Can Investing in the Planet sustain business survival?

UC Review: Can Investing in the Planet sustain business survival?

The Center for Environmental Policy at the Academy of Natural Sciences concluded its series of Town Square Forums called Investing in the Planet on Monday, December 7 with a public discussion of corporations and sustainability.

Roughly 100 people attended the event, which featured three guest speakers: Dave Stangis, Kathleen McGinty and Sister Nora Nash. AXA Advisors, a financial services firm, co-sponsored the series.

Sustainability is a broad concept encompassing economics, the environment and society. It refers to development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

James Cox, an Academy member and a financial advisor at AXA who focuses on socially responsible investing, framed the topic candidly in his introductory remarks. “If you talked about social responsibility five years ago, you would have been talking about alternative energy,” he said. “Now, if you’re not addressing sustainability, you won’t be around in ten years.”