Advancing Loyola's Commitment to a More Sustainable World
October 14, 2021
Dear Loyola Community,
We are pleased to share that Loyola University Chicago’s new Sustainable Investment Policy was recently approved by the Board of Trustees and Loyola senior leadership, furthering the University’s commitment to sustainability and addressing the ongoing global climate crisis.
Over the past year, the Board’s Investment Policy Committee (IPC) has been working diligently to create a more sustainable investment strategy that aligns with Loyola’s Jesuit mission. The new strategy framework outlines plans to divest from companies that derive a majority of their revenue from fossil fuels and are not transitioning to clean energy sources. Additionally, the framework establishes a strategy of proactively seeking investments in companies working to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change and calls for integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations into Loyola’s investment mandates.
We view the climate crisis as one that all citizens have an urgent responsibility to address. As an institution, we have a unique role to play in training and educating the leaders of tomorrow to identify and scale the innovations needed to advance a clean and equitable future for all. As we transition our campuses and infrastructure, we must also use our resources to ensure the proper financial incentives exist to transition those who use fossil fuels to greener sources of energy.
We are grateful to the IPC and staff for their hard and thoughtful work in developing a policy that better reflects the University’s mission and values, as well as to the students, staff, and faculty involved for their advocacy. We also extend a special thanks to Katharine Wyatt, chief investment officer and staff liaison to the IPC, and Poorvi Modi, student representative for the IPC, for their dedication to this initiative.
Loyola continues to be a leader in social justice and sustainability and demonstrated its commitment to caring for our common home as an enduring value in our approved Strategic Plan and one of the Universal Apostolic Preferences of the Society of Jesus. Next month, Loyola will be represented at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference—also known as COP26—in Glasgow, Scotland, at which the intersection of finance and adaptation will be a key theme. We are proud to be one of 127 colleges and universities that has pledged to center climate in our operations, and we are consistently ranked among the top 5 percent of green campuses across the country. We are also well on our way to achieving carbon neutrality in 2025 as part of our Climate Action Plan.
Our latest steps allow the University to continue its important work in creating a more just, humane, and sustainable world.
Together in Loyola,
Jo Ann Rooney JD, LLM, EdD
President
Wayne Magdziarz
Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
October 14, 2021
Dear Loyola Community,
We are pleased to share that Loyola University Chicago’s new Sustainable Investment Policy was recently approved by the Board of Trustees and Loyola senior leadership, furthering the University’s commitment to sustainability and addressing the ongoing global climate crisis.
Over the past year, the Board’s Investment Policy Committee (IPC) has been working diligently to create a more sustainable investment strategy that aligns with Loyola’s Jesuit mission. The new strategy framework outlines plans to divest from companies that derive a majority of their revenue from fossil fuels and are not transitioning to clean energy sources. Additionally, the framework establishes a strategy of proactively seeking investments in companies working to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change and calls for integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations into Loyola’s investment mandates.
We view the climate crisis as one that all citizens have an urgent responsibility to address. As an institution, we have a unique role to play in training and educating the leaders of tomorrow to identify and scale the innovations needed to advance a clean and equitable future for all. As we transition our campuses and infrastructure, we must also use our resources to ensure the proper financial incentives exist to transition those who use fossil fuels to greener sources of energy.
We are grateful to the IPC and staff for their hard and thoughtful work in developing a policy that better reflects the University’s mission and values, as well as to the students, staff, and faculty involved for their advocacy. We also extend a special thanks to Katharine Wyatt, chief investment officer and staff liaison to the IPC, and Poorvi Modi, student representative for the IPC, for their dedication to this initiative.
Loyola continues to be a leader in social justice and sustainability and demonstrated its commitment to caring for our common home as an enduring value in our approved Strategic Plan and one of the Universal Apostolic Preferences of the Society of Jesus. Next month, Loyola will be represented at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference—also known as COP26—in Glasgow, Scotland, at which the intersection of finance and adaptation will be a key theme. We are proud to be one of 127 colleges and universities that has pledged to center climate in our operations, and we are consistently ranked among the top 5 percent of green campuses across the country. We are also well on our way to achieving carbon neutrality in 2025 as part of our Climate Action Plan.
Our latest steps allow the University to continue its important work in creating a more just, humane, and sustainable world.
Together in Loyola,
Jo Ann Rooney JD, LLM, EdD
President
Wayne Magdziarz
Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer