Going for direct impact this time
I ask myself whether my first sustainability challenge made a material impact.
The sustainability challenge focused on the financial services firm I am currently working for, and formed part of the course work for the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).
What have I achieved in my first challenge?
My strategic action plan advocated long-term, responsible and sustainable investment practices and has brought about some change. I engaged with three asset management firms that our firm is representing. Two out of three became signatories to the PRI (UN Principles for Responsible Investing) and enhanced their efforts to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations in their investment process.
So, challenge achieved! I brought about positive change by advocating ESG investing and long-termism.
Let’s bring in a bit of scepticism…
An asset manager investing in securities and adopting ESG investing has no direct positive effect — even if investing in the most “sustainable” companies and staying clear of the most polluting ones. For publicly listed equity investments, the money and shares are just transferred from one hand to the other. No new investments are initiated or steered to sustainability projects.
Of course, ESG investing is a step in the right direction. There is an indirect positive effect as it provides market signals and stimulates discussions about sustainability topics by means of engagement with company management.
All good, but in my next sustainability challenge, I intend to make a direct impact, rather than a somewhat superfluous, indirect impact.
A bit about my motivation
I care much about the environment, love nature, trees, forests and the outdoors. I often spend time hiking in the forests or playing there with my children. And for the causes that we care about, we go out and raise our voices. Here is a picture of me and my kids, protesting against the inaction to the severe forest fires in the Amazon region.

Therefore, my next sustainability challenge is focused on environmental conservation.
Sustainability challenge 2
Over the next two years, I aim to raise funds for an NGO involved with reforestation projects in Paraguay: Refopar (Reforestemos Paraguay! — English translation: Let’s reforest Paraguay!)
Worried about the alarming degradation of the natural environment in Paraguay (and beyond), my father, Paul, founded Refopar in 2007.

In its tree nursery, Refopar produces native tree seedlings that are donated to townships, neighbourhood associations, schools, hospitals and other institutions. Since 2008, they have donated over 1,000,000 native tree seedlings and provided technical support. At the same time, they organise workshops and seminars to raise environmental awareness in the local communities. An example is a “tree day” workshop at a school about environmental conservation, in which the students get involved with the tree planting.

Refopar’s activities have grown significantly over the years: now a team of 8 (excluding volunteers) and over 600,000 followers on Facebook in a country with 7 million inhabitants. Check out their activity updates on their Facebook page or visit www.refopar.com

Measurable outcome
Refopar has up to now been privately funded. Any funding for an NGO should be commensurate to the capacity of its activities and projects. As a first step, I will visit Refopar in December to discuss the long-term plans of the organisation, review any capacity constraints, and assess the appropriate funding requirements for future reforestation and environmental conservation projects. A measurable outcome for the challenge will be revealed in my next blog.
Having successfully raised capital for investment boutiques, I am keen to use my business development skills to raise funds for Refopar, hereby having a direct positive environmental impact. Sure, it will require a different approach and network; but that is the fun part of learning from the challenge.
This is where the blog comes in handy: I invite my fellow students and other readers to share their insights, ideas or experiences in raising funds for an NGO. Any feedback, questions or ideas on Refopar’s activities are also very welcome.
HJdV
