TIIP Leads Coalition to "Build the Market" for System-level Investing

NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Investment Integration Project (TIIP), an applied research and consulting firm, today announced the launch of the Build the Market initiative, an effort focused on:

• Guiding investors in adapting conventional investment approaches and leveraging new and advanced techniques to better manage systemic social and environmental risks;
• Encouraging widespread adoption of system-level investing throughout the global financial system; and
• Facilitating broader industry reform, away from a near-exclusive focus on the short-term and toward incorporation of systemic considerations.  

This initiative builds on the idea of system-level investing, which helps investors recognize the scope and scale of their impact and influence on environmental, social, and financial systems. System-level investing guides them in intentionally managing this impact toward the goals of minimizing long-term systemic risks; capitalizing on related opportunities for long-term value creation; and building resilient systems that support investments across all asset classes.

The effort is supported by Humanity United and the UBS Optimus Foundation, two organizations that recognize the importance of transitioning towards a sustainable economy. As climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have shown, the social and environmental challenges of the 21st century are new, different, and fundamentally destabilizing. Investors can choose to either maintain the status quo and ignore systemic environmental and social challenges and vulnerabilities, or they can help to prepare the financial system for the next inevitable disruption and for social and environmental disturbances that will occur more often, simultaneously, and with greater severity over time.

"The hard truth is that investors have contributed to these instabilities that threaten economic growth. They are reluctant to change their ways; even if they want to take action and they are increasingly being pressured to do so, but many have no idea where to begin," added William Burckart, President of The Investment Integration Project (TIIP). "We need to do more as an industry to build a market for a new type of investing that can support the health and resilience of the systems that we rely on for our collective well-being."

Leveraging its "Addressing systemic social risk: A roadmap for financial system action" report and 21^st Century Investing book, TIIP will execute three interrelated projects as part of the Build the Market initiative. Each project aims to develop dimensions of shared infrastructure and ideas that are pivotal to shifting the industry from a period of uncoordinated innovation to the actual building of the marketplace for system-level investing. Projects that comprise the Build the Market initiative include:

1. The Industry Needs Project that focuses on answering three fundamental questions:

As part of the project, TIIP has invited individuals from financial industry stakeholders (investors, intermediaries, industry organizations, etc.) to complete a brief and anonymous survey that assesses the industry's experience with, and readiness to adopt, new approaches to managing systemic social and environmental risks. A sub-set of industry leaders will also participate in project focus groups and interviews.

2. The Turnkey Solution (now in beta) is a first-of-its-kind, plug-and-play solution for system-level investing that provides the roadmap for how to take action to manage select systemic risks. This web-based solution consists of a ready-to-go set of operational materials and collaborative opportunities that will jumpstart initiatives.

3. Ongoing implementation guidance shows investors how to address the system-level challenges posed by income inequality. TIIP's reports help investors use system-level investing to address the issue and lay out step-by-step processes for doing so. 

"Absent any sort of industry-wide recognition of the challenge and bold action for change, investors, along with the rest of the world, threaten to stagger aimlessly toward an increasingly unpredictable future," said Waseem Mardini, Program Manager at Humanity United. "The kind of coordinated action that TIIP is pursuing can create a new market for a 21st century approach to investing that adequately tackles today's challenges."    

"We are excited to be a part of this effort to push investors to think bigger about their sustainability efforts and move beyond traditional ESG considerations to think about strengthening the structures in which they operate," said Phyllis Costanza, Head of Social Impact and CEO UBS Optimus Foundation. "Our current challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and modern slavery, have increasingly shown that our frameworks are interconnected."

Additional projects focused on the creation of a network for early adopters and platform for innovative product design are also under development.

To learn more and get involved, contact the initiative at [email protected].

Humanity United. Humanity United is a foundation dedicated to cultivating the conditions for enduring freedom and peace. We support and build efforts to transform the systems that contribute to human exploitation and violent conflict. HU was founded by The Omidyar Group, a diverse collection of independent organizations and initiatives that pursue different ways to improve the lives of people and societies. For more information, visit https://humanityunited.org

UBS Optimus Foundation. UBS Optimus Foundation connects clients with inspiring entrepreneurs, new technologies and proven models that are making a measurable, long-term difference to the most serious and enduring social and environmental problems. The only client-facing foundation linked to a global wealth manager, UBS Optimus Foundation has a long track record and is recognised globally as a philanthropic thought leader. It takes an evidence-based approach and focuses on programs that have the potential to be transformative, scalable and sustainable. This gives clients the reassurance that they are funding innovative projects that have a stronger chance of achieving systemic change. UBS covers 100% of the Foundation's costs and also makes matching contributions, ensuring that client donations will go even further. For more information, visit https://www.ubs.com/global/en/ubs-society/philanthropy/optimus-foundation.html

The Investment Integration Project (TIIP). TIIP's mission is to help investors understand how healthy environmental, social, and financial systems can benefit their portfolios. TIIP provides consulting services, thought leadership, and a turnkey solution that support investors' pursuit of system-level investing, an advanced sustainable investing approach that focuses on managing systemic risks and investing in solutions to systemic problems. For more information, visit https://www.tiiproject.com 

Contact: 
Mo Shafroth
Momentum Communications Strategy
[email protected]
720-470-3653

SOURCE Humanity United