Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

On Wednesday, June 15th, The European Union (EU) agreed to outline a deal to facilitate a focus on transparency in the supply chain. This legislation concerns the sourcing of conflict minerals, not just in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but from high-risk regions, worldwide.

Becoming a cooperatively owned enterprise rather than a traditional, privately owned one was something Sheila and Dylan had contemplated for their new generation mom and pop grocery when it was initially launched. However, they quickly ran into the usual startup financing obstacles. “No bank would fund us even though we had perfect credit and a good business plan,” Sheila reports, “They were uncomfortable lending into gentrifying areas, let alone to a cooperative.” The two ended up raising the needed funds through an Indiegogo campaign, from friends and family, and by assuming personal debt.

KeyBank’s Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) group announced it will provide a total of $17MM to the Housing Authority of Jackson County (HAJC) to help develop 53 units of affordable housing for singles, couples, families and veterans making 50 percent of area median income. The development, named Patriot Station, is located in in White City, Oregon. Patriot Station participates in the VASH program, a HUD Housing Choice Voucher program that supports vulnerable, chronically homeless veterans. KeyBank provided a $9.3MM equity investment, facilitated by Beth Wirtz of Key Community Development Corporation (KCDC), and a $7.7 MM construction loan, facilitated by CDLI’s Aubre Dickson.

Keystone Institute India explores four questions to build a foundation for a more inclusive society in India.

On June 8, 2016, the first annual Bloomberg Sustainable Business Summit Canada was held in Toronto.

Why Investing in Sustainable Agriculture is Vital to our Health and our Wealth

Ingersoll Rand engineers, lab technicians, human resources representatives, sales team members and procurement leaders celebrated 2015 National Engineers Week by hosting “Bring Your Future Engineer to Work Day” at the company’s campus in Davidson, North Carolina.

Sponsored by the Ingersoll Rand Foundation and the company’s power tools business, the Real Tools for Schools Program makes grants of up to $10,000 available to as many as 50 high school automotive technology vocational programs.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings, Better Plants Program is working with leading manufacturers to improve energy efficiency in the industrial sector, and Ingersoll Rand has met its goal.