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The U.S. federal government has announced its intention to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement. Bad idea, sure, but maybe not the monumental setback in the fight against climate change that is feared by so many.

Before joining Amalgamated Bank, I spent the bulk of my career working at advertising agencies helping to define and shape the perception of some of the world’s top brands.

We’re told from the moment we start working that the responsible thing to do is to set money aside and “plan for your future.” For many people, this means making regular contributions into an IRA or employee-sponsored 401(k) plan. These investments, if managed appropriately, are designed to be your “nest egg” into retirement and beyond.

Since the inception of trade, the most important part of investment management strategy has been the singular focus on yielding good financial returns. 

“Social responsibility” is not something commonly associated with the financial sector by most Americans. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, banking has consistently received some of the lowest consumer approval ratings of any industry in the country. 

Politico recently posted an article that caught my eye – “Can Big Bird survive Trump?”

As a child raised in rural North Florida during the 1970s, PBS (Public Broadcasting System) was a staple of my TV viewing.

Even as we have worked to address climate change over the past decade, it is clear that even our most ambitious goals are not enough to stop dangerous climate trends. 

“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.”
–Abraham Lincoln

These stirring words were spoken by arguably the greatest leader in the history of our nation; a man whose bold thinking incited perhaps the greatest progressive revolution of all time; a man who so cherished the sacred principles of freedom and justice for all, of equal rights for every man, woman and child, he gave his life for that greatest cause.