Foreword by Maria Lettini, who joined the US SIF as Chief Executive Officer in May 2023. She is an innovative leader within the field of sustainability and finance and is recognized for building meaningful partnerships across the value chain of global institutional investors, corporates, policymakers, multi-national organizations, and other related stakeholders to address some of the world’s most critical, and financially material, environmental, and social challenges.
Prior to US SIF, Maria led the FAIRR Initiative, a global investor network driving the narrative around the risks and opportunities in the global protein supply chain with the aim of directing capital towards a more sustainable and equitable food system. Under her tenure, the FAIRR investor network grew to over $70 trillion in combined assets and FAIRR’s expert research on climate, biodiversity, anti-microbial resistance, and other risks, reframed the narrative on animal agriculture and sustainable protein.
Maria also worked for the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) where she cultivated and expanded the global investor network, managing the PRI’s Signatory Relations strategy and raising awareness of financially material sustainability issues with institutional investors.
Maria started her career in global finance and capital markets, working at both J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank. She has served on the Sustainability Accounting Standard Board Standards Advisory Group. She is also a member of the Intentional Endowment Network’s (IEN) Steering Committee.
Maria is based in Washington DC but has lived and worked in San Francisco, New York, Madrid and London. She holds a MA (Distinction) in Environment, Politics and Globalization from King’s College London and a BA in International Business, Latin American Studies and Spanish from San Diego State University.
About the US SIF
The US SIF works to ensure that the US capital markets play an active role in driving investments toward more sustainable and equitable outcomes. The US SIF and its members are the leading voices of sustainable investment. We aim to create a level playing field in Capital Markets which includes increased transparency and disclosure across the industry.
The US SIF’s 200+ Members represent trillions in assets under management. The Membership includes actors across the entire capital markets value chain – including asset owners, financial advisors, asset managers, institutional investors, community investment institutions and data & service providers.
• Research – US SIF produces cutting edge research, including our biennial Report on US Sustainable Investing Trends, as well as fact sheets and guides on sustainable investing.
• Education – US SIF offers education and training through online and in-person courses for financial professionals and retail investors. We also offer, in collaboration with the College for Financial Planning, the only professional services designation for sustainable investing in the United States.
• Public Policy – US SIF policy program works to advance a regulatory agenda that maintains and enhances the sustainable and impact investment field. Media Engagement We engage with the media to enhance public awareness of sustainable investing practices, and to give our investors a public voice. We are active participants in key investor events.
• Networking – US SIF provides opportunities for the sustainable and impact investing community to convene at our annual national conference and at local events.