Oneline: Incorporating Climate and Social Impact into an Investing Portfolio

Topic: Many investors seek environmental and/or social impact alongside financial returns in their investing portfolio. In this session, Johanna Brickman and Ken Vaughn of VertueLab will share their experience in doing so in their VertueLab Climate Impact Fund. The fund incorporates forecasting greenhouse gas impact into the investment selection process. The fund also seeks to invest in ways that address the fact that the first and worst people affected by climate change are largely people of color in frontline communities and the fact that the entrepreneurial and venture capital industry are historically not very diverse. You’ll hear about the tools and processes they use in their work.

Bio – Jo Brickman: Jo is the Deputy Director and Director of Impact Strategy at VertueLab and has the responsibility for the development and execution of strategic direction and programs there. With the organization since its early days as Oregon BEST, she translated her previous decade of experience leading sustainable design at ZGF Architects into the creation of a collaborative research program focused on the sustainable built environment, and then into expanding the set of services offered to cleantech startups. In addition to co-managing VertueLab’s operations, Jo leads our efforts for impact measurement and management, ensuring that VertueLab programs and supported companies are designed and managed to achieve our ambitious targets for triple bottom line impact.

Bio – Ken Vaughn: Ken is the Director of Impact Investments at VertueLab and manager of the VertueLab Climate Impact Fund. At VertueLab, he manages their investment activities focused on innovations that address the root causes of climate change. He led VertueLab’s investment in 26 cleantech startup companies since 2014. He is responsible for capital formation, development of impact investing vehicles, evaluation of investment opportunities, investment transactions, and management of the VertueLab investment portfolio. Ken has extensive experience in managing innovation, starting companies, advising early-stage companies, and investing in early-stage ventures.