment to Responsible Investing and belief that Sustainable Investing is the foundation of everything we do. By using a rigorous investment framework that considers sustainability factors and engaging with executives and policymakers to promote improvement, Riverwater Partners is working towards a sustainable future while upholding its fiduciary duty to its clients.

WE ARE PROUD TO BE A B CORP™

Riverwater Partners is proud to have officially become the first Milwaukee company and the only investment advisor in Wisconsin (as of Jan 2023)  to achieve B Corp certification.

As responsible or ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investors, attaining B Corp status was a natural extension of our values and practices at Riverwater.

Achieving B Corp status confirms that we adhere to the same standards we look for from the companies and funds in which we invest.

Click here to read more about Riverwater and B Corp certification.

Please remember that different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including those undertaken or recommended by Advisor), will be profitable or equal any historical performance level(s).