The Sustainable Business Network has kickstarted a project to create a sustainable investment fund.
Rachel Brown, CEO of the Sustainable Business Network, explains: “We know we’ve got natural advantages in New Zealand and a growing number of businesses who are providing solutions which are aligned to these. The idea is to develop criteria that see greater investment behind them so we can grow them,” she says.
“We are now working with members to formulate a set of positive criteria which aligns well with our aim of NZ being a model sustainable nation. This includes areas such as clean tech, sustainable agriculture and more.”
Stage 1 of the project - to determine criteria for the fund - is underway. Once the initial criteria have been established, Stage 2 will be to take the findings to the finance industry to find a solution.
“One of the issues we’ll be exploring is our members’ opinions on the movement to divest from fossil fuels,” says Brown.
“The divestment campaign is gathering momentum around the world, with church groups and university students joining the movement, which is supported by climate science.”
