“They need my dolla, dolla”
Voting With Your Dollar
By Nicole Schlichting
LISTEN UP, FELLOW PATRIOTS.
We are only a day away from arguably the most historic and revolutionary election in American history. Regardless of who wins, the outcome of this election will undoubtedly change the face of contemporary politics all over the world. More people than ever are registering to vote and hitting the polls to make their voices heard; what many Americans don’t realize, however, is that there is more than one way to vote for change.
One of the easiest and most effective ways of facilitating change in the world around you is monitoring where you put your money, both as a consumer and — even more so — as an investor.
As consumers, we can shape the way companies conduct themselves by choosing not to buy the product/service (recent example: SeaWorld stopping the breeding of orca whales due to country-wide boycotts).
As investors, we truly hold the power in the company-shareholder relationship — without us, the business shuts its doors (or never opens them in the first place). The process of influencing a corporation’s behavior with your investments is known as shareholder activism, and it has been a huge force driving the progressive changes we have recently seen in massive corporations — like it drove the surprising decision by Tyson, America’s biggest seller of meat, to invest in meat alternatives. In politically tumultuous times like these, it is extremely important for investors to recognize their power and utilize it!
Voting with your money is incredibly straightforward, regardless of what side of the political spectrum you find yourself on.
Aren’t an active investor yet?
Step 1: Do some research to figure out what companies share your values and goals, and determine which of those companies would be good investments for you financially.
Step 2: Invest in those companies.
Already an active investor? Here you go:
Step 1: Do some further research to figure out whether or not the companies in your portfolio share your values and goals. Chances are there will be at least one or two that don’t quite fit your idea of how a company should conduct business…
Step 2: Divest from those companies.
You CAN act on your beliefs!
If you have strong opinions about the environment, human rights, the social welfare of employees around the globe, immigration, etc. (virtually anything political), you can easily find companies to invest in that have a corresponding political agenda. We, as dedicated citizens, need to be actively voting everyday with our money, both as consumers and investors.
After all, our monetary vote counts just as much as our political one. (But also…November 8th — go vote!)
Dive Even Deeper (Optional)
The Huffington Posts gives 10 examples of how presidential voting and shareholder bear striking similarities, explaining that, “A citizen has much in common with voting as a shareholder of a publicly traded company. And both matter.”
The Huffington Post: 10 Surprising Ways Voting for President Mirrors Shareholder Voting
Need help picking a conscientious portfolio?
Or if you just want to learn more about investing in general, check out our website and/or download the app to chat with a member of Team Grow!
Look for @GrowInvesting on social media as well!…
About Grow
Grow is the leading provider of automated investing solutions focused exclusively on environmentally sustainable, socially responsible companies with good governance practices. Our products — including Grow Invest, for mobile devices and Grow Capital Management, a full service investment management firm — are powered by our proprietary analytics engine Grow Analytics. Grow works to empower investors across generations and income levels by providing guidance that allows them to align their personal values and investments. Based in San Francisco, California, Grow makes powerful and impactful investments accessible to all. For more information please visit www.growapp.us, www.growanalytics.io, or www.growcapital.us.
