Investors are increasingly asking that question.  You know the one that should be never raised at cocktail parties:       "Should I invest in companies that I know are wrecking the planet?" In simpler times, "serious investors" didn't worry with the social aspects of investing in tobacco or alcohol or defense contractors. Our pragmatism stated that legal products were acceptable investments in a free society.  That was prior to our knowledge of climate science... before the flooding of Pacific islands and Alaskan coastal towns... and well in advance of breaching 400ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere -- a level not seen in the totality of...

401k plans are the yeomen of the investment world -- doing hard work behind the scenes with little fanfare or notice. In the best of circumstances, 401k's are practically invisible, tax-deferred and dull wealth builders.  Of course, in some cases, these workhorses are neglected, improperly allocated or are poorly utilized... Their potential is wasted as they work in silence. Out of sight, out of mind...  until someone decided to look under the hood...   Plan participants have begun to scrutinize the holdings of their 401k mutual funds. Finding them "loaded to the gills" with the likes of BP, Halliburton, Wal-Mart and Exxon-Mobil, they are...

Global sustainability research firm RobecoSAM named its 2013 Sector Leaders from among more than 2000 candidates worldwide.  Unfortunately, American firms still lag their counterparts in most sectors in terms of sustainability best practices and performance.  Despite accounting for nearly half of the world's equity market value, only seven US companies ranked at the top of their industry, out of 58 categories. American Sector Leaders for 2013 include: Alcoa Inc.  --  Aluminum Baxter International  --  Medical Products Herman Miller  --  Furnishings Molson Coors Brewing  --  Beverages Sonoco Products  --  Packaging UnitedHealth Group  --  Healthcare Waste Management  --  Waste Disposal Still, more than a dozen US firms showed the most significant progress in their sector, suggesting...

U.S. stocks posted robust gains in the first quarter, with large caps returning 11 percent, beating both developed international (+4%)  and emerging markets stocks (-4%).  Bonds were lackluster, posting flat total returns as modest coupon interest was offest by a small increase in market interest rates (causing a drop in values).     In 2012 and early 2013, an accommodative Federal Reserve combined with an improving U.S. economy to push domestic shares higher.  While unemployment is falling only slowly, construction fundamentals have rebounded sharply. Home prices have been rising, and corporate earnings and profitability are near record highs.  This was a good recipe for stocks, but caused a little consternation...

We are pleased to announce that this week, Boardwalk Capital was the first investment management firm in the Southeast to be named a "Certified B Corporation".    Never heard of a B Corp?  Soon, you will.  The "B" stands for "Benefit", and this community will change the way business is done.   At their core, all B Corps believe they can use the power of business to solve environmental and social problems.  They seek to do business differently.  To accomplish this, and cut through the noise and clutter, B Corps are certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability,...