Invest for Better
Invest for Better
Key takeaways from a recent panel hosted by Invest for Better
In Brief: Earlier this month, Invest for Better held a panel discussion on creating a more sustainable and equitable economy.
The Details: Invest for Better is dedicated to helping women invest their money in ways that create a better, more equitable world. Their mission is especially important as women gain more access to capital and become more active investors. The panel was moderated by Jenny Everett, a member of Invest Better and a senior advisor to EO+WD.
Key Takeaways: The panel consisted of Sonali Kothari, Smitha Das, and Zoe Schlag. The panel discussed the key role of ownership in wealth building for different groups including women, minorities, refugees, and immigrants. Panelist Zoe Schlag covered the various forms of Employee Ownership in the United States, including worker co-ops, ESOPs, EOTs, and Purpose Trusts. She emphasized the differences between the models including ESOPs functioning as retirement accounts and EOTs offering opportunities for worker governance, as well as the need for business owners to understand the distinctions between the different models. The panel also discussed the ‘moment’ employee ownership has been experiencing as the idea picks up steam in mainstream media and investment circles. Sonali Kothari discussed the current obstacles to scale including the time and financial cost to businesses looking to transition, as well as her mission to increase access to experts, technology, and general transition support to these owners. Zoe Schlag’s firm offers similar support, and Jenny — alongside some of EO+WD’s other partners — is creating a database of service providers for transitioning to Perpetual Purpose Trusts.