Engaged portfolios encourage stronger companies and communities. We invest in the economy we wish to build, tilting toward more awareness, care and connection.
Shareholder advocacy is shareholder solidarity.
Like the sea, the world of shareholder advocacy is ever changing, a living body - based on government policy and a network of persons that find interest, comfort and hope there.
Farm Girl Capital does not retain authority to vote proxies on shareholder resolutions.
Investment selection within portfolios is guided, in part, on how managers implement and participate in shareholder engagement, including voting proxies.
Farm Girl Capital connects clients with shareholder advocacy non-profits, consultants, and third party managers who facilitate full-service proxy voting.
The ultimate goal of shareholder advocacy is a stronger company for the common good of all stakeholders - including shareholders.
Community Development.
While shareholders are at the forefront of corporate change through advocacy, the relatively more resilient fixed income side of the portfolio can create impact, too. In addition to lowering the overall risk of the portfolio, fixed income investments fund green infrastructure, affordable housing, and community wellness. By loaning to projects in low income housing, small business development, job creation, and local healthcare facilities, investors engage in the development of healthier communities.
Patient Capital.
Private opportunities in restorative investments like regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, and affordable housing can tie up funds for longer and be less liquid.
They may not have a secondary market in which to sell to convert into cash.
I refer to this as patient capital. Clients tend to have a budget for patient capital and invest smaller portions of the portfolio.
Still, private opportunities in a restorative economy can be an important part of the overall diversification of a portfolio from a fulfillment and impact perspective.