Momentum is Building!
Over the past few months, investors have been convening to have hard conversations about the why, what, and how of managing system-level risks and rewards.
- The 5th Annual Symposium on System-level Investing convened asset owners, asset managers, fiduciaries, foundations, and field-builders to confront the realities of implementing system-level investing. Co-hosted by The Investment Integration Project (TIIP), the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance (USIIA), the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN), the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and For the Long Term (FTLT) and sponsored by the Center for Monitored and Ethical Investment (CMEI) and Domini Impact Investments, with media partners Pensions & Investments and Chief Investment Officer magazine, the Symposium focused squarely on what it takes to operate as a system-level investor in practice. More here.
- In partnership with Principles for Responsible Investment, Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), Impact Investing Australia, and the University of Melbourne, TIIP was pleased to help organize a System-level Investing Workshop in Sydney, which focused on moving from theory to practical implementation: More here.
- Principles for Responsible Investment and TIIP – The Investment Integration Project co‑hosted a practical workshop in London in February on system‑level investing, guided by the use of TIIP’s AI-powered SAIL Platform. See here for a brief recap on the gathering.
With clear and growing momentum, system-level investing is no longer a concept at the margins. It is becoming a core part of how leading investors understand long-term value creation.
Now, we invite you to continue that momentum with us as we head back to London for two events related to the launch of The Handbook of System-level Investing.
See below for details on the two upcoming gatherings in London, with more to follow elsewhere later this summer.
Masterclass on System-level Investing: London, May 20 @ 3pm BST
Masterclass and book launch for ‘The Handbook of System-Level Investing’: rethinking investment in a world of systemic risks and opportunities
Investors cannot deliver long-term value unless the systems they operate within are healthy—and unless governance structures align with that reality.
From climate change and biodiversity loss to inequality and fragile food and health systems, today’s risks are deeply interconnected. System-level investing offers a practical way forward: helping investors understand their exposure to these systems—and act intentionally to influence them.
This interactive masterclass, followed by the UK launch of The Handbook of System-Level Investing (editors Jon Lukomnik & William Burckart), will explore:
- Practical approaches and tools for system-level investing
- Real-world case studies
- Challenges and implementation insights from leading practitioners
Hosted by Charlotte O’Leary (CEO, Investors for Purpose), the session will feature:
- William Burckart (CEO, The Investment Integration Project)
- Jon Lukomnik (Managing Partner, Sinclair Capital LLC)
- Bruna Bauer (Head of Impact Lens Research, Investors for Purpose)
You’ll also have the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers.
Seats are limited and filling quickly. Click here to learn more and register.
Advancing System-level Investing Through the Impact Economy: London, May 21 @ 6pm BST
Join us for a special book launch event hosted by the Marshall Institute at LSE.
The program will feature:
- Opening remarks from Kieron Boyle (Professor in Practice, Marshall Institute; CEO, 100x Impact; Chair, UK Impact Investing Institute)
- An overview of the “why, what, and how” of system-level investing from William Burckart (CEO, TIIP; Adjunct Professor and The Brandmeyer Fellow for Impact and Sustainable Investing, Columbia University; and co-editor of The Handbook of System-level Investing with Jon Lukomnik)
- A moderated discussion with leading practitioners, including: Antonio Rodriguez (Director of Investments, Building Service 32BJ Benefit Funds) and Emilie Goodall (Independent Advisor; Chair of the Endowment Investment Committee, Access Foundation), with additional names to be announced
Together, they’ll explore how investors address systemic risks—such as climate change, inequality, and financial instability—while strengthening the societal, environmental, and financial systems that drive long-term value creation.
Seats are limited.
All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the Handbook, followed by a networking reception.
Click here for more details and to request an invitation to attend via Eventbrite.
4 ways to stay engaged with our work on System-level Investing
In 2015, TIIP’s Steve Lydenberg and William Burckart coined the term system-level investing. Since then, TIIP has been a driving force behind this transformative approach—publishing pioneering research and supporting some of the world’s leading investors in integrating system-level strategies.
Why System-Level Investing?
System-level investing moves beyond traditional, sustainable and impact investing. It recognizes large-scale risks and opportunities, expands conventional investment strategies, and applies advanced techniques to foster resilient, adaptable, and healthy environmental, social, and financial systems.
Today, this approach is shaping institutional investment strategies globally. It is integral to the UN PRI’s “Pathway B,” distinguishing itself from traditional ESG integration (Pathway A) and impact strategies that may or may not consider systemic effects (Pathway C). (Source: UNPRI.org, “What is system-level investing?”, October 3, 2024.)
So, for those that would like to stay connected with our work beyond the Symposium on April 14th, here are 4 key ways:
- First, you can become subscriber to SAIL—the Systems Aware Investing Launchpad.
- SAIL is our all-in-one platform for strategy development, investor analysis and reporting designed for investors of all sizes and experiences, not just the pioneers.
- Second, if you need direct guidance we welcome you to avail yourself of our Total Portfolio suite of services:
- Total Portfolio Activation: Assess your readiness for system-level investing and create a go forward plan
- With Total Portfolio Implementation: TIIP provides practical tools and support for integrating system-level strategies into your policies, programs and practices
- Lastly A Total Portfolio Review: Helps investors assess and refine their investment strategies with a systems lens. Many of these assessments have been released publicly in whole or in part as Case Studies on an investor’s journey
- Or, we also provide 5 types of playbooks to meet individual investor or coalition needs:
- Our Organization-wide System-level Investing Playbook is for the investor ready to align their entire portfolio with long-term systemic outcomes
- The Systemic Stewardship Playbook is for those ready to take their stewardship efforts in specific to the system-level.
- The Asset Class Specific Playbook is for investors seeking a sharper strategy that reflects the unique utility of a particular asset class to contend with a specific systemic risk, or intersection of risks
- Issue Specific Playbooks for a Targeted Geography is for those navigating a pressing issue area — or a tangle of converging risks. We diagnose the systemic dynamics at play in your priority geographic area (whether local, national, regional or global) and deliver actionable guidance tailored to you
- Capital Needs Assessment and Playbook for a Targeted Geography is for investors or coalitions with a stake in a specific place. We assess the capital gaps in the priority geography — city, state , region, country or area — and build a playbook for deploying capital where and how it’s needed most
- Fourth, if you’re an asset owner, consider joining the Total Portfolio and Systems Intelligence Dashboard Cohort, which kicks off next month.
👉 Click here below to schedule a demo of SAIL or time to explore the other options listed above or email us at [email protected].
Join the Leaders in System-Level Investing
Our expertise has helped inform and support the strategies of pioneering institutions, including CalSTRS, Domini Impact Investments, the Surdna Foundation, University Pension Plan (UPP), Wespath Benefits and Investments, and more.
Are you ready to evolve your investing approach? Together, let’s take your policies, programs, and practices to the system level.
Follow us on LinkedIn to keep up with the latest TIIP news and find out how to join the system-level investing movement. Have questions about system-level investing? Email us at [email protected].
