Here’s How to Invest in Companies That Support Women and People of Color

Impact Shares, a Dallas–based investment manager and issuer of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), announced that it has teamed up with the NAACP and YWCA Metropolitan Chicago to give investors an opportunity to invest in companies that actively support women and people of color.

Impact Shares has filed for two ETFs designed in conjunction with and to benefit the NAACP and YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. The Impact Shares NAACP Minority Empowerment ETF (or NACP) will invest in companies that empower minorities through their products, services, and internal hiring and promotion practices. The Impact Shares YWCA Women’s Empowerment ETF (or WOMN) will hold stocks of companies that empower women through health and advancement initiatives. Both are set to launch in early 2018.

“NACP offers socially conscious investors the opportunity to allocate capital to incentivize companies to change their business practices and, in some cases, their products and services, to promote minority communities in the United States,” said Marvin Owens, senior director of the NAACP Economic Department, in a statement. “By investing in NACP, we can reward companies that empower minorities and give our members another tool to have their voices heard.”

“We are talking about providing the opportunity to invest in social justice to not simply investors but members and supporters who see the contributions of the NAACP as valued contributions to our society,” added Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO.

The Women’s Empowerment ETF announcement comes at a time when a number of high-profile and powerful men working in politics and Hollywood have been confronted with allegations of sexual harassment. The YWCA fund, however, seeks to give investors the opportunity to sow into companies that champion women’s rights.

“We hope female and male investors alike seize the opportunity to encourage companies to more proactively address the issues impacting women today,” said Dorri McWhorter, the CEO of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, in a statement. “When women thrive, whole economies thrive,” she said, according to Reuters.

In addition to creating the ETF’s, Impact Shares will donate the net advisory proceeds to both the NAACP and the YWCA.

“Giving Tuesday is the perfect time to announce Impact Shares’ unique partnerships with such highly regarded leaders known for empowering minorities and celebrating diversity,” said Ethan Powell, CEO of Impact Shares. “We are committed to working with nonprofit organizations that want to harness the power of capital markets to catalyze change in corporate America while providing investors with an equity market rate of return.”