Creating impact—real impact—for the communities in which we live and work has been an essential part of Brown Advisory’s DNA since our beginnings. As we strive to make a positive and material difference for all of our stakeholders, we are cognizant of our responsibilities to our communities—we believe we have an obligation to contribute to and enhance the lives of others through financial, intellectual and hands-on partnership.
Source: Waterfront Partnership
Baltimore’s Healthy Harbor Initiative is an example of how persistence, teamwork and collaboration can create real results over time. After 15 years of work from businesses, nonprofits and government organizations, more than 150 people jumped into the Baltimore Inner Harbor as part of the inaugural Harbor Splash.
The region’s infrastructure was improved to better handle stormwater and sewage. An enormous amount of data was tracked and analyzed--to direct resources and effort to the highest points of need. Awareness was raised, with a special thanks to Mr. Trash Wheel and his relatives for increasing the public’s attention on the Harbor. We were proud to be a thinking partner from the beginning, and for the leadership of Mike Hankin and others in driving accountability and results.
Source: Waterfront Partnership
Climate
We are committed to addressing climate change from both an investment and operational lens.
With respect to operational emissions, our focus remains first on reducing and monitoring emissions, and then on contributing funds to climate-positive projects around the world to compensate for unavoidable emissions.
Our operational carbon emissions in 2023 were approximately 4,750 metric tons of CO2e. This number is attributed to about 1,150 mt CO2e of Scope 2 emissions related to electricity in our offices and 3,600 mt CO2e of Scope 3 from air travel to connect with clients and colleagues. Consistent with prior years, we purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to match electricity use for the year related to Scope 2 emissions and offset projects to address Scope 3 emissions.
In an effort to offset our emissions, we strive for a diversified portfolio of high-quality projects that are backed by rigorous science and monitoring and incorporate secondary benefits such as biodiversity and human health.
PROJECT WORK
Seeing the Forest for the Trees
This project mitigates forest exploitation in Mexico. All members of the community within the project area are involved in the effort to sustainably manage and increase the carbon stocks in the forests—conserving forests, increasing biodiversity, and providing education and jobs to local residents. Learn more
Doo Doo Does More
This project installs biodigesters in rural Indian homes that convert cow dung into clean methane gas for cooking. The biodigesters replace inefficient wood-burning stoves—preventing the depletion of already-scarce local forest resources and reducing emissions from methane, a greenhouse gas that would otherwise be released into the air from decaying cow dung. Learn more
The Giving Trees
This project supports reforestation and sustainable development among small groups of farmers in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and India. The trees help break the cycle of deforestation, drought and famine. The profits earned through the sale of carbon offsets provide capital for tree planting, as well as leadership opportunities for women, and income to address agricultural and nutritional deficiencies, HIV/AIDS, clean cooking, and fuel availability. Learn more
Our operational carbon footprint is important to us, but we believe that we can have a far greater impact on climate change through our investments: by working with clients to implement sustainable investment strategies, monitoring and managing the climate risk within the portfolios we manage, and engaging with our portfolio holdings and their stakeholders.
“We have a responsibility to make a difference in this footprint that we occupy. We have an obligation to both speak up and show up in our communities—with energy, skills, and financial resources.”
MIKE HANKIN, BROWN ADVISORY CEO
Colleague Engagement
Brown Advisory is distinctive in many ways. Our ownership structure—where every full-time colleague is an equity owner—creates a remarkably entrepreneurial, accountable culture. This accountability serves our clients and our broader communities. We intentionally recruit colleagues who share our values around making an impact. In fact, one of our criteria for promotion to Principal and Partner is the energy and leadership that colleagues demonstrate in their communities. At last count, Brown Advisory colleagues served over 400 nonprofits and charities in the US and UK.
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