Investment Choices: Beyond our engagement efforts with regard to racism, we proactively seek equity and fixed income investments that are impacting this issue positively, such as companies receiving high marks with regard to diversity and inclusion and bonds from issuers who are expanding access to basic human rights like clean water. By studying metrics around representation, pay parity, accessibility of products, arbitration policies, health and safety, and how companies and issuers are impacting the communities in which they operate, we seek to avoid investments that worsen racism and favor those that are working to solve for it.
Conclusion
Marginalized populations have suffered for many years from racial violence, unequal access to public health, disproportionate impact of climate change and many other injustices. These societal challenges are not new, and we expect them to grow in importance and materiality. At Brown Advisory, we are focused on using this global inflection point to further strengthen our commitment to diversity and equity. We have taken many of the actions we ask of companies and issuers, such as improved disclosure, goal setting with regard to hiring and promotion, and forming a racial justice task force. There is more to do. And we will hold companies, bond issuers and ourselves accountable.
Katherine Kroll is a senior institutional sustainable investing specialist at Brown Advisory.