Dear beloved clients and friends,
We ask that all of our readers take a moment and watch the following 4-minute video about certified Benefit Corporations (B-Corps). It will forever change how you view business in America. --Matthew
We at MOR Wealth Management have accomplished a lot on behalf of our clients and the community over the last 5 years. However, our absolute proudest moment was when we received our official certification as a B-Corp. There are only 52 investment management companies in the nation who have accomplished this, and only one in the city of Philadelphia.
B-Corp: What it is and why it matters
Unlike traditional companies, certified B Corporations are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their employees, suppliers, community, consumers, and the environment. Certification by B Lab, a nonprofit organization, is attained after meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance. There are currently 990 certified B Corporations in 32 countries that represent over 60 industries. All share one common goal: to use the power of business to solve social and environmental challenges.
This unified goal spans a wide swath of considerations: environmental impact, community involvement, charitable giving, and even corporate governance considerations such as workplace diversity and family leave flexibility. For instance, one striking example of what MORWM’s environmental policies have accomplished over the past 12 months relates to our paper usage. The average office worker in the United States prints 37 pieces of paper per day. In the month of October, MOR Wealth Management averaged 1.2 printed pages per employee per day - a record low for our office. And that’s only one example of many.
What Amy has to say
“Be the change you seek.” I love the B-Corp tagline. I had been aware of B-Corp for many years prior to joining MORWM, and was searching for a professional home with a culture that embodied the belief that business can be a force for good. During my first interview with Matt, it was clear that MORWM was such a place . I am very grateful that Matt was as excited about the idea of becoming a certified B-Corp as I was.
With the help of B Lab, we examined all aspects of our business through the lens of its impact on our clients, the larger world, and ourselves. B Lab reminded us that every decision has power, and often there may be a better option. It has also had a ripple effect on our home lives as well. Becoming a certified B-Corp was not simply about making monetary donations... we can choose the environmentally friendly detergent, bring in our neighbor’s trash cans, plant a tree, and vote. It all adds up to a connected, nurturing community. That sounds like a place where I want to live and work. #BetheChange. What Matt has to say
The establishment of the B-Corp was the result of a national movement to create a new type of corporate entity merging the ideas of profitable institutions with the idealism of non-profit culture. We, entrepreneurs and the citizens of the earth, must ask ourselves if we can simultaneously do well for business, and do good for community. The answer to that question is yes...
In the broadest sense of the word “environment,” Wall Street is among the worst polluters - but it doesn’t have to be that way. Deeply seated in our mission at MORWM is the desire to drive responsibility through our investment practice, our corporate governance, our environmental stewardship, and, most importantly, our community commitment. Our statics prove that even Wall Street, if motivated, can accomplish business successes while driving community leadership. B-Corp is just the beginning.
Do we “do good”?
Percent of profits donated to charity last year: 11%
Paper printed in the office last month: 108 pages
Percentage of investments screened for social responsibility: 90%
Percentage of employees that engage in volunteerism: 100%
Percentage of corp. reserves dedicated to impact projects: 21%
Minimum # paid days off: 28
Staff attrition rate last year: 0%
Our Socially Responsible Investment Policy
No individual company shall be included in the MOR Wealth Management hypothetical models, or otherwise be owned by a client which 1) Ranks in the bottom quartile for environmental/sustainable/corporate governance as per the average percentile ranking of SustainAnalyitics® and RobecoSAM® aggregate ESG score or 2) Supports, or willfully disregards any opinion or action, whether political, social, or otherwise, that we, in our discretion, find harmful to the community or the environment. No mutual fund shall be included in the MOR Wealth Management hypothetical models, or otherwise be owned by a client which ranks in the bottom tertile for environmental/sustainable/corporate governance as per Morningstar. Furthermore, any such investment owned by a client or perspective client transferred to MOR Wealth Management, must be divested within 366 days. (Unless certain specific conditions exist including but not limited to Rule 144 Control Stock.) The above-mentioned screens on all investments considered practical for screening shall be conducted no less than semi-annually. Can Wall Street companies do well, and also do good? Yes, they can, and MOR Wealth Management is the proof. Becoming certified as a B-Corp was a rigorous process, especially since most of the work took place on weekends so as not to disrupt, in any way, our focus on financial planning and investment management. However, during every moment of the process, I was reminded of the type of clientele that we represent- those who vigorously support the greater good. We are proud to honor all of you by how we represent you.
We are a B-Corp. Join us and B the change.
Matthew Ramer, AIF® Principal, Financial Advisor MOR Wealth Management, LLC 1801 Market Street, Suite 2435 Philadelphia, PA 19103 P: 267.930-8301 | c: 215-694-4784 | f: 267.284.4847 |
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The majority of this content was written and distributed MOR Wealth Management, all rights reserved. Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a registered investment adviser. Fixed insurance products and services offered through CES Insurance Agency. Investing in the stock market may produce monetary gains or losses and may not be suitable for all investors. An investment’s socially responsible focus may limit the options available to the investment or investment manager. Due to the impracticality of assessing of certain asset classes, such as U.S. municipal securities, government securities, currency, commodities, etc., not all assets classes can be analyzed.