Water Risks For Investors: Starbucks, Levi Strauss & Co., and World Wildlife Fund To Outline Key Issues

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Record-breaking drought in California. Runaway wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. Catastrophic flood events in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Florida. Big water problems are plaguing the U.S. and other countries worldwide. As a result, two-thirds of the world's largest companies report exposure to water risks, and investors are wary. But some of the greatest challenges are outside of a company's direct control, residing in the supply chain. How do shareholders address these risks? How do impact investors who want to support solutions to the growing water crisis approach these issues without getting burned?

Attacking these questions and others head-on for sustainable, responsible, impact investors, two panels on water investing will be featured at the 26th annual SRI Conference: "Water Risks for Investors" and "Agriculture and Water: Is it Time for Innovative Financing?" The SRI Conference on Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing will take place November 3–5, 2015 at The Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs, CO (http://www.SRIconference.com/).

Experts presenting on "Water Risks For Investors" panel will include: Jim Hanna, director, Environmental Affairs, Starbucks Coffee Company; Byron Thayer, sustainability manager, performance & reporting, Levi Strauss & Co.; Lindsay Bass, head of U.S. Corporate Water Stewardship, World Wildlife Fund, and Marc Robert, president, Water Asset Management.

Byron Thayer, Manager of Sustainability Performance & Reporting at Levi Strauss & Co. said, "Considering that water is used at every step of our value chain, we consider water stewardship to be a long-term topic that has serious ramifications to our business."

A separate panel of experts will examine the acute nexus between agricultural development and water conservation. Speakers will focus on innovative financing mechanisms that support improved agricultural water use efficiency, improve production systems, and create better environmental and social outcomes.

Experts presenting on the "Agriculture and Water: Is it Time for Innovative Financing?" panel will include: Jason Scott, CEO, Encourage Capital; Joe Whitworth, founder and president, The Freshwater Trust; Anna Rath, president and CEO, NexSteppe; and Craig Wichner, partner, Farmland LP.

Joe Whitworth, president, The Freshwater Trust said: "With the ability to now effectively 'x-ray' nature, we can understand impacts and secure supply chains and resilience in an entirely new way. Nature causes drought, but humans cause shortage. It's within this context that we must view supply chain and production risk."

"There has never been a more urgent need for responsible investors to focus their attention on water," said conference producer, Steve Schueth, president of First Affirmative Financial Network. "Environmental managers from Fortune 500 companies and water investing experts will address shareholder risks from water and strategies for impact investing. Climate change, drought and sanitation, as well as pollution from industrial-scale agriculture and public health threats from aging infrastructure offer both threats and opportunities."

ABOUT THE SRI CONFERENCE
Now in its 26th year, The SRI Conference (http://www.SRIconference.com/) will be November 3–5, 2015 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Leaders in the philanthropy and foundation worlds are invited to participate in the largest, longest-running annual meeting of responsible investors and investment professionals. Registration is now open at https://www.eventsforce.net/fafn/frontend/reg/thome.csp?pageID=971&eventID=5&eventID=5 or by contacting Krystala Kalil at 888-774-2663 or [email protected].

Conference participation is open to investment professionals, institutional investors, and related organizations and individuals who are working to direct the flow of investment capital in more positive, healthy, transformative ways—toward the creation of a truly sustainable future. The conference experience features an outstanding series of educational sessions and a focused opportunity to network with hundreds of like-minded individuals, organizations, and industry leaders.

ABOUT FIRST AFFIRMATIVE FINANCIAL NETWORK
First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC (http://www.firstaffirmative.com) is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (SEC File #801-56587) offering investment consulting and asset management services through a nationwide network of investment professionals who specialize in serving socially conscious investors. First Affirmative produces The SRI Conference - on Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing (http://www.SRIconference.com).

NOTE: Mention of specific companies or securities should not be considered an endorsement or a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

SOURCE First Affirmative Financial Network and The SRI Conference, Colorado Springs, CO

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