Clean Yield in Conversation: Expanding Our Equity Portfolios

Clean Yield in Conversation is a new video series featuring team members in dialogue with timely updates and analysis of the financial markets. Listen to this episode featuring managing directors of research and portfolio managers Liz Levy and Kofi Kodua: 

Over the last six months, Liz and Kofi have been driving strategic shifts in Clean Yield’s equity portfolios in an effort to make them more representative of the economy while remaining defensively positioned enough for the turmoil ahead. “We’re looking for opportunities for growth in important and emerging areas,” says Liz.

This has included adding more names to the portfolio including domestic stocks and larger companies — as well as tech stocks. “Technology is now ingrained in every aspect of our economy — certainly in every single industry — and that makes it unavoidable from an investment perspective,” Kofi says. 

These changes to equity portfolios are all in line with Clean Yield’s values and screening criteria for social and environmental impact, reflecting the firm’s core set of principles developed over more than 40 years. “Clean Yield’s investment process sets a high bar compared to others in the industry,” says Kofi.

Clean Yield is equally committed to upholding its longstanding history of shareholder advocacy — despite new rules making it easier for companies to disregard shareholder proposals and opt not to engage with investors. “It’s important right now to stay connected and aware of policy changes and analysis, and understand what is going on as it changes so quickly,” Liz says.

Listen to the full conversation above.