There is much cynicism and suspicion around large businesses and their
willingness to be accountable to the public. And why should they? The
concerned public does not own the company- the shareholders do. But what
happens when the concerned public is the shareholder? How does being involved
with a business —rather than rejecting it— allow you to impress your values on
daily operations? Can shareholders effectively facilitate positive change from
within rather than by pushing from the outside? This talk will examine how
individuals can have impact on business practices by involving themselves at
an investment level. By using their portfolio to vote with their dollars,
concerned citizens can help push companies to find a better way forward both
environmentally and socially.
CFP, Senior Financial Advisor. Steve is an activist. He believes
passionately that individuals working together for the common
good can change the world, and make it better for everyone. Before
coming to financial planning in 1996. Steve dedicated over 20 years to
environmental, justice, community and aboriginal issues in various parts
of Canada. He’s worked for aboriginal organizations in northern B.C. and
the N.W.T.; covered environmental and aboriginal issues as a journalist
and columnist; managed public legal education programs; and advocated
on northern and environmental issues on Parliament Hill. Steve was the
first executive director of a northern BC-based environmental research
organization involved in forestry, oil exploration, and transportation
issues, and was one of the first western journalists allowed into China
in the 1970’s.
At Manulife Securities Inc., Steve is the leader of his own team that
specializes in ethical investing and values-based financial planning.
He is involved with a variety of non-profit organizations, and is an active
member of Victoria’s Values-based Business Network. Steve is also a member of
the Social Investment Organization, a national agency dedicated to the
advancement of socially responsible investment in Canada and the Vancouver
Island Better Business Bureau.
