Financial Feminism: A Woman's Guide To Investing for a Sustainable Future

Financial feminism – the belief in the financial equality of women – is rapidly gathering interest and momentum across the world, as we wake up to the huge challenges many women face when it comes to money. In particular, the gender pay gap is front of mind and it’s not getting any better, with the World Economic Forum estimating it will take more than 200 years for economic equality between men and women to be achieved.  

But financial feminism is not simply important when it comes to the money a woman earns. It’s also related to what women do with their money - how they save, how they invest.

The harsh reality is that many women face a glaring gender investing gap. They’re not investing to the same extent as men, saving less for retirement and parking more in cash, which results in a significant shortfall. The pay disparity compounds this shortfall, but it also means that women are missing out on making the money they do have work better for them.

So what is happening? Research indicates that women lack confidence when it comes to investing, pushing them towards lower risk options such as cash savings accounts. Men are more likely to invest in stocks and shares, and with stock markets generally giving stronger returns over time, this means their investments are creating more value in the longer term. The result is that women are left with a big financial hole.

This is only part of the story ...

As we leverage the interest in financial feminism to address both the gender pay and investing gaps, we also have the opportunity to talk about HOW women want to use their money. We are beginning to have conversations about how financial feminism is not just about getting women to invest more. It is also about empowering women to invest in the type of future they want to build. We are at a point in time where we are building a movement, one where a financial feminist is someone who uses her wealth to build a more sustainable, cleaner and fairer world.

Why women?

A recent global survey found that 83% of women surveyed care about where their money is invested and the majority (63%) are motivated to be sustainable investors. I am one of these women.

Many women I've spoken to want to make their money work in a smarter, more sustainable way. The problem is that they are often held back by a lack of time, a lack of confidence or a lack of understanding on how to get started. Sometimes all three. And, let’s face it, the financial industry also isn’t doing a great job at serving women. Many women feel talked down to or misunderstood by financial (mostly male) advisors or bombarded with meaningless financial jargon and concepts. Banks are no better, often telling you that they can only help if you have millions in assets. But sustainable investing shouldn’t be only for the ultra rich. I want it to be for everyone.

My goal is to empower you to start taking action and to use your financial decisions to demand a better world, and in doing so, make you a sustainable investor.

Jessica Robinson

A practical and accessible guide, this book will:

• Offer plain-talking content about what sustainable investing is, its history, context and what to expect in the future.
• Explain the link between the investment decisions we make and the societal and environmental transformations we want to see.
• Provide guidance on how to get started, how to take the first steps in aligning your money with your values and beliefs.
• Demystify some of the terms and jargon that dominate the financial services industry and explain how these relate to sustainable investing.
• Provide examples and case studies of women who have begun the sustainable investing journey, sharing their experiences and learnings from along the way.