Ellen Kennedy
Ellen writes about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, as well as sustainability in personal finance. She has worked on sustainable investing for over 20 years. Ellen was an ESG manager and analyst at Calvert Investments, focusing on climate change, water, and consumer staples. She served on the sustainability councils of several Fortune 500 companies, led corporate engagements, and filed shareholder proposals. She also alerted investors to emerging issues at the time, such as deforestation from palm oil plantations, and the use of toxic chemicals in consumer products. As a consultant, Ellen advised start-up funds and non-profit groups on how to best measure sustainable investments for impact. Before that, Ellen was a program officer for Winrock International, managing loans to alternative energy projects in Latin America. Ellen also directed a program that provided scholarships in agricultural science to women in Angola.
Ellen earned a master’s from the University of California Berkeley in international relations and Latin America. Her research focused on the role of migrants’ remittances on local economic development in rural Mexico. Ellen earned a B.A. in Philosophy and Spanish from Haverford College. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
Latest articles by Ellen Kennedy
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The ESG Investing Backlash
ESG Is sustainable investing helping investors avoid ESG risk, or is it designed to advance a “woke” agenda?
By Ellen Kennedy • Published
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3 Sustainable Fashion Stocks to Buy Now
investing The apparel industry has a rough record on environmental, social and governance issues, but these firms are trying harder.
By Ellen Kennedy • Published
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How Senate Breakthrough on Climate Could Benefit ESG Investors
ESG Portions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 have the promise of more revenue and tax credits for companies making products that help fight climate change.
By Ellen Kennedy • Published
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Do You Have Guns in Your Funds?
ESG Investors looking to make changes amid gun violence can easily divest from gun stocks ... though it's trickier if they own them through funds.
By Ellen Kennedy • Published
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New ESG Fund from Engine No. 1 Leans on Activism
ESG The Engine No. 1 Transform Climate ETF (NETZ) offers an approach to sustainable investing that includes – wait for it – oil and gas companies.
By Ellen Kennedy • Published
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McDonald's (MCD) Stock: Tasty, Empty Calories
Investing for Income For some, ESG challenges such as climate change and animal welfare offset the durability and dividends of MCD shares.
By Ellen Kennedy • Published
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5 ESG Stocks to Buy for Earth Day 2022
ESG We explore five highly rated ESG-friendly stocks that act as standouts in five key environmental areas.
By Ellen Kennedy • Published
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3 Ways Climate Change Disclosures Would Benefit Investors
ESG Publicly traded companies might soon have to report how they manage climate risk – and their own greenhouse gas emissions.
By Ellen Kennedy • Published
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Double Your ESG Impact With Funds Tied to Charities
Financial Planning A growing number of funds donate directly to causes you might care about. Are they good investments?
By Ellen Kennedy • Published