Original Work Set-Up and Completion Summary
Objective/Purpose:
Conducting and applying research on the nuances of impact investing this year, through my Original Work, I hoped to gain enriching experience on applying the investment and business concepts and details I had gained through primary and secondary research in a real-world setting. With investments, what better a way to apply technical knowledge than through exploring society through the lens of an impact investor? Therefore, I planned to formulate and develop a comprehensive yet user-friendly educational pamphlet with my recommended ESG stock picks as well as a brief educational guide on the purpose of impact investing. In addition, as impact investing differs from profit-focused investments through the measure of societal impact, I planned on combining my genuine interest in the field of social responsibility while establishing a potential investment plan. Through this intensive research, coupled with appropriate application, I strove the execute a functioning investment educational infographic for my ESG stock picks. Within this infographic, I have dedicated a section to educate the readers of my infographic by providing a high-level overview of what impact investing entails. Namely, I have succinctly detailed each lens of the impact investing world - Environmental, Social, and Governance – to give the reader an overview of comprehensible information rather than an overload of professional diction that the common investor would not be able to understand and apply. Moreover, I have provided creative one-page infographics detailing the reasons I picked each company to invest in. Within these infographics, I exclusively focused on the ESG reasons I worked with rather than presenting the financial drivers behind the selections. The reason to do this was to again highlight the purpose of these infographics - to educate individuals in a presentable manner rather than to present immense amounts of data which, to the regular investor, is foreign and incomprehensive. Given these intentions, I have arrived at a comprehensive yet succinct infographic creatively presenting the fundamentals of impact investing, my stock picks, a detailed ESG reasons explain the stocks.
Within this infographic, I have dedicated a section to educate the readers of my infographic by providing a high-level overview of what impact investing entails.
Methodology:
Materials:
The primary materials I utilized while conducting my research in preparation for my Original Work and to complete my Original Work itself were the variety of products and services offered by Google, LinkedIn, multiple online college studies, and books that discussed leadership, social responsibility, and investing fundamentals. With the wide reach of Google, it is no surprise that from Google’s search engine to its document and presentation creation software, Google played an integral part in the successful execution of my Original Work. Specifically, I heavily utilized Gmail to communicate with my mentor, Mr. Joshua Meek. Through this platform, I was not only able reach out to my mentor but communicate important messages to them. In addition, I heavily utilized Google Docs as this software allowed be to create documents and share them with others in real-time, permitting me to gain helpful and constructive feedback on various components of my detailed infographic. Most importantly, I utilized Google’s search engine to conduct a majority of my secondary research. Whether usage stemmed from Forbes articles or intensive college studies, Google’s search engine served as a vital medium that connected me to valuable outside knowledge that I have continued to implement into my ISM journey. In addition to the various features offered by Google, I was heavily involved on LinkedIn, as most of my networking and posting activities occurred on LinkedIn’s platform. Through this, I was able to connect with finance professionals all over the U.S. as well as connecting with professors from the Wharton School of Business as the University of Pennsylvania is leading research in the applications and efficacy of impact investing. Finally, to tie all components together, lessons I learnt from books such as The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek, The Arthashastra by Kautilya, and The Stock Market Guide for Beginners by Trader University, helped me greatly as it added a vital moral system to my investment plan, taught me the fundamentals of investing, and guided me on effectively long-term investment plans. All of these “materials” whether intangible or not, have played vital roles in the development of my research and Original Work.