Earlier this year our Finance and Investment Committee formed a specialist working group to oversee the tendering of our investment advisory services. Australian Communities Foundation’s (ACF) investment advisory services are re-tendered at regular intervals to ensure good governance and were last put to market six years ago. Fourteen leading investment advisory firms were invited to submit proposals, thirteen proposals were received, and the committee shortlisted the top five.

Based on feedback from our 2018 donor survey, the successful firm needed to demonstrate that it had the expertise to support ACF to strengthen its ethical investing approach by including investments that have a positive social and environmental return, without compromising financial return.

After a rigorous process, we are delighted to announce that Brightlight Advisory has been appointed as ACF’s investment advisers.

As one of Australia’s foremost ethical and impact investment firms, Brightlight will support ACF to:

• Actively seek out investments which have a positive social or environmental impact and strong financial return.
• Complete a full audit on our current investments to ensure that we have completely eliminated any holdings in firms associated with corporations that have a detrimental social or environmental impact (e.g. firearms, tobacco, fossil fuels, gambling, alcohol, modern slavery, etc).
• Map our impact using the UN Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring that each investment is making a positive contribution to global development.
• Offer impact investing options for ACF donors, not-for-profits and other trusts and foundations, to support a greater shift towards responsible investing.

We are very pleased to have the support of the ACF community behind this decision. The Australian Communities Foundation Board has also endorsed the partnership with Brightlight, recognising that it positions ACF as one of the leading foundations in Australia in relation to responsible investing.

Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our Chief Financial Officer, Daniel Brugaletta, on (03) 9412 0412 or at daniel@communityfoundation.org.au, or Maree Sidey on 0417 385 208 or at maree@communityfoundation.org.au if you have any questions.

We would also like to take the opportunity to thank the team at JBWere for the prudent financial management and great service they have provided for the past six years.

We look forward to introducing the Brightlight team to you in the near future.