Finance-Focused Strategies Report: Executive Summary

NetGain Partnership | September 2023

For investors not driven by philanthropic, personal, or religious values, improvements in social or environmental practices are supported when they are understood to enhance the long-term value of a company. Investors can be powerful allies in pressing for change in companies – if there is a persuasive case showing that changes would enhance financial returns and if the change being requested is clear. When social activists link their social or environmental causes to the improvement of an investment’s return, they gain a broader audience for their message and, given their new allies, more influence when speaking with decision makers.

The suite of reports commissioned by the Netgain Partnership aimed to contextualize capital markets and investor behavior by exploring strategies and case studies; understanding the challenges and opportunities of incorporating digital rights issues into Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks; evaluating data infrastructure needs for investors and activists; articulating a role for funders and investors in pushing for ethical AI standards; and highlighting private market interventions that shape early-stage tech companies in their efforts to reduce and mitigate harm.