| Yuliya Tarasava is a co-founder of CNote, a technology platform connecting investors with investments that benefit underserved communities. Asked if it’s possible to do good for the planet and make money at the same time, Tarasava said emphatically, “Yes, it’s absolutely possible.” When investors deposit their money at CNote, said Tarasava, “These deposits support entrepreneurs of color and low-income women business founders, affordable housing, local climate change adaptation, and other investments that help people thrive.” The controversy around ESGs, meanwhile, has centered on whether the funds were greenwashed — that is, whether they were promoted with misleading claims about benefiting the environment or other causes. It’s worth noting that CNote is a certified B Corporation, which means it meets specific standards for environmental performance, transparency and other criteria. “We report on what percentage of dollars support people of color, low- to moderate-income people or communities, and women entrepreneurs,” said Tarasava. “Depending on the type of investment, we also track the number of loans, the number of jobs created or preserved, and affordable housing created or preserved.” Among the reasons CNote focuses on investments to benefit communities of color is that Black, Latino and Indigenous people are often the most vulnerable to the effects of pollution. Craig Zelizer is an angel investor with more than 30 years’ experience in social-impact investing, a form of investing that focuses on a triple bottom line: profits, people and planet. He likens CNote’s model to a familiar institution: the local credit union. | 