Join us for a public lecture on “Sustainable and Impact Investing: What Does the Evidence Say?” by Professor Shawn Cole of Harvard Business School.
The fields of sustainable and impact investing are reshaping the financial landscape, generating growing interest from investors seeking both financial returns and measurable social or environmental outcomes. In this lecture, Professor Shawn Cole will explore the evolving evidence behind these investment strategies. Early studies indicated that sustainable investing could lead to lower financial returns compared to traditional approaches. However, more recent research suggests that sustainable and impact investing can deliver competitive financial performance while also contributing to positive societal and environmental change. With a particular focus on impact investing, Professor Cole will review the growing body of evidence that demonstrates the real-world impacts of these strategies, highlighting the potential for investors to achieve both financial goals and meaningful, long-lasting change. The lecture will provide critical insights into how sustainable and impact investing are influencing the future of finance.
About the Speaker
Shawn Cole is the John G. McLean Professor in the Finance Unit at Harvard Business School, where he teaches and conducts research on financial services, impact investing, and Social Enterprise. He serves as faculty chair of the Social Enterprise Initiative. Much of his research examines corporate and household finance in emerging markets, with a focus on insurance, credit, and savings. He has also done extensive work on financial education in the US and emerging markets. His recent research focuses on designing and delivering advice and education over mobile phones, with an emphasis on agricultural and financial management. He has worked in China, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Vietnam. He is an affiliate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development. He is on the board of the Jameel Poverty Action Lab, as the faculty lead on Corporate Engagement. Before joining the Harvard Business School, Professor Cole worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in the economic research department. He has served on the Boston Federal Reserve’s Community Development Research Advisory Council, served as an external advisor to the Gates Foundation, and was the chair of the endowment management committee of the Telluride Association, a non-profit educational organisation. He is a co-founder and board member of a non-profit, Precision Agriculture for Development.
Date: Friday, 1 November 2024
Time: 1400-1600 (SGT) (Registration starts at 1330)
Venue: Singapore Management University, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Level 1, Seminar Room 1.1, 50 Stamford Road, 178899
Register now. (Registration closes on Wednesday, 30 October 2024)