Sustainability, as defined in the Brundtland Report is ‘Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ In other words, it’s about taking positive action now to create a better future for ourselves and generations to come.
So, what does a sustainable future look like?
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the same can be said for sustainability. Where one person’s aspirations may be for better jobs and a more thriving local economy for themselves and their descendants, another’s motivation may be ocean conservation or combatting climate change. Some may have mixed aspirations that address social, envionmental and financial.
The UN have adopted a set of sustainable development goals which set out what they’ve found to be the main areas of focus but for many, the future and what they want from it are viewed on a much more personal level.
How you can help
A sustainable future means a better outlook for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren, and we all have the ability to shape it.
For some, the best way to do this is by giving your time, either by volunteering or mentoring, but for others it’s about making a financial impact.
The number of investors looking to use their money to do good is increasing, leading to an emergence of financial products and strategies designed to meet these ‘impact investors’ needs. There are many possible outcomes, or ‘impacts’ from this type of investing depending on the investors mission, and the idea is that you decide on what you want your money to achieve (your mission) before investing, and then speak to an impact fund manager to help you achieve it.
How we can help
NEL has been managing mission-led funds for over 28 years, working with public and private sector investors to deliver social and economic impact.
We can help with all aspects of impact fund management, from fund design to fund closure. Please visit our website to read about the services we can offer.
If you’d like to speak to us to discuss your unique requirements as an investor and explore ways in which we can work with you to achieve your impact objectives please call us on 0345 369 7007 or visit www.nel.co.uk for more info.
