One World: Charity Investment Forum
2-6 November 2020This year we took our charity investment forum online. Held over the US election week, we had an amazing list of speakers across the investment, foundation and charity worlds. To view the recordings, please see below.
A perspective from the US
The Hewlett Foundation is a private charitable foundation that aims to “promote a better world.” Watch President Larry Kramer discuss the foundation’s approach to managing its $10 billion endowment. While the foundation avoids investments in tobacco and oil and gas extraction, its impact ambitions are focused on its grant-making.
A perspective from the UK
Kate Rogers, co-head of Cazenove Charities, speaks to a panel of charity investors: Dr Lynne Guyton from John Lyons Charity, Aidan Kearney from the Health Foundation and Matt Cox from Esme Fairbairn Foundation, about their approach to managing endowments. The discussion covers key topics for charity investors including investment time horizon, determining the right spending level and how to align investments with a charity’s mission.
A perspective from Asia
Tom Montagu-Pollock speaks to Annie Chen, founder and chair of RS Group, a family office based in Hong Kong. The group aims to ensure that all of its capital is used to further its mission – not just the 4 or 5% that foundations typically distribute on an annual basis. It is a leading advocate for sustainable investment in Asia.
A perspective from Europe
Kate Rogers, Co-Head of Cazenove Charities, speaks to Jan Vander Elst of the Brussels-based King Baudouin Foundation. The foundation has an endowment of €1.2 billion, with around 30% of the portfolio invested in European equities. It aims to adopt a counter-cyclical approach to distributions, increasing support when the economic and social need is greatest.
Investing in global themes
Watch Tom Montagu-Pollock of Cazenove Charities in conversation with specialists in three of our favoured themes; technology, healthcare and the energy transition. While Covid-19 has accelerated many of the trends driving growth in these sectors, we believe the opportunities remain compelling.
Stronger foundations
Alex Baily, Cazenove Capital’s Co-Head of Charities, talks to Danielle Walker Palmour, Director of the Friends Provident Foundation, an independent grant-making charity. Danielle discusses her work with the Association of Charitable Foundations looking into best practice in charity investment. She believes that investment is a central part of a foundation’s work and explores the seven “pillars” that should underpin it. These include prioritising the charitable mission when setting investment objectives and holding investment managers to account.
Intentional investing
77% of charities in our recent survey said they wanted to align their investments with their mission. In this video, Kate Rogers, Co-Head of Cazenove Charities, discusses the trends in mission-aligned investing. Emilie Shaw explains how we can help charities create portfolios that reflect their values. Based on our calculations, a £1 million portfolio could achieve a reduction in carbon emissions equivalent to the annual energy usage of 14 homes.
Global Equities: A new social contract
Tom Montagu-Pollock speaks to Katherine Davidson, Global Sector Specialist at Schroders about capitalism in a time of Covid-19 and investing in a post-Covid world.
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