It’s a beautiful morning for idealistic investors. Making a difference while also making money is a full-on phenomenon. Financial-industry players use phrases such as “impact investing” and “socially responsible investing,” and researchers are helping to give those terms more precision as they work to understand the risks and opportunities using academic tools. We aim to explore this new investing landscape—and understand what it means for you.
To some, socially responsible investing used to be about avoiding certain companies. Increasingly, it’s about using market tools to make a difference.
Why We’re All Impact Investors Now
A trove of documents reveals the corporate decision-making that led to an environmental disaster, and could lead to other bad behavior.
When It Makes Sense to Pollute—and How to Change the Equation
BlackRock cofounder Sue Wagner joins Chicago Booth’s Marianne Bertrand, Robert H. Gertner, and Luigi Zingales to discuss the business of business.
Should Public Companies Do More Than Maximize Profits?
Companies spend almost three times the amount on politically motivated charitable giving than they spend trying to influence politicians through PACs.
How Corporations Use Charitable Giving to Wield Political Influence
Doing good can be good business, but research finds it can also trigger bad behavior.
Why Corporate Social Responsibility Can Backfire
A system mandated by Dodd-Frank seems to move rather than eliminate areas of conflict.
Why Conflict-Free Gold Doesn’t Reduce Conflict
An analysis of school choice in Los Angeles examines its impact on educational inequality.
Giving Students a Choice Can Make Schools Better
The number of workers large companies typically employ in a single place has fallen.
What the Growth of Big Business Means for JobsYour Privacy
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