Indigenous Peoples' Task Force

Native American Leaders for SRI Event

On November 2, 2007 the Indigenous Peoples Task Force of the Social Investment Forum hosted a one-day pre-conference event for Native American leaders interested in learning more and engaging about SRI. The event was held at the Tamay Huatt Regency, located on the land of the Santa Ana Pueblo. The meeting brought together over 40 key individuals who have the ability to influence investment and other SRI related issues in their communities, including treasurers, chief financial officers, and other tribal leaders.

The purpose of the event was to:

• Provide an Orientation for new Native American participants at the SRI in the Rockies (SRIR) conference, the premier annual national SRI conference.
• Introduce Key Concepts in the field of SRI including social research, shareholder advocacy, community investing, and social venture capital.
• Encourage Dialogue and networking with SRI practitioners (money managers, community investors, and social researchers) to share ideas on how to address Indigenous Peoples’ issues through SRI.

Event Planning Committee:
Susan White, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin Trust Department
Jan Bryan, First Affirmative Financial Network
Paul Hilton, Calvert Group
Lisa Woll, Social Investment Forum

Presentations and Panelists

Welcome
Ron Solimon, President & CEO, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Inc.

Placing SRI Within the Native American World Today
Steve Cornell, Co-Founder, Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development
Placing SRI with the Native American World Today - Cornell Presentation PowerPoint

History and Evolution of SRI
Tim Smith, Board Chair, Social Investment Forum

History of Native Americans and SRI:  Case Studies
Lisa Woll, CEO, Social Investment Forum (Moderator)
Susan White, Director, Oneida Trust Department
Stephanie Leighton, Vice President, Trillium Asset Management Corp.
Larson Bill, Community Planner, Western Shoshone Defense Project

Economic Development:  Indigenous Communities and Community Investment
Roland Johnson, Former Governor, Laguna Pueblo (Remarks)
Justin Conway, Relationship Officer, Calvert Foundation (Moderator)
J.D. Colbert, President & CEO, Native American Bank
Jonny Bearcub Stiffarm, Business Development Manager, Native Energy
Economic Development and Native Energy Inc - Stiffarm Presentation PowerPoint
Elsie Meeks, Executive Director, First Nations Oweesta Corporation
  

Investment Screens, Shareholder Advocacy, and Native Communities
(with International Working Group)
Paul Hilton, Director of Advanced Equities Research, Calvert (Moderator)
Laura Berry, Executive Director, Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility
Steven Heim, Director of Social Research, Boston Common Asset Management
Mitch Anderson, Corporate Accountability Campaigner, Amazon Watch

Building a community of Indigenous Communities Investing in SRI—Next Steps
Lisa Woll, CEO, Social Investment Forum

Dinner held at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Keynote Speaker:  Rebecca Adamson, President, First Peoples Worldwide