ABOUT ETHICAL INVEST GROUP
Our mission is to reimagine the investment chain for a sustainable future, ensuring every finance professional is equipped to connect every investor with sustainable investment opportunities.
Sustainable investing is a win for the finance industry, a win for investors, and a win for a more sustainable future.
You know you’re here because you want to be part of the global trend and growth of ESG and sustainable finance,
and you know you need help to make that happen
As a member of the finance industry, you can have a tremendous impact for good.
This is why Alexandra Brown created ESG Audios and the Sustainable Investment Advice course. These innovative learning platforms will support your professional development in ESG, sustainable finance, and values-based advice. Finance professionals who differentiate themselves as industry leaders in sustainable investment can create remarkable change through impactful solutions, enhanced client relationships, and directing dollars to where it counts.
Clients have a growing desire to view investment opportunities through the lens of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors.
They want to look beyond the traditional accounting measures, and include issues such as sustainability, equality, and diversity in their evaluation and decision-making process.
ETHICAL INVEST GROUP ORIGINS
Upon reading a report about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Alexandra found an opportunity to make a significant difference. The SDGs are a set of global goals that aim to protect our environment, and create an equitable planet for all people.
There was a diagram showing the investment chain, and how money travels from people/investors to the SDGs, through organisations, financial institutions, foundations, and governments.
Alexandra recognised two things.
One: to help achieve the goals we need all members of the finance industry to understand sustainability.
Two: financial advisers should be in the diagram (see the yellow arrow below).
Click Image to Enlarge
Finance professionals are an integral link in the investment chain and an imperative inclusion towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
However, when speaking with finance professionals, Alexandra repeatedly heard it was too hard to get across this burgeoning and ever-changing industry. Financial advisers expressed their concerns about higher fees, lower returns, and limited capacity to recommend diversified portfolios. Alexandra became committed to breaking down the barriers to ethical and sustainable investment advice, and increasing the ease with which finance professionals could upskill in sustainable investing.
Given her experience in the industry, her skills in providing education products, and passion for sustainability, Alexandra was perfectly positioned to accelerate the role of advisers and other finance professionals in delivering competitive solutions while simultaneously achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
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MEET THE FOUNDER
Alexandra has been researching and consulting in the ethical and sustainable investing space since 2015.
She first learned about environmental, social, and governance factors while developing and modelling ESG leader and laggard portfolios as a researcher at a leading university. Testing whether ethical portfolios performed better than traditional portfolios, her results showed no significant difference in returns when investing ethically.
Alexandra developed strong foundational knowledge by completing degrees in business and finance, and First Class Honours in finance. During a decade in academia, Alexandra developed training materials for financial advisers, provided support to lecturers, and taught students. Creating learning materials at both the graduate and post-graduate level fostered a deep love of sharing knowledge.
Since 2015, Alexandra has delivered practical and hands-on ethical investment services to advisers, including product research and analysis, process documentation, and training. This led to being on the Board of the Ethical Advisers’ Co-op, a group of advisers across Australia and New Zealand who specialise in ethical investing. Through this network, Alexandra has learned from, and helped, many advisers in this space. She maintains current working knowledge of sustainable investment advice as a valued investment committee member of a leading financial planning firm.
“The study combines the findings of about 2200 individual studies… The results show that the business case for ESG investing is empirically very well founded."
- Friede, Busch and Bassen
In 2019, Alexandra co-founded Altiorem, a community-built sustainable finance library. The library is filled with summaries of trending research in ESG and sustainable investing, and is a fundamental resource for finance professionals. Members can learn about the different ESG issues, how to implement responsible investing, and what is needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Importantly, it provides evidence-based support to those trying to make the case for change within their organisation, and the steps to act and implement. In her role as Head of Research, Alexandra is responsible for ensuring the quality, depth and breadth of the library is upheld. This means she has access to a huge amount of trending research.
“Alexandra produces work of the highest quality which is vital for the integrity and reliability of the library. Altiorem literally could not have existed without someone of Alexandra's skill, discipline, depth of knowledge and commitment leading these crucial areas of our work."
- Pablo Berrutti, Altiorem
Throughout this time, Alexandra recognised more and more advisers were seeking help in their transition from the traditional to sustainable investment advice space. Alexandra began developing and accumulating the assets needed by advisers new to this area, including hand-picked research from the Altiorem library. Her collection draws on conversations and engagements with advisers, distribution teams, fund managers, and experts in sustainability, ethical investments, and advice.
In 2021, the Ethical Advice Accelerator was launched; a comprehensive program for advisers to upskill in values-based advice. In 2024, the Accelerator closed doors to make way for the new and improved adviser course: Sustainable Investment Advice. This concise and engaging course brings years of experience and resources into one spot. The SIA course is content-rich, CPD-accredited, and facilitates a deep understanding of ESG and sustainable finance. Advisers gain the skills to analyse and recommend ethical and sustainable investment products, and the tools to confidently discuss client values and preferences. Advisers are equipped to connect with clients on a more personal level, ultimately enhancing their client proposition.
One thing is clear:
there is no one way to provide sustainable investment advice, and for advisers it is a special opportunity to engage with clients at a deeper level and with purpose.
Alexandra is a regular panel guest for ESG and sustainable investment events, conferences, and retreats. Reach out if you would like a credible, professional, and passionate speaker at your next event. She loves to help spread awareness and advocate for ethical and responsible investments.
“I have been in financial advice for a long time, and have been undertaking tertiary study in sustainability, but needed to bring the two into a compelling ethical advice proposition. The Ethical Advice Accelerator course was perfect in, well, accelerating this. It was a perfect blend of theory and practical application and gave me everything I needed to hit the ground running."
- Ross Little, Ethical Investment Advisers
In her downtime, Alexandra goes hiking to clear her brain so she can turn up the next day and fight the good fight. She used to be an award winning chef, but prefers to talk about sustainable finance instead of cooking, just know: if you ever get invited to her place for a dinner party, turn up.
Our Company
In 2021, Alexandra Brown established the company Ethical Invest Group, and since then we have expanded our collection of resources to assist investors and finance professionals across the globe. We continue to form strong partnerships with leading organisations that are vocal advocates for ethical and sustainable investment. Our partners recognise the need for further education and support for investors, advisers and other finance professionals.
In 2025, we are launching ESG Audios, a global curated platform for financial professionals to upskill on-the-go. Members will be able to listen to top research reports professionally narrated by premier AI technology. ESG Audios is an innovative solution to help bridge the ESG skills gap. Members will build their expertise in a flexible way, with easy-to-absorb, relevant, and credible information that fits any schedule.
“The OECD estimates that there is a US$3.7 trillion funding gap between the annual financing needed to meet the SDGs by 2030 and what is provided by current investment levels."
- Principles for Responsible Investment
At Ethical Invest Group, we are committed to creating ripples of change. We know that for every adviser who completes the Sustainable Investment Advice course, hundreds more investors will have the chance to choose where their money goes. For each subscriber to ESG Audios, we know the knowledge and skills to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals will expand and reach even further. And for every investor who joins the Sustainable Investor Toolkit, more money will flow to support positive impact projects. We are driven by our desire to support you in sustainable investing and professional development, and magnify your ability to create positive impact.
“... Alexandra provides a professional service and knows all about ethical investing.”
Paul Garner, Novo Wealth
Our vision is to accelerate sustainable investment from niche to norm.
Let’s achieve this together.
People are looking for greater personalisation when it comes to their investments.
57% said that the ability to choose investments that align with their personal sustainability preferences
would encourage them to increase their allocation to sustainable investments.
our values
When you work with Ethical Invest Group you will be supported as you gain the knowledge and confidence to invest more sustainably.
Ethical Invest Group can help you in the following ways:
ESG AUDIOS
Audio platform for finance professionals to upskill on the go by accessing premium industry research articles curated for relevance, educational content and credibility. Free for 30 days and new audio reports released monthly.
SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT ADVICE
For financial advisers ready to provide values-based sustainable investment advice without wasting hours trying to find what they need to know. This is a CPD-accredited and self-paced online course.
Consulting
For financial organisations needing professional development in ESG, ethical investment advice, and sustainable finance. Team education, toolkit development, conference keynote, collaboration or IP development. Let us help you.
Partnerships
Ethical Invest Group is proud to partner with the above industry leaders. These organisations recognise the need for further education and support for finance professionals, and are vocal advocates for ethical and sustainable investment.
Acknowledgement of Country: In the spirit of reconciliation Ethical Invest Group acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
