Founded in 1971, Commonfund is an asset management firm dedicated to enhancing our clients’ financial resources through access, performance, and values.
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At Commonfund, our employees are our greatest asset. As a nonprofit organization, we work together to make a difference in the lives of our clients and the communities they serve. As a firm, we believe that investment solutions that consider ESG factors and responsible investing could potentially contribute to the success of those solutions and generate long-term benefits. Since our founding in the 1970s, Commonfund has been a leader among institutional investors when it comes to integrating responsible practices into our firm.
Commonfund is cognizant of the challenges associated with sustainable investment, including data collection, consistency and measurement. Yet, we remain committed to supporting our clients' goals to align their investment activity to the mission of their organization.
From Commonfund’s earliest days a central element in its mission has been thought
leadership, promulgation of best practices and professional development. Commonfund commenced operations in 1971 funded by $2.8 million grant from the fort foundation. Of the total, $500,000 was set aside for a program of research and publishing.
At Commonfund, employees are our greatest asset. We strive to attract talent from the broadest pool to foster innovative thinking and unique points of view. Fostering an inclusive work environment that is welcoming and safe, where employees can bring their whole self to work every day has always been a priority.
Commonfund partners with other organizations that are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and principles that we believe are important. These relationships extend the reach of our influence and allow us to collaborate with other leading organizations that embrace shared ideals. These relationships include:
At Commonfund, not only did we survive the COVID-induced work environment, but we also prospered. Our investment performance stayed strong, new clients reached out to us, and our assets under management grew. Our clients also prospered. Enrollment stayed strong at the many educational institutions whom we serve, and the many foundations with whom we work found their mission statements to be even more relevant and needed.
In fact, we discovered new benefits to our virtual workplace. We quickly embraced the flexibility of work schedules, the reduction in commuter time, the ability to spend more time with our families and loved ones, and the opportunity for all of us to “let our hair down” just a little—or in some cases, a lot! Another important development of our digital workplace was the democracy of the video screen. Whether you are on a Zoom call or a Microsoft Teams video or some other digital format, everyone gets the same amount of screen space. There is no corner office on a video screen, there is no entitlement or privilege—racial and gender barriers fall away—everyone is equal.
As a firm, we are committed to responsible practices across everything we do, including investing, thought leadership, people and more. But, we know that we cannot rest on any laurels or past accomplishments. Every day presents a new challenge for Commonfund and the clients whom we serve, and we must rise up to meet that challenge. We, our clients, and society more broadly, are on a long journey to make this world a better place in which to live and work. At Commonfund, we look forward to it.
The mission of the DEI office is to intentionally promote and foster inclusion and equity across Commonfund and our investment process, thought leadership, and professional and organizational development. We strive to:
Foster the inclusion of diverse managers within investment portfolios; Promote thought leadership, focusing on the importance of diversity and inclusion; Serve as the central clearinghouse for information on diversity and inclusion in the asset management industry, and; Provide firm-wide opportunities for professional and organizational development.
We are proud to be a part of an organization where corporate responsibility and sustainability are woven into the fabric of everything we do. We are committed to strengthening our culture and creating more responsible practices.