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Sustainable Investing

Discussions on responsible investing strategies, including sustainability and ESG, have been occurring at Tufts for years. From Tufts Climate Action’s first divestment campaign in 2012 to the launch of the Tufts University Sustainability Fund in 2015, the University is working to align its financial practices with its mission and values.

In 2020, a Responsible Investment Advisory Group (RIAG) reviewed Tufts' endowment and explored a wide range of options to use the endowment to fight climate change. The RIAG presented their recommendations to the Tufts Board of Trustees, who then approved the sustainable investment plan in February 2021. More details about these recommendations can be found on the Investment Office's website as well as in a webinar recording with Tufts' Chief investment Officer, Craig Smith.

Academics and Research

Tufts offers a graduate certificate in Impact and Sustainable Investing. The one-year, online program at Tufts will train students to integrate social, environmental, and economic sustainability into business. Housed in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, the certificate also involves some courses in the Department of Economics.

In early 2022, The Fletcher School appointed Quyen Tran as a Professor of the Practice to teach courses on impact investing. Tran is currently the Director of Impact Investing & Head of Fundamental Equities Sustainable Investing Research at BlackRock.

Tufts Libraries has compiled resources for researching impact investing and ESG, which includes books, databases, news outlets, journal articles, and more. The Fletcher School also produces ESG-focused news and research.

Opportunities for Students and Faculty

The Investment Office along with other campus groups have opportunities for students and faculty to go deeper with responsible investing, gaining knowledge and real world experience. Potential topics include agricultural tech & food, energy transition, transportation evolution, water security, and circular economy. If you are a faculty member looking for a responsible investment project for your class or a student looking for a research or thesis topic, please reach out to the Lillian Miller (lmiller@invoff.trustees.tufts.edu) of the Investment Office for ideas.

Below are campus groups that undergraduate and graduate students at Tufts can join to gain knowledge and direct experience with investing.

Tufts Investment GroupTufts Investment Club Logo is a student run group focused on "creating a forum for discussions about investment strategies, global market trends, and financial literacy...to motivate students from all backgrounds to start investing on their own terms." The group meets on a regular basis

FitMoney Fellows, a program of Tufts Investment Group, is a community financial literacy program that brings Tufts students to high school classrooms in the Greater Boston area to teach personal finance workshops.

Tufts Financial Group is a student-run financial resource group and is the largest business club on campus with over 100 members. Offering students pre-professional guidance and real investing experience, the group is comprised of four sub-groups: The Career Development Course, Tufts Investment Banking Club, The Alpha Fund, and The Tufts Trading Club (TTC).

Fletcher Social Investment GroupTufts Financial Group Logo is a graduate student-run organization "dedicated to social impact and impact investing". The group works to equip Fletcher students with skills and knowledge around ESG investing and connects them with social enterprises, impact investors and sector experts.