Covid-19 has accentuated and aggravated the social and environmental issues responsible investors have been working on for many years. In the midst of the devastation, the pandemic has provoked commentators and politicians to ask ‘what will society and the economy look like post covid-19?’. There are clear signs that the pandemic has only accelerated the drive for sustainable finance from both the community and policymakers promoting green recovery plans.
However, a green and socially equitable recovery is not going to happen through mere rhetoric. We cannot afford for the momentum coming out of lockdown to be greenwashed with a return to business as usual. As a community who have devoted our careers to the sustainable finance movement, we know that we cannot achieve change at the scale and speed the world needs if we do not bring the rest of the industry with us.
That final thrust of change is about people, not organisations. As responsible investment professionals we have all worked with enthusiasts and with blockers, both can often be found in the same investment team! To make the most of this unique moment, we must empower supporters and shift the norms which give the blockers such easy vetoes over meaningful action.
Altiorem is the world’s first community built sustainable finance library. It is a unique, action orientated resource designed to help sustainable finance advocates be more effective and the broader industry to implement the changes needed to make it a reality.
However, for Altiorem to satisfy the need for a curated collection of research and tools, we need your support. Our mentor program is an opportunity for you to use your experience and extend your impact by supporting the next generation of finance leaders and shaping this much-needed resource.
Why do we need Altiorem?
We know that finance professionals want to take action, however, despite a wealth of information, it is often hard to find or is too technical, leaving non-sustainability specialists without a clear path for connecting the issues to the actions they can take.
There are many barriers to sustainable finance, but good quality and relevant information shouldn’t be one of them. Our goal for Altiorem is to help eliminate this barrier by giving professionals access to free, high quality, relevant and accessible material they can easily use in their day to day roles.
How does Altiorem work?
Altiorem runs a Wikipedia like model. More than a library, Altiorem, is an ecosystem where university student volunteers (contributors) summarise leading research and tools which support sustainable finance. Finance professionals and issue experts (mentors) guide contributors through to publication, shaping and enhancing the quality of the library. Last but not least, the community of members use, rate and suggest content to ensure the library is relevant and impact focused. Each member of the Altiorem community gives and receives while making a positive impact.
Since our launch on 21 May, we have had more than 320 members join the community and have published 65 research summaries, 61 organisation profiles, 137 charts and 53 quotes, all thanks to the hard work of our 52 active volunteers.
What does a mentor do?
Our community of mentors are a critical part of ensuring that the quality, relevance and reliability of Altiorem remains high.
Mentoring with Altiorem allows you to focus on your areas of interest while sharing your knowledge, passion and experience with the next generation of sustainable finance leaders. Mentors also deepen their own knowledge and help shape the library by prioritising and selecting what gets in.
The work of mentors is flexible, cloud-based and well supported with guides, training, tools and the advice of the mentor community and our dedicated team.
Joining the Altiorem community will expand your network, grow your profile and allow you to work with peers on a global platform which is focused on outcomes and action – not just “sharing on social”. All mentors are recognised for their contribution with profiles on the site and by-lines for each summary completed.
If you have 4-10 hours per month to contribute to changing finance for good, sign up as a mentor today – you won’t regret it. You can read about some of our mentor’s experiences here: Michael Corcoran, Enrico Colombo and Sebastian Vanderzeil and view current mentor profiles here.
If mentoring is not for you, please join Altiorem as a member (it’s free) and suggest your favourite research to help the community. As a charity, we are also fundraising and so financial contributions from you or your organisations are vital for the growth and success of the library. Please get in touch at info@altiorem.org if this is of interest.
Only together can we change finance for good. Altiorem.
Mentor endorsements:
“If you’re a curious person with a bit of an academic bent and interested in learning and communicating — especially if you have a passion for finding ways to make the world a better place — have a look at Altiorem” Michael Corcoran
“It is a great opportunity to interact with like-minded people and to learn new things” Enrico Colombo
“Being a mentor is not just about helping contributors complete summaries for the library but also to help build a global resource” Sebastian Vanderzeil
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