Words by Smiley Team
Traditionally associated with tackling poverty, The Big Issue Group (TBIG) is branching out to combat the biggest issue of all time: the climate crisis. Partnering with Aberdeen Standard Investments, they are launching a new fund to invest in companies delivering solutions to the climate and ecological emergency, which presents a particular threat to people living in poverty who are hit hardest by climate change.
Scouring the globe, they will search for companies for which at least half of their profits come from environmental solutions. A fifth of revenue generated from investments will support The Big Issue’s social mission.
The Climate Advisory Group overseeing the fund’s impact includes 24-year-old climate activist Jouja Maamri. She said: “It is important that the fund takes into account what young people like me have to say. After all, it’s our generation and the ones after us that will bear the costs of climate change.”
Envisioning the fund’s potential to drive systemic change, she added: “This fund allows individuals to take targeted action. By choosing to invest in green companies, you’re saying you’re not ok with the status quo. You don’t have to be a big investor. You are part of a bigger collective – when lots of people mobilise whatever money they have for good, it can bring about change on a corporate level.”
At the service of our planet
Currently, less than five per cent of the world’s companies will meet the criteria for the Multi-Asset Climate Solutions (MACS) Fund. But by offering a financial incentive TBIG hopes to drive companies towards genuine sustainability.
Joining Jouja on the Climate Advisory Group is Nigel Kershaw OBE, chair of TBIG. He said: “Crucially, this fund is about what we can do to address climate change, rather than just what we shouldn’t be doing. Like The Big Issue, it’s all about ‘solutions, not just exclusions.’ It’s a chance for anyone to invest not only for the prospect of financial return but an environmental and social one too.”
Nigel came up with the idea for the fund while thinking about the impact it might have on future generations. He explained: “It was looking into Greta Thunberg’s work and what she was doing really resonated with me emotionally. So I thought it would be great to create a junior ISA savings account, from which young people can potentially receive a pot of money that has been invested in what they believe in.”
Reflecting on TBIG’s role in tackling the climate crisis, he explained: “The Big Issue’s mission is to build a world that works for everyone, for now, and for future generations. The MACS Fund is a natural extension of this mission, given that the negative effects of climate change are likely to be felt by the poorest and most vulnerable people in our communities first and hardest.”
The MACS Fund is available at thebigexchange.com. It accepts investments from £25 a month, a lump sum of £100, or through an independent financial advisor on Standard Life’s Wrap and Elevate platforms.
Risk warning: Gains are not guaranteed when investing and your capital is at risk. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
