Financial Firms Balancing Profit with Purpose
Since the first lot of certified B Corporations was unveiled in 2007, this cohort of businesses has matured to consist of 150 industries—including the financial sector. Today there is a growing number of financial firms across the globe—including banks, asset management, and venture capital firms—that are B Corps. These firms adhere to a rigid set of legal criteria to hold themselves accountable for their impact on their work, community, and environment. (To become B Corp certified, a company must score a minimum of 80 (out of 200) on the B Impact Assessment test.)
This presents a new opportunity for merging capital with purpose. When seeking a financial planner, the B Corporation certification allows for another way to vet potential prospects. This is helpful, as a most important collaboration one can have is that with their financial planner. For some, this relationship is viewed as purely transactional; the professional provides counsel for the most beneficial path forward. For others, a financial planner is an integral component of how one expresses their values. At The Conscious Investor, we fall into the latter camp. We believe money is a way to create change and extend purpose, therefore we feel anyone advising financial decisions must share parallel ethics.
The B Corp seal is a way to see if an expert is aligned with the concept that capitalism and doing good are not mutually exclusive. One step further, research shows that when decisions around capital are made with a consideration of environmental, social, or governance factors, it can substantially mitigate financial risk.
The following includes certified B Corp financial firms across the globe. From the growing number of firms, we narrowed down this list to include a wide geographical representation.
One final note: We hope these firms provide insight into the burgeoning world of companies putting values first. In considering this, the endeavor of finding the right financial planner is a layered process that weighs heavily on personal preference and intuition, as well as confirming necessary factors such as financial certification, fiduciary and other ethical expectations, and general financial goals. It is critical to ask questions that will provide the best information to make the most informative decision.
United States: West
Santa Monica, California
Score: 107.1
Santa Monica, California
Score: 133
San Francisco, California
Score: 144.4
San Francisco, California
Score: 120.8
Boise, Idaho
Score: 115.2
Alameda, California
Score: 162.7
Huntington Beach, California
Score: 109.7
Boulder, Colorado
Score: 140.2
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Score: 106.5
Figure 8 Investment Strategies
Boise, Idaho
Score: 120.6
United States: Northwest
Portland, Oregon
Score: 110.2
Portland, Oregon
Score: 87.5
United States: Midwest
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Score: 104.8
Pekin Hardy Strauss Wealth Management
Chicago, Illinois
Score: 106.1
United States: Northeast
Buffalo, New York
Score: 129.3
Norwich, Vermont
Score: 149.4
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Score: 100.7
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Score: 122
Boston, Massachusetts
Score: 128.1
Metuchen, New Jersey
Score: 144.6
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Score: 101.1
Boston, Massachusetts
Score: 131.8
Boston, Massachusetts
Score: 163.8
3Sisters Sustainable Management
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Score: 124.1
United States: Southeast
Richmond, Virginia
Score: 105.9
Ashville, North Carolina
Score: 123.3
Cary, North Carolina
Score: 112.7
Europe
London, England
Score: 117.3
Paris, France
Score: 109.1
Zurich, Switzerland
Score: 109.3
Helsinki, Finland
Score: 97.8
London, England
Score: 80
Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Score: 121.8
Geneva, Switzerland
Score: 98.8
Asia
Singapore, Singapore
Score: 105.6
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Score: 86.3
Australia
Kew, Victoria
Score: 93.8
Wattle Partners Private Wealth
Richmond, Victoria
Score: 80.3
Melbourne, Victoria
Score: 86.6
Sydney, New South Wales
Score: 99
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At The Conscious Investor, it is our goal to shed light on topics that we find interesting, inspirational, and educational. Therefore, this article is strictly for inspirational and informational purposes only. It is in no way intended to substitute for professional investment advice, professional financial advice, or general counsel. To the extent that an article features the insight, opinions, or advice of an expert or company, the expressed views are those of the cited person or company and do not necessarily represent The Conscious Investor and its employees or affiliates.