Sustainable by Terrence Keeley

SUSTAINABLE by financial advisor Terrence Keeley is a well-written treatise on a complex topic: “Moving Beyond ESG to Impact Investing.” Keeley, a senior client officer at BlackRock and UBS Investment Bank, structures his text so that it is accessible to a wide range of readers. As he explains in his introduction, the first six chapters are primarily historical and provide context for the next five chapters which offer a more technical explanation of how ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investment works currently. Next, in chapters 12 to 14, he looks at some of the challenges faced and the growing importance of investment stewardship. Solutions are suggested in the final three chapters. Throughout, he stresses the importance of growth, especially given the aging demographics and environmental challenges. Keeley asserts “a collective commitment to our children and grandchildren will simply prove too strong for wanton negligence and corruption to reign.” Let’s hope he is correct about technological innovations, carbon capture, and more mindful consumption. I have had requests for SUSTAINABLE and this thought-provoking text should help to further motivate opinion leaders and investors, but the message needs to be simplified for the average person. An appendix lists Exemplars of Hope (and promises a more comprehensive list online, although that is not [yet?] freely available); there also is a Notes section with sources and commentary that comprises between five and ten percent of the book.