At the core of impact investing lies developing a strategy to allow money, a driving factor in our society, to create positive impact in our society. This positive impact can be innovatively fueled by investing and funding initiatives that contribute to the sustainable progress of our communities. As I tend to backward calculate, my goal with studying the concepts of Impact Investing is to establish a portfolio or fund that I can run or that can be incorporated within pre-established financial organization that solely focuses on social impact with investing. Therefore, I look to concentrate my Original Work on researching various potential investments that not only have worthwhile financial returns but follow the lens of ESG investing, ultimately preparing research proposal that indicates the best ESG investments for a hypothetical client. Within this research document, I will highlight the best ESG investments for different types of clients and show why my stock picks serve best serve the dual purpose of financial return and social impact.

To complete this Original Work, I will not only need to conduct a plethora of research but also be able to apply that research. I will firstly begin with developing a fundamental understanding of the stock market and how trading works through the availability of YouTube lessons and book guides such as The Intelligent Investor and Advanced Techniques In Day Trading. After this understanding, I will combine this information with knowledge of impact investing as I strive to answer questions such as “what markers indicate a good investment for an impact investor?” and “what is a good ratio for an impact investor between the financial return being made and the social impact?”. I will answer these questions through online articles on Investopedia and through further YouTube lessons. By answering these questions and synthesizing the information I have garnered about stocks, I will be able to practically apply the intersection of my research to analyze specifics stocks on my own. Taking this one step further, I will combine my knowledge of product design, which I learned in ISM I through entrepreneurship, to develop a presentable portfolio of companies that I believe a hypothetical client could invest in. Before I complete the product, however, I will make sure I have cross-checked my research and evaluation method of the stocks I am analyzing with my mentor so that I am sure the advice I am providing through my Original work is accurate and reflects a deep understanding of Impact Investing rather than a summary of common knowledge. By comprehending the research, I am conducting, evaluating what I have learned, and applying it to a real-life scenario, I could possibly extend this Original Work to meet the ESG investment needs of various classes of clients, therefore impacting more people so that they can drive positive social impact.

This Original Work serves two purposes: to help me not only comprehend theoretical information about Impact Investing but also apply it, and to employ the general population with the necessary tools to drive social impact with their money. By not only conducting research but applying it to develop a product that is a precursor to my Final Product, is helpful to myself and the community, and could also benefit my mentor, this proposal for the Original Work is impactful and reflects the usage of higher-level thinking skills. Lastly, as I look to present this Original Work to professionals, its appropriate appearance as a research paper or formal comparison presentation demonstrates a sense of creativity and professionalism.