Investment Strategies that Support Women

Millions of people around the world came together and raised their voices at women’s marches held on Jan. 21, 2017. After watching these demonstrations, I reflected on how women can make an impact on the advancement of women through their choice of investments. Women can make a change by choosing investments that seek to invest in a way that promotes positive social change. This is often referred to as impact investing. Did you know women-focused investment products exist which…

• Address gender inequality and advance women as an urgent moral and economic imperative.
• Invest in companies committed to gender diversity on their boards of directors and in executive management.
• Emphasize companies that embrace policies and programs for the advancement of women.
• Focus specifically on increasing female board representation.
• Target companies with a female chief executive officer or companies where women make up at least one-fourth of the board of directors.
• Provide women-owned businesses with microloans, working capital, education and ongoing consultation through all stages of business. You can make a difference by supporting women’s socioeconomic advancement through your investments. Ask your Financial Advisor or Retirement Plan Professional about including investments which promote sustainable and responsible investments addressing social challenges.

This article was originally published in Women Magazine. Click here to see the full issue.