The Sustainable & Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI) leverages ASU's $1.5B endowment to advance the university's sustainability goals. SIFI has overseen a $1M student-managed fund and has hosted shareholder engagement meetings with firms such as BlackRock and Chevron. In past years, the club has also helped write the endowment's proxy-voting guidelines and has participated in sustainable investing competitions. SIFI is open to all students with an interest in finance, policy, and sustainability.
FAQs!
Do I need to be a specific major to join SIFI?
Not at all! SIFI is open to students of all majors both inside and outside of W. P. Carey. Although finance and sustainability are the most common, SIFI’s work is interdisciplinary in nature and students of many different majors have been able to participate meaningfully in the club.
What are the requirements to be a member of SIFI?
You just need to show up! SIFI does not have a formal application process. Instead, interested students attend meetings (held once every two weeks) to learn more about what SIFI does and prepare for shareholder engagement meetings. Any student who actively contributes to SIFI’s preparation for these meetings is able to participate in the shareholder engagement.
What is shareholder engagement?
Shareholder engagement is when a shareholder (someone who owns stock in a company) interacts with a company to learn more about the company and advance the shareholder’s goals. The ASU endowment owns stock in thousands of different companies. SIFI engages with companies on behalf of the endowment by meeting with internal experts at those firms to make sure their corporate actions are aligned with ASU’s goals.
Is SIFI a political organization?
No! SIFI is not affiliated with any political movement or party. SIFI believes that the best way to bring about change is through dialogue and thus welcomes a variety of viewpoints and opinions.
What do SIFI students do after graduation?
Many SIFI students pursue sustainability-related careers in the public and private sector. From the Big 4 to the UN, SIFI alumni are everywhere.
