Claire Mattingly

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Comments on the Midterm Elections and What it Means for Advancing an Equitable Economic Growth Agenda

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Even as ballots are still being counted in Congressional, state and local elections, it is clear that voters want an economy defined by equitable opportunities for themselves, their families and their communities. Though the exact policy prescriptions are subject to debate, Americans are united around attaining this shared prosperity.

The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance has long held the belief that the principles of impact investing are nonpartisan and capable of bringing together allies across the political spectrum to champion the flow of private capital for public good.

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Podcast: State of the Field and Practice of Impact Investing: Episode 68 of Money + Meaning

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Impact investors increasingly see their work alongside broader movements, such as reimagining systems, shifting power, promoting equity, combating the climate crisis and more. Tune into the Money + Meaning Podcast to hear from Fran Seegull, Monique Aiken and Cathy Clark on their reflections on the state of the impact investing field and predictions for the year ahead.

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Celebrating Government-Led Commitments to Equity and Community Investing Priorities

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This week, leaders from the public, private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors convened at the Treasury Department’s Freedman’s Bank Forum to consider their joint role in addressing economic disparities and promoting economic opportunities in communities of color. The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance congratulates the newly announced members of Treasury’s Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, representing community development finance experts, philanthropies, investment professionals and more.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Supports Latest Regulatory Win for Investor Transparency

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The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance expressed support for the latest iteration of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) disclosure agenda to improve transparency for investors. In addition to expressing broad support for the SEC’s objectives to combat greenwashing and equip investors with decision-useful information, the Alliance’s comments focused on ways the Commission could expand the scope and refine certain provisions in the final rule.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Applauds Historic Climate Action by Congress

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Earlier this week, the White House and Congress made strides toward achieving a number of climate, health care, and tax priorities by passing the Inflation Reduction Act in the Senate. The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance is particularly encouraged to see the inclusion of a $27 billion "green bank" facility to help finance clean energy projects, within the $370 billion dedicated to climate programs.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance & Peers Call for a Strengthened and Race-Conscious Community Reinvestment Act

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Today, the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance joined many of our peers on the Coalition on Inclusive Economic in supporting the most meaningful update to a foundational community investing policy in nearly 30 years. The Alliance and 15 organizations representing businesses, investors, nonprofits and community lenders submitted comments to the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in response to their joint rulemaking to reform the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Signals Support for ISSB Proposals that Lay the Groundwork for Global Convergence on Sustainability Standards

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The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance is encouraged by the emerging global standards on sustainability disclosures, and we believe that the International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) latest actions lay the groundwork for further progress over time. Specifically, the Alliance was pleased to write in support of the ISSB’s exposure drafts on general sustainability and climate-related disclosures.

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The Field Calls on the SEC to Prioritize Human Capital Management Disclosures

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In partnership with B Lab and nearly 50 investor, business and philanthropic organizations, the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance wrote to SEC Chair Gensler expressing support for the long-awaited rulemaking on corporate human capital management disclosures.

Related: Read more from our President, Fran Seegull, on how impact investors can set the record straight on the state of ESG investing and the policies necessary to promote a fair, efficient and sustainable investment ecosystem.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Applauds Banking Regulator’s Guidance on Climate-Related Risks

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The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance wrote to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today in support of their draft guidance for large banks managing climate-related financial risks.

Investors and the broader public are relying on financial institutions to account for the significant, systemic risks posed by climate change in a prudent manner.

The FDIC’s guidance helps provide clarity to banks on how to do so and is an important element of a whole-of-government approach for ensuring a future economy that is resilient and strong.

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Impact Investors Support SEC’s Leadership on Climate Transparency

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Earlier today, the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance submitted comments in support of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) proposed rule to enhance and standardize climate-related corporate disclosures. This represents a historic moment for impact transparency, as investors have long been calling for accessibility to clear, comparable data related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. The Alliance’s comments communicate broad support for the proposal, which is squarely in line with the SEC’s mandate to protect investors, maintain fair and efficient markets and facilitate capital formation.

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Regulatory Progress Toward Transparency in ESG Investing

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Earlier today, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed two sets of rules that will help shed light on the practices of investment funds and advisors that incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment factors into their strategies.

The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance is encouraged by the SEC's latest actions to help equip investors with clear, comparable and reliable information about the true nature of their investments and improve overall transparency and accountability across the capital markets.

The Alliance looks forward to reviewing the proposals in depth and providing comments regarding specific provisions and potential areas for strengthening the final rule.

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Department of Labor Seeks to Protect Retirement Savers from Climate-Related Financial Risks

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The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance was pleased to respond today to a Request for Information on how the Department of Labor can protect retirement savers from climate-related financial risks. Alongside specific recommendations for further action and research by the Department, the Alliance is calling for a whole-of-government approach to combatting the significant, systemic risks climate change poses to the economy. Read the Alliance’s full comments here.

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Banking Regulators Set out to Strengthen Foundational Community Investing Policy

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Earlier today, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) proposed significant reforms to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), an anti-redlining banking policy with roots tracing back to the civil rights movement. While the CRA has been catalytic, the racial wealth gap and access to capital divides persist, and the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance is supportive of the regulators’ latest efforts to modernize and strengthen the policy’s underlying framework.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Celebrates Historic Step Forward on Corporate Climate Disclosure and Impact Transparency

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Today marks a major milestone for the impact investing community and its longstanding efforts to manifest a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable economy. The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance applauds the SEC for their leadership in advancing new climate reporting requirements for U.S.-listed companies, which represents one of the boldest steps a U.S. regulator has taken toward accounting for the risks of climate change to our economy in a transparent and meaningful way.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Statement on Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and those calling for an end to Russia’s unprovoked invasion. We are heartened by the rapid response of individuals, governments, NGOs, businesses and investors around the world to hold Russia accountable and to provide aid to those who have been threatened or displaced. Much more will be required in the months and years to come as a humanitarian crisis unfolds in Europe and around the world.

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Policy Corner: Progress on a dozen policies to mobilize private capital for public good

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[Originally published in ImpactAlpha’s ‘Policy Corner’] There is no shortage of challenges facing leaders in Washington. The coming midterm elections will increasingly dominate the headlines. But impact investors must continue to push for policies that will catalyze private capital to improve the lives of Americans and help address our ongoing social, economic and environmental crises. The principles of impact investing have long captured bipartisan interest.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Applauds SEC for Protecting Investors’ Proxy Voting Rights

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Earlier today, the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance submitted comments to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in support of their proposed amendments to the rules governing proxy voting advice for shareholders.

The proposal would rescind a provision finalized in 2020 that undermined the independence of the proxy advisory process. In doing so, the SEC is rightly course correcting and ensuring that investors have access to timely, accurate and unbiased advice, a core element of their shareholder engagement rights.

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Policy Corner: How business, investors and government are working together to drive equitable economic growth

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[Originally published in ImpactAlpha’s ‘Policy Corner’] It’s not every day that leaders from government, business and finance come together to advance a shared vision of how to make economic growth more equitable and inclusive. But a group of 60 impact-oriented businesses and investors, including the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance and B Lab, are answering the call with the launch of a coalition committed to working side-by-side with government to amplify and accelerate the equity agenda.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Applauds Critical Step Toward an Improved CRA

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The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance applauds the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for its issuance of a final rule yesterday rescinding the 2020 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rule from the previous administration. Alongside our peers, the Alliance has submitted several comments to the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the OCC expressing the need for the agencies to work collaboratively to uphold the CRA’s core purpose and to better address racial disparities in lending.

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