Jon Shell

At last week’s #2024FinancialForum in Whistler, Innovation Federal Credit Union shared their latest ESG report, "Member Perspectives on ESG: An In-Depth Analysis." Conducted by Insightrix Research, the study surveyed over 1,800 participants, including both members and non-members, to examine perceptions of ESG policies at Innovation. The key findings highlight strong support for ESG initiatives and provide valuable insights into each of the three pillars: Environmental, Social, and Governance. You can read the report here: https://ow.ly/zrlz50TM2GP #ESG #Sustainability #CanadasCreditUnions

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I’m excited to share RBC’s refreshed approach to community investment, an evolution in how we partner with communities to help unlock solutions to drive positive impact. Through Ideas for People and Planet™, RBC, RBC Foundation and RBC Foundation USA are committing C$2 billion in community investments by 2035 to help address three of society’s most pressing challenges: the environmental crisis, a rapidly changing workforce, and growing inequalities.   Our approach is guided by three key ambitions: ·       Support the transition to a net-zero economy ·       Equip people with the skills for a thriving future ·       Drive more equitable opportunities for prosperity As Dave McKay, our President and CEO, said, “This investment reflects our commitment to driving positive change on societal challenges that threaten our collective prosperity.”   We know our community investment partners have the insights and ideas that can drive progress on societal challenges, and that is why investing in these organizations is critical. Our updated approach is designed to be flexible and responsive, supporting our community investment partners’ ideas that seed, scale and sustain solutions to help address the evolving needs of our communities.   Applications open on November 1, 2024, and I encourage charitable and not-for-profit organizations to explore our new funding criteria and share their ideas.   Let’s work together to help drive positive change. For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/gP6NCBHh.   #IdeasForPeopleAndPlanet #CommunityImpact #RBC

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Ontario Liberals report a fundraising surge   Last month’s Abacus Data poll had the Ford government maintaining its commanding lead at 43% compared to the Liberals (23%) and the NDP (22%). However, those results did not seem to impact Bonnie Crombie’s ability to fundraise.   The Liberal Party announced in a press release following the Liberal Leader’s Dinner that the Party has raised $2.48 million in 60 days. This breaks down between “$1.65 million raised at the Leader’s Dinner, and $829,000 raised from over 13,800 individual contributions, with an average donation of $60.”   A party spokesperson says in the release that “Ontario’s Liberals are back, and we’re putting in the hard work necessary to defeat Doug Ford and replace this scandal-plagued government with a team that will do more for you…There is a spark in our party and Ontario’s Liberals will be ready whenever an election is called.” It goes on to say that since Crombie became leader in December 2023, the Party has raised more than $6.3 million.   In response, the Ontario NDP also released some fundraising stats, saying they have raised $825K from 5,460 contributions in the past 60 days. The governing PC Party historically out-fundraises the other parties combined on an annual basis. The final 2024 fundraising tally for each Party will be released by Elections Ontario in Q1 of next year.

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There aren’t many people doing such system altering work in Impact Investing as Jon Shell and Social Impact Partners. If you think the current standard of impact investing is reprehensible, check out Jon’s work to see the promise of what it should be.

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Last month, CLA member Dr. Ron Dembo, Founder and CEO of riskthinking.AI, joined Paul Ellis on the Sustainable Finance Podcast to discuss "future data," a probabilistic approach that addresses the uncertainties of climate change more effectively than traditional models. Interested in learning if the Canadian business landscape will ever achieve "a mark-to-market pricing system that inherently includes climate risk", or the challenges in "using climate data effectively"? 📖 Read the full transcript exclusively on Canadian Finance News: https://lnkd.in/g3pVnPWk #sustainable #finance #risk #carbonzero #data #climate

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Productivity is a problem in Canada because it isn't anyone's priority. Households expend most of their resources chasing real estate. Politicians make low-risk bets on exciting narrow groups of voters—and the kinds of policies that will be needed to move the needle on productivity will upset narrow groups of voters. The biggest companies and investors put dividend increases and fat profit margins ahead of investing for the longer term. Another example: Ottawa's obsession with financial stability. Too little thought is given to the opportunity cost of making sure no bank will ever fail. However, there is some evidence that the banking regulator is taking a step back from its safer-than-safe approach to policy. It would be a baby step in the right direction. My latest: https://lnkd.in/e2ED8E6Y

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Get your tickets while they last for the Sustainable Finance Forum, 2024, this November in Ottawa. sustainablefinanceforum.ca What’s on the Agenda? Prepare to dive into transformative and inclusive discussions and networking opportunities, and join the people who are striving to make Canada a world leader in sustainable finance. The Forum is connecting capital providers, policy makers and the best ideas to scale investment to address urgent priorities for Canadians, such as fighting climate change, creating fair economic opportunities and building strong and resilient rural, urban and remote communities. #Keynote speakers include Mark Carney and Dr Victoria Hurth who will speak on crucial topics of sustainable finance and social finance both across Canada as well as internationally. Why Attend? 🤝🏽 Engage with a wide range of industry and policy leaders including elected officials and experts in sustainable and social finance. 💡 Discover innovative financial tools and resources designed to address urgent global challenges. 📣 Amplify your brand and align with the leaders shaping the future of finance. Have you got your tickets yet? 🎟️ Don’t delay! Register while you can: https://lnkd.in/gHYa_V-J The Canadian CED Network (CCEDNet) - Le Réseau canadien de DÉC (RCDÉC) Institute for Sustainable Finance Table of Impact Investment Practitioners CAP Finance, le réseau de la finance solidaire et responsable Bernard Ndour TC Energy Raylene Whitford Green Finance Institute UK Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE Climate Bonds Initiative Ujala Qadir #SustainableFinance #SocialFinance #CdnPoli #FinanceLeaders #EnvironmentalImpact #FinanceForGood #ImpactInvesting #SustainableFinanceForum2024 #SFF2024Ottawa #SFF24

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We’re looking forward to the Sustainable Finance Forum next week. In our view, the forum represents an important space for government and private investors to engage on some key issues. We are hopeful to see lively discussions and debates about policy initiatives that could propel more capital into positive impact outcomes. Here are a few of our policy ideas we’re hoping to explore – what do you think of them? Add your ideas in the comment fields or chat with us at the forum!   -- Impact-focused product classification that would build on the ongoing work of ESG and sustainable finance disclosure frameworks, including a tiered classification framework, similar to the SFDR but with a stronger emphasis on impact investing -- An impact investing disbursement quota for foundations that would incentivize deployment of endowed capital into positively impact investments -- Strengthened guidance for program-related investments in Canada to more closely parallel the equivalent regulatory framework in the US -- A “Community Reinvestment Act” or similar, to create durable supports for the creation of community development financial institutions, building on Canada’s existing strengths in credit unions -- Expanding the remit of Community Futures to explicitly incorporate social and environmental objectives while guiding the organization to support a wider range of organizations including nonprofits  

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A new report by Quinn+Partners signals an important shift in the appetite of institutional investors in Canada to increase their allocations to impact investing. Following global trends, the engagement and participation of institutional investors will spur the growth of this rapidly evolving field in Canada, predicted to triple in value to $46 billion by 2030. Prominent Canadian Institutions contributed to the research, which highlights the need to increase the supply, size, and diversification of impact investing opportunities, as well as accelerate capacity building and collaboration. Our team at TwinRiver Capital is excited to work with our partners, the J.W. McConnell Foundation and the Trottier Family Foundation, to make it easier for institutional investors, foundations, and family offices to choose impact as part of their portfolios. Check out the report here: https://lnkd.in/ezvdJdhd #twinrivercapital #impactinvesting #impinvcanada #sustainability #socialfinanceforum

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Cidel is excited by the latest research on the opportunities for impact investing in Canada and what our Partner TwinRiver Capital is leading in this space. A new report by Quinn+Partners  signals an important shift in the appetite of institutional investors in Canada to increase their allocations to impact investing. Please visit this link to learn more https://lnkd.in/enMxw2D6 #twinrivercapital #impactinvesting #impinvcanada #sustainabilityhashtag #socialfinanceforum

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85% of a large group of Canadian executives surveyed this year said they “worry all or most of the time” about climate change, up sharply from 59% in 2023, according to a new report by Deloitte. These findings shouldn't surprise anyone since 2024 will likely go down as Earth’s hottest year on record, after a summer of scorching temperatures globally. It's time to act. What's one small, permanent change you can make to fight the greenhouse gas crisis?

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Impact Seminar Series Canada is just around the corner! Join us on May 22nd for insights from expert speakers. Here's a sneak peak at a few of our sessions to get you feeling inspired 💡 🌍 Impact & portfolio alignment: How can we integrate sustainability goals across Canada's investment industry? Katie Wheatley, Head of Canada at UN Principles for Responsible Investment will be sharing key findings from PRI's Legal Framework for Impact project, conducted with research partners UNEP FI and the Generation Foundation. This interactive session will delve into when and how investors can consider pursuing positive sustainability impacts, which policy reforms would further enable investors, and what this all means in practice. 🌍 Investor Panel | Reaching climate objectives by 2030 Moderated by Finance Montréal's Pauline Barraque-Bigot, in this panel investors will address the many challenges they face when allocating to climate. Here are some of the topics they'll be discussing: - How are investors and their managers able to stick to their targets? - What are the tools available to validate data? - How do they hold their partners accountable? - Are less ambitious targets a solution? - How will regulations go forward or change? - How does a climate strategy fit with fiduciary duty? Panelists include: Alexandra C., Investment Manager at McConnell Foundation, David Ung, M.Sc., Director, Sustainable Investing, Global Sustainable Investing Team at Manulife Investment Management, Erin Flanagan, Director, Climate Advisory at PSP Investments and Philippe Bélanger, Head of Responsible Investment at Régime de rentes du Mouvement Desjardins.  Registration is still open, and complimentary for our institutional investor community ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q02wwHxb0 We look forward to welcoming you there! #impactinv #sustainablefinance #impactinvesting

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What are the biggest mistakes small companies make when setting up their organisations? In this podcast,  I asked Julia Chung, Board Chair, Financial Planning Association of Canada this question, and her answer really made sense. If you're starting a business or working on building a strong foundation, you’ll want to hear this. Julia shared key insights on the common mistakes many small businesses make—and how to avoid them. Watch the full podcast here: https://lnkd.in/dKyQFMcZ Episode: 19th, Part 1 Host: Sarah Bundy - Founder & CEO, All Inclusive Marketing Inc. & For Female Founders Guest: Julia Chung, CFP, CLU, FEA, TEP Chung, CEO of Spring Planning Special thanks to Awin Global for sponsoring this video and supporting women in business, helping them thrive, not just survive.

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As both a senior marketing executive with clients in the impact investing space and small-fry angel investor dipping her toe into this space, I can't help but feel that impact investing has a positioning problem. While the promise of impact investing is undeniably compelling—aligning capital with positive social and environmental outcomes—it's not without its hurdles. Perhaps critically beginning with a lack of a universally accepted definition of 'impact.' This ambiguity quickly leads to misaligned expectations among stakeholders, and perpetuates misconceptions about impact = lower returns. Something along the lines of "For investors seeking not only superior financial returns but also a positive impact on society and the environment, Impact Investing is the strategic choice that delivers both. Unlike traditional investments, our approach integrates comprehensive impact metrics and sustainability goals into every investment decision. This ensures that each dollar invested not only grows in value but also contributes meaningfully to addressing critical global challenges such as climate change, health, and education." Sounds pretty good to me. The Canadian Impact Investing Working Group has authored an excellent, comprehensive, and pragmatic report - with clear calls to action and solutions. #impactinvesting cc Shikhank Sharma InBC Investment Corp.

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We are excited to share that Arti Freeman will join an expert panel at the Sustainable Finance Forum to discuss scaling impact investing in Canada! Stay tuned for insights from this critical conversation #ImpactInvesting #SustainableFinance #SocialFinance #CommunityFinance

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Welcome back to the #ClimateRiskSeries! In this fifth post, we explore Chapter 2 of OSFI's B-15 #ClimateRisk Management Guideline, focusing on climate-related financial disclosures, which are crucial for Canadian #financialinstitutions ("FIs") in demonstrating transparency and accountability in their climate risk management efforts. 📊 Climate-Related Financial Disclosures: 🔹 Purpose of Disclosure Expectations: OSFI enforces climate risk management through robust disclosure expectations. These disclosures are key to fulfilling OSFI’s mandate to protect depositors, creditors, and policyholders, enhancing public confidence in the Canadian financial system by ensuring that FIs' financial conditions and risk exposures are transparent. 📝 Principles for Effective Disclosure: 🔹 Principle 1: Relevant Information: Disclosures should detail the current and potential future impacts of climate-related risks on the FI's markets, strategies, and financial statements. 🔹 Principle 2: Specific and Comprehensive Information: Information on exposures and impacts from physical and transition risks should be specific, including governance, strategy and risk management of climate-related risks and opportunities. 🔹 Principle 3: Clear, Balanced, and Understandable Information: Ensure the information is accessible to both sophisticated users and the general public. 🔹 Principle 4: Reliable and Verifiable Information: All disclosed data should be neutral, traceable, and free from bias. 🔹 Principle 5: Appropriateness for Size, Nature, and Complexity: Tailor the level of detail in disclosures to the size and complexity of the FI. 🔹 Principle 6: Consistency Over Time: Maintain consistent disclosures over time to facilitate understanding and comparison. 🕒 Implementation and Timing: The guideline will be implemented for fiscal periods ending on or after October 1, 2024, for Domestic Systemically Important Banks (DSIBs) and Internationally Active Insurance Groups. For smaller financial institutions (FIs), implementation will start for fiscal periods ending on or after October 1, 2025. Disclosures must be made publicly available within 180 days following the fiscal year-end. 🔍 Example in Action: Consider a major bank that has detailed its approach to managing transition risks in its annual ESG report, including quantitative and qualitative analysis of potential financial impacts. This transparency not only aids in stakeholder decision-making but also bolsters the bank's credibility and market trust. Stay tuned as we continue this series of posts on navigating the complex landscape of climate risk management under OSFI’s B-15 guideline in the financial sector. #CROs   -------   🔷 As a dedicated Sustainability and Risk Management Strategist, I guide companies through today’s challenges and opportunities. 🔔 Follow me here, Hind Abdo, MBA, CFA for practical insights 🔍 on sustainable practices and effective risk management.

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📅 Final reminder - "Investing for Good: Innovative Finance for Global Impact" webinar is tomorrow, May 27, at 12pm EDT.     This webinar will guide you through innovative financing from a technical perspective and provide a snapshot of current priorities and trends in Canada. We'll also offer insights on how investments can be used for social good, but hurry spots are limited, register today! ⤵ ✨ https://lnkd.in/eQ8xUx4X      The Philanthropist Journal , Pedro Barata, Paul Ronalds, Sam Akyianu, @Paula Pereira   #Webinar #ImpactInvesting #GlobalImpact #Finance 

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Join us today at 12pm EDT for a great discussion on the importance of impact investing in driving global impact. Featuring Sam Akyianu from MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates). #impactinvesting.

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