Greg: A sustainable lifestyle is almost a given for people my age and up to 10 years younger. They expect to buy organic food and drive cars that are fuel efficient. It’s not accurate to say people are talking about sustainable investing a lot, but they are talking about sustainable lifestyle choices. That mindset will lead to people looking for investment opportunities. That’s where the rubber will meet the road and conversations will start to happen with investment advisors.
Paul: Greg, as a millennial and a professional in the investment industry, what do you say to other millennials about career opportunities in this field?
Greg: I get resumes from grad students and folks looking to make a career change. They want to pick my brain about sustainable investing. I tell them a career in sustainable investing is unique, challenging and likely to be more interesting than what most of their friends are doing. It’s at the forefront of what’s next for our industry, the future of asset management and an exciting place to be working.
Chris: I agree with Greg—this is a dynamic industry within a maturing industry. This is where growth is going to be, and I’m excited about that. The lights are turning on for my generation too. People are starting to see that resources are finite, and we need solution-based investments. After driving my daughter’s Prius, my wife decided she wants a hybrid as well, and that’s what I’ll leave you with.
Paul Ellis founded Paul Ellis Consulting to work with financial advisors who want to integrate sustainable and impact investment strategies for their clients. Chris Brown is chief investment strategist for Pax World Funds and a member of the portfolio management team for the Pax World Balanced Fund. Greg Hasevlat is a sustainability research analyst at Pax World Management LLC and is also assistant portfolio manager of the Pax MSCI International ESG Index Fund.