2021 Impact Report and *Last Call for Labor Capital Strategies Fellowship Hosts*

Launched over a quarter-century ago, the Heartland Capital Network was founded to rebuild America by sustainably investing workers’ capital in a way that values and supports workers.

Over that time, Heartland has convened a unique “table” that includes the original “responsible investment (RI)aviators,” including pension leaders, investment consultants, asset managers, mayors and treasurers, labor leaders, academic and policy advocates. Our mission: Mobilize responsible investments in the real economy, achieving competitive financial returns and sustainable jobs impacts.

At the end of 2020, global pension assets were valued at more than $52.5 trillion and U.S. assets at $32.5 trillion. Responsible investing is booming, with $17.1 trillion in sustainably invested assets in the U.S., and $588 billion in responsible alternative vehicles. Heartland has fought to mobilize this sleeping giant to invest on behalf of workers and retirement beneficiaries. We are focused on influencing capital markets, re-shaping the world.

As we celebrate the 5th anniversary of the publication of Heartland’s Responsible Investor Handbook

(2016, Routledge), we are inspired by a new wave of clean energy union jobs coming coast-to-coast, as well as Middle America. We are thankful that new wind projects on the Atlantic will re-open the Sparrow’s Point steel and shipyard in Baltimore as a wind manufacturing facility, welcoming back 500Steelworkers and the trades. And the Philly Shipyard will likely see over a half-billion dollars in new shipbuilding contracts. There’s more of this to come with the Biden infrastructure bills.

This is creating thousands of good union jobs—in construction, manufacturing, and now shipbuilding. California and the West Coast are moving on many other fronts. Even in fly-over-country -- just look at the solar, wind, hydro, electric bus, EV charging stations and net-zero housing projects springing up across Industrial Appalachian cities and rural towns.

We celebrate this exciting growth with our network affiliated partners, including unions, who are banking many of these capital opportunities. And we celebrate the dozens of important projects and company investments that Network Partners made happen in 2021. That’s re-shaping the world! Responsibly!

Read highlights from our Impact Report and see our flyer to learn more about the Spring and Summer opportunities for LCS Fellowship Hosts!