Navigating Our World

Nuclear power has had a controversial history. Today, however, it is often considered an essential energy source for a lower carbon future. In a continuation of our NOW series on the energy transition, Erika Pagel sits down with Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation, the leading operator of nuclear power plants in the US. Joe and Erika discuss progress in shifting to a lower carbon economy, where nuclear fits in, promising innovations, and what it will take to get to net zero by 2050. ---The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.ESG considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision-making. ESG analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. ESG considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify issuers that they believe may have desirable ESG outcomes, but investors may differ in their views of what constitutes positive or negative ESG outcomes. As a result, certain strategies may invest in issuers that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be screened out of other ESG oriented portfolios. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on ESG assessments and forecasts of return and risk.

I'm recording this as tens of thousands of people and more than 100 heads of state are gathering in Egypt for the COP27 climate summit – the United Nations “conference of the parties.” In his opening remarks at COP27, the UN Secretary General framed the fight against global warming as a battle for human survival; he said “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator... Humanity has a choice: cooperate or perish.”I'm Erika Pagel. I'm the Chief Investment Officer for Sustainable Investing and a portfolio manager at Brown Advisory. As investors, we know that climate risk is real. And we know that we cannot achieve real climate action without a material shift to renewable energy sources. So, as we think about driving toward a lower carbon economy during this NOW series on the energy transition, we want to understand different opportunities and different perspectives across the energy landscape. In this episode we are diving into renewable infrastructure – as it stands today, as well as the opportunities going forward – in the US, in Europe, and in developing economies.Among renewables, solar power is growing rapidly. In the US, solar is expected to account for almost half of new electric generating capacity this year. Meanwhile, the Inflation Reduction Act is expected to create significant job growth to build out solar and other renewable infrastructure.Against this backdrop, I sat down with Raghu Belur, the Co-founder and Chief Products Officer of Enphase Energy.Enphase has revolutionized the solar industry through its super-efficient microinverter technology. The company dominates the US solar residential market and has evolved to focus on “smart” systems that enable homeowners to manage their own energy usage – to save money and create climate resilience.Raghu is at heart an innovator and – as you will hear – is passionate about the opportunities that solar offers – in terms of economics, job creation, and energy security – as well as climate action. Raghu says “first and foremost, coal needs to go away” and prescribes a future where solar and other renewable energy sources enable people around the world to thrive while decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels.Let's dive into the conversation.---As investors, we know that climate risk is real—and that we cannot achieve real climate action without a material shift to renewable energy sources. So, as we think about driving toward a lower carbon economy, we want to understand different opportunities and perspectives across the energy landscape. In this episode we are diving into renewables and, specifically into solar power. Brown Advisory's Erika Pagel sits down with Raghu Belur, the Co-founder and Chief Products Officer of Enphase Energy, which has revolutionized the solar industry through its super-efficient microinverter technology and dominates the U.S. solar residential market. Erika and Raghu explore solar—in terms of economics, job creation, energy security and climate action.---The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.ESG considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision-making. ESG analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. ESG considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify issuers that they believe may have desirable ESG outcomes, but investors may differ in their views of what constitutes positive or negative ESG outcomes. As a result, certain strategies may invest in issuers that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be screened out of other ESG oriented portfolios. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on ESG assessments and forecasts of return and risk.

In part 1 of our energy transition series, Dr. Atul Arya, Chief Energy Strategist of S&P Global, said, "Energy companies are really good at putting steel in the ground and building stuff." In his mind, they must be part of the solution to create a low-carbon economy. So, in part 2, Brown Advisory's Erika Pagel explores the role of traditional energy companies with Allyson Book, the Chief Sustainability Officer of Baker Hughes, an engineering and technology provider that works with many of the largest global traditional oil and gas companies. How are the companies that built their businesses on fossil fuels facilitating a transition to a more sustainable, lower-carbon future?

In conjunction with Climate Week, we are launching the first episode in our three-part NOW podcast series on the transition to a low-carbon economy. In this first episode, Brown Advisory's Erika Pagel sits down with Atul Arya, the Chief Energy Strategist of S&P Global, to discuss the race to net zero. They cover the impact of the war in Ukraine, the role of traditional energy companies, the promise of technology and innovation, and the feasibility of reaching the Paris Agreement's critical but ambitious targets by 2050.Guest:Atul Arya, Ph.D.Senior Vice President and Chief Energy Strategist, S&P GlobalHost:Erika PagelCIO of Sustainable Investing; Portfolio Manager, Brown AdvisoryBackground Reading: Getting Going: Breaking Through the Barriers to Corporate Climate Action, Oliver Wyman/The Climate Group, September 14, 2022 Energy Transition Outlook, S&P Global, August 15, 2022 The Net-Zero Transition in the Wake of the war in Ukraine: A Detour, a Derailment, or a Different Path?, McKinsey Quarterly, May 19, 2022 Why the Energy Transition Will Be So Complicated, Dan Yergin, The Atlantic, November 27, 2021 Thank you for joining us on our podcast journey. To stay in touch about future podcasts, please sign up here. Visit our website to learn more: www.brownadvisory.com/now. We want to hear from you! Send a note to NOW@brownadvisory.com to get in touch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Artificial intelligence appears poised to disrupt industries, improve customer outcomes, and enhance lives, and solutions based on AI are projected to contribute as much as $15 trillion to the global economy in 2030—more than the current output of China and India combined. The problem-solving potential of AI is seemingly limitless, and it may well change the way we work, travel, power our cities, diagnose disease, and organize our society.  And yet there are reasons to be cautious. Information is power, and that power can be used for good or for ill. In this episode, Brown Advisory's Katherine Kroll explores the investor case for “ethical AI” and why failing to proactively ensure AI is used to help, not harm, is a material and salient risk not only to investment performance but to our society's ability to thrive. She speaks with three of the foremost experts on ethical AI: Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology; Arathi Sethumadhavan, Ph.D., Head of User Research for Ethics & Society at Microsoft; and Kay Firth-Butterfield, Head of AI and Machine Learning, World Economic Forum. Guests:Kay Firth-ButterfieldHead of AI and Machine Learning, World Economic ForumAza RaskinCo-founder, The Center for Humane TechnologyArathi Sethumadhavan, Ph.D.Head of User Research for Ethics & Society, MicrosoftHost:Katherine KrollInvestment Specialist, Brown Advisory Investment Commentary:Victoria AvaraESG Equity Research Analyst, Brown Advisory John Canning, CFAEquity Research Analyst, Brown AdvisoryBackground Reading The Promise and Challenges of AI, American Psychological Association, November 3, 2021 Fueling the Fire: How Social Media Intensifies U.S. Political Polarization—and What Can Be Done About It, NYU Stern School, September 2021 He Created Your Phone's Most Addictive Feature. Now He Wants to Build a Rosetta Stone for Animal Language, GQ, June 30, 2021 Truth or Lie: The Rise and Rise of Disinformation, Medium, June 25, 2021 National Conversations in Artificial Intelligence: Reimagining Regulation for the Age of AI Project Team, World Economic Forum, July 2021 Corporate Engagement Spotlight: Ethical AI Practices, Brown Advisory, April 22, 2021 Recommended Listening: Your Undivided Attention Thank you for joining us on our podcast journey. To stay in touch about future podcasts, please sign up here. Visit our website to learn more: www.brownadvisory.com/now. We want to hear from you! Send a note to NOW@brownadvisory.com to get in touch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Fortune recently ranked Dan Schulman, CEO of PayPal, near the top of its annual World's Greatest Leaders list, and as long-term shareholders of PayPal, we agree with their assessment. We have watched Dan lead PayPal's ongoing growth into a digital platform responsible for more than $1 trillion in payments globally last year. In addition, he has been steadfast and outspoken about the role of business in society and the need to modify capitalism. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with Dan during our latest episode of the NOW Podcast. Brown Advisory's Ken Coe spoke with Dan about how he views his employees as his number one constituency; PayPal's role in providing working capital and creating virtuous cycles in low-income neighborhoods; the future of financial technology; the need for all of us to rise above our own self-interest to drive progress for all, and more. To wrap up the discussion, Ken brought in Jake Cusack and Efe Braimah from our frontier markets partner, CrossBoundary, to continue the conversation about opportunities in the fintech sector and making a difference. Guest:Dan Schulman, President and CEO, PayPalHost:Ken Coe, CFA, Equity Research Analyst, Brown Advisory Investment Commentary:Efe Braimah, Associate Principal, CrossBoundaryJake Cusack, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, CrossBoundaryRecommending Listening: What COVID-19 Means for the Future of Commerce, Capitalism and Cash, TED2020, May 2020 Never Stand Still with Dan Schulman Recommended reading: What is Stakeholder Capitalism?, World Economic Forum, January 22, 2021 PayPal 2020 Global Impact Report  Kenya is Becoming a Global Hub of FinTech Innovation, Harvard Dan Schulman of PayPal on Guns, Cash and Getting Punched, The New York Times, July 27, 2018 Thank you for joining us on our podcast journey. To stay in touch about future podcasts, please sign up here. Visit our website to learn more: www.brownadvisory.com/now. We want to hear from you! Send a note to NOW@brownadvisory.com to get in touch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Nature-based factors and challenges have a real impact on our economies, lives and investments. To kick off Season 3 of the NOW podcast, Brown Advisory's Karina Funk sits down with Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, for a special Climate Week episode. They discuss the critical need to invest in biodiversity; in the irrecoverable carbon in mangroves, tropical forests and peat lands; and in the indigenous communities that depend on these natural ecosystems to protect commodities, supply chains, public health and the planet.  Later in the podcast, Karina talks with Mike Hankin, Brown Advisory's CEO, about how sustainability can be a powerful tool to create stronger businesses and drive long-term growth.Guest:M. Sanjayan, Ph.D.CEO, Conservation International Host:Karina Funk, CFAPortfolio Manager; Chair of Sustainable Investing, Brown AdvisoryInvestment Commentary:Michael HankinPresident; CEO, Brown AdvisoryBackground Reading Unlocking Private Capital for Nature-Based Solutions in Emerging and Frontier Markets, CrossBoundary, August 2021 Our Response to Climate Change is Missing Something Big, Scientists Say, The New York Times, June 10, 2021  What on Earth are Natural Climate Solutions, Conservation International, November 25, 2019 Nature's Make or Break Potential for Climate Change, The Nature Conservancy, October 16, 2017 Protecting Irrecoverable Carbon in Earth's Ecosystems, Nature Climate Change, April 2020 When COVID Flattened Tourism, Carbon Credits Kept These African Hills “Green,” Conservation International, April 13, 2021 As Pandemic Pounded Peru, One Region Thrived On Coffee, Carbon, Conservation International, April 9, 2021  Solving Climate Naturally – a podcast Thank you for joining us on our podcast journey. To stay in touch about future podcasts, please sign up here. Visit our website to learn more: www.brownadvisory.com/now. We want to hear from you! Send a note to NOW@brownadvisory.com to get in touch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Blockchain technology offers the promise of a new era of secure, decentralized transfer of value on the internet—a future less reliant on trusted intermediaries and gatekeepers. Some have described blockchain as Web 3.0, unlocking the true vision of what the internet was meant to be, where users of applications are also the owners. Despite their recent—and signature—volatility, digital assets have grown into a $2 trillion market that extends well beyond Bitcoin and is attracting entrepreneurs, investors and corporate support at an accelerating rate. There is clearly a lot of innovation both in digital assets—or cryptocurrencies—as well as with the underlying blockchain technology. But how much is legitimate excitement about this revolutionary technology, and how much is inflated exuberance? To explore the potential, and examine some of the questions hanging over the industry, Brown Advisory's Sid Ahl sat down with three crypto experts: Joe Lallouz, Founder and CEO of Bison Trails (acquired by Coinbase); Ash Egan, Partner, Accomplice; and Ria Bhutoria, Principal, Castle Island Ventures. Be sure to stay tuned for the Brown Advisory investment team's perspectives, when Erika Pagel, CIO of Sustainable Investing, and Ken Coe, Financial Services Equity Analyst, join Sid (at 51:00) to share their takeaways. Guests:Mrinalini "Ria" Bhutoria, Principal, Castle Island Ventures@riasearchAsh Egan, Partner, Accomplice @AshAEganJoe Lallouz, CEO, Bison Trails; Partner, Ambush Capital @JoeLallouzHost:Sid Ahl, CFA, CIO for Private Client, Endowments and Foundations, Brown Advisory  Investment Commentary: Ken Coe, CFA, Equity Research Analyst, Brown AdvisoryErika Pagel, CIO of Sustainable Investing, Brown Advisory Recommended reading: Decentralized Finance: What It Is, Why It Matters, Andreessen Horowitz, June 15, 2021 The Brutal Truth About Bitcoin, The New York Times, June 14, 2021 Crypto Memes and Dreams--Why It's Different This Time, Medium, June 1, 2021 How Much Energy Does Bitcoin Actually Consume? Harvard Business Review, May 5, 2021 Understanding the Different Types of Cryptocurrency, SoFi, January 15, 2021 What is "Proof of Work" And "Proof of Stake"? Coinbase Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System [White paper], Satoshi Nakamoto, October 31, 2008 Recommended listening:  Tom Schmidt Explains What You Need to Know about DeFi, Odd Lots, June 28, 2021 The Potential of Blockchain Technology, Invest Like the Best, April 13, 2021 Crypto, An Oral Essay, The 16z Podcast, April 17, 2021 Thank you for joining us on our podcast journey. To stay in touch about future podcasts, please sign up here. Visit our website to learn more: www.brownadvisory.com/now. We want to hear from you! Send a note to NOW@brownadvisory.com to get in touch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

In this episode, Brown Advisory’s Meredith Shuey Etherington, a San Francisco-based portfolio manager, speaks with Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation, and Craig Young, Managing Principal of Tidewater Capital, to examine whether the Bay Area and San Francisco can retain and even enhance their identity as the home of the innovation economy. San Francisco has been a paradox for decades—at once a stunningly beautiful city at the epicenter of high-tech innovation, and a fragile community grappling with various social crises, the highest cost of living in the U.S. and a vast wealth gap. The pandemic intensified many of the city’s problems, and recent headlines have revealed a string of companies moving their headquarters from the Bay Area to Austin, Miami and elsewhere. Our conversation looks at the challenges and opportunities that will shape San Francisco’s future. Later in the podcast, Brown Advisory’s JJ Baylin and Amy Hauter join Meredith to discuss how we are investing in the future of cities for our clients.

Microbusinesses are becoming a way of life for more and more people; these very small businesses are often sole proprietorships or have just a few employees, yet provide meaningful household income for millions of people. Digital platforms make many of these businesses possible, and companies like Etsy and GoDaddy have been an essential backbone for microbusinesses, especially during the pandemic (Etsy sellers contributed $13 billion and almost 3 million jobs to the economy last year). For this NOW episode, Brown Advisory technology analyst and portfolio manager Emmy Wachtmeister sat down with Althea Erickson, VP of Global Public Policy & Impact at Etsy, and Alex Rosen, Director of GoDaddy's Venture Forward project, to discuss the evolution of microbusinesses, and what they mean for the growth and resilience of our communities. Later, David Powell, co-portfolio manager of Brown Advisory's Large-Cap Sustainable Growth strategy, joined Emmy to discuss takeaways for investors (36:18).

Solving world hunger—or “food insecurity”—is really hard. The solutions are not particularly sexy, and they require a very long-term outlook. We wanted to learn more about the problem and the innovators who are working to solve it. In part 1 of this conversation, Brown Advisory's Emily High Daniels sat down with two leaders at opposite ends of the impact spectrum. Barron Segar, President and CEO of the World Food Program USA (the program was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize), is driving innovation and progress on a massive global scale. Mira Mehta is the Founder and CEO of Tomato Jos, a for-profit social enterprise whose mission is to make farming profitable and sustainable for smallholder farmers, while moving their communities toward the middle class. Listen to this conversation in Season 2 | Episode 3. In this episode—part 2—we welcome two more entrepreneurs. Ezinne Uzo-Okuro, CEO of Terraformers, is using her background as a NASA scientist to empower people to grow healthy food and create sustainable livelihoods. Manuela Zierau, Global Lead of H2Grow, works with communities to grow food—and well-being—in impossible places. Private Client CIO Sid Ahl and CrossBoundary’s Kirtika Challa join Emily to discuss investment takeaways.

Featuring Barron Segar, USA CEO of Nobel Peace Prizewinner World Food Program, and Mira Mehta, Founder/CEO, Tomato Jos Solving world hunger—or “food insecurity”—is really hard. The solutions are not particularly sexy, and they require a very long-term outlook. We wanted to learn more about the problem and those who are trying to solve it. In part 1 of this conversation, Brown Advisory's Emily High Daniels sat down with two leaders at opposite ends of the impact spectrum. Barron Segar, President and CEO of the World Food Program USA (the program was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize), is driving innovation and progress on a massive global scale. Mira Mehta is the Founder and CEO of Tomato Jos, a for-profit social enterprise whose mission is to make farming profitable and sustainable for smallholder farmers, while moving their communities toward the middle class. From their very different vantage points, Barron and Mira show us how scalable innovation and long-term thinking can translate into progress over time. In part 2 (episode 4 - dropping March 1), we welcome two additional entrepreneurs (Ezinne Uzo-Okuro, CEO of Terraformers, and Manuela Zierau, Global Lead of H2Grow), who sit down with Emily, as well as Brown Advisory’s Sid Ahl, and Kirtika Challa, who leads the Tunisian advisory practice for frontier-market advisor CrossBoundary, to discuss the investment implications for our clients.

In our latest episode, Dr. Daniel Yergin—a leading global authority on energy, economics and geopolitics, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author—sits down with Brown Advisory’s Jane Korhonen to discuss the future of energy, and how that future may shape innovation, international relations and the economy in the years ahead. The stakes are high: Climate change is creating an urgent need for a lower-carbon economy, and the incoming Biden administration will face the daunting challenge of reigniting the U.S. economy in the wake of the pandemic, and energy may be a critical catalyst of that recovery. We are grateful to Dr. Yergin for sharing his insights with us. The episode also includes a follow-up conversation between Jane and Brown Advisory’s Chief Investment Officer, Paul Chew, in which they discuss some of the implications for investors.

Thinking that you have to trade off financial performance and sustainability is a “false dichotomy” and a “ridiculous mindset,” according to Alan Jope, CEO of Unilever, one of the largest consumer goods companies on the planet. Jope wants Unilever to be famous for three things: creating an envied portfolio of purpose-driven brands, proving the link between sustainable business and better financial outcomes, and serving as a beacon for diversity and inclusion—and he believes that radical transparency is the way to get there. Brown Advisory’s Mick Dillon sat down with Jope to discuss radical transparency, attracting the next generation of consumers and employees, shaping social and environmental change, the power of capitalism and the need to evolve it. And then Mick and Brown Advisory’s Katherine Kroll sat down the next day to consider their takeaways as investors.

With devastating wild fires and floods filling our news feeds, the consequences of a changing climate have rarely felt more acute or urgent. In the midst of Climate Week, Brown Advisory’s Karina Funk sat down with Kate Gordon, who leads climate policy for the state of California and is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the intersection of business and climate. As investors, we are constantly looking for opportunities to mitigate climate risk and support climate solutions. If we can help improve outcomes for the people impacted by climate change, we can generate returns for all of our stakeholders—our clients, colleagues and communities. With California as an epicenter of both climate-based tragedy and innovation, Karina and Kate talk about the ongoing crisis, investing in solutions, and the state’s announcement this week to move toward selling only zero-emissions vehicles by 2035.

The data tell the story: Less than 1% of venture capital in the United States is invested in companies led by Black entrepreneurs. Add "female" as a data filter and it drops to 0.2%. Amid reckoning with legacies of racial injustice, we wanted to examine how a lack of representation in the startup ecosystem hinders access to capital for diverse founders. Brown Advisory’s Keith Stone sits down with three thought leaders in the venture industry—Charles Hudson, Richard Kerby and Monique Woodard—to explore paths to a growth economy where an expanded set of innovators and ideas can thrive.

Speaking with astrophysicist Jason Kalirai is a lesson in perspective. In this episode, Brown Advisory’s Ken Stuzin sits down with Dr. Kalirai to learn how he collaborates across national boundaries to explore the vastness of the universe and find answers to existential questions. As Dr. Kalirai points out, when you look at our planet from space, you see one world with no borders—just land, ocean, air and life—which provides a great antidote to our often polarized experience on Earth.

Caryl Stern, long-time CEO at UNICEF USA and now executive director at the Walton Family Foundation, has spent her career focused on elevating the well-being of children. While Caryl is deeply concerned about the inequities that the pandemic is exacerbating, she is also profoundly energized about the current innovation, partnerships and social justice movements that can deliver quality education and opportunity for our next generation.

The concurrent crises of the pandemic, economic fallout and racial inequities are creating a recipe for another crisis—in mental health. Brown Advisory’s Bertie Thomson sits down with Dr. Ray DePaulo of Johns Hopkins Medicine, Kristen Roby Dimlow of Microsoft and Dr. Richard Frank of Harvard Medical School to gain a deeper understanding of the stressors, as well as solutions, posed by this challenging time.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide a framework for addressing global challenges related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. Achieving them was never going to be straightforward—and that was before we faced a global pandemic, economic crisis, and the manifestation of centuries of racial violence and injustice. Investors have a particular role to play in pulling levers that make a difference. Brown Advisory’s CIO of Sustainable Investing, Erika Pagel, sits down with Lynelle Cameron of Autodesk and Brian Rice of CalSTRS, who are each focused on creating long-term sustainable impact through resilience and engagement.

Technology rules the way we communicate, connect, consume and collaborate. For both companies and governments, this provides incredible economic and infrastructure opportunities, but also exposes massive risks to security and privacy. Brown Advisory’s Lauren Cahalan sits down with one of the nation's leading thinkers on these issues to discuss the challenges posed by technology’s penetration of all aspects of our lives, the responsibility of organizations to identify misinformation and protect our privacy, and how these issues have been heightened by the pandemic.

Libraries are much more than buildings that house books to Dr. Carla Hayden, the U.S. Librarian of Congress. They are bastions of liberty.

Gen Z is the future. Born between 1996 and 2012, this generation is the largest, most diverse cohort on the planet, with over $140 billion in purchasing power. And they may be more impacted by the global pandemic than any other generation. Brown Advisory’s Katherine Kroll speaks with Gen Z experts Ziad Ahmed, Joel Flory and Denise Villa to understand what Gen Zers care about and how their decisions as consumers and as culture-carriers will pave the way for our collective future.

Our house sits next to a river. We see the water slowly rising year after year and threatening to flood the foundation. Then, a house fire erupts. What do we do? If we don’t act against both the fire and flood, our house will be gone. Doug Baker, Chairman and CEO of Ecolab, believes climate change is a serious business risk that must be addressed even amidst a burning pandemic, as he describes in his house-on-a-river parable. In conversation with Brown Advisory’s Karina Funk, Baker discusses climate risk and lessons of the pandemic from his vantage point at the helm of Ecolab, which provides technology for clean water, safe food and hygienic environments to three million businesses around the world.

The coronavirus pandemic raises many questions about the U.S.-China relationship – including how the two countries will address globalization, supply chains, technology and the environment going forward. Porter Schutt talks with two long-time students of China, Andy Rothman, investment strategist at Matthews Asia, and Linda Yueh, economist at the University of Oxford, to delve into the economic, cultural and geopolitical implications of the crisis.

According to Yascha Mounk, our guest on this week’s episode of Navigating our World, polarization poses an existential threat to democracy. In a conversation with Brown Advisory’s Jordan Wruble, Dr. Mounk examines the forces he feels are undermining our political systems, and discusses how the coronavirus pandemic might have the potential to bring us closer together. Yascha Mounk is the author of The People vs. Democracy: Why Democracy Is in Danger & How to Save It, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, and a leading expert on global politics.

What does it mean to lead with purpose? Tamara Lundgren, Chairman, President and CEO of Schnitzer Steel, and Josh Silverman, CEO of Etsy, have each leveraged the power of purpose to lead significant organizations. Brown Advisory’s Stephanie McCormick sits down with Tamara and Josh to explore the connection between purpose and financial performance, and how being purpose-driven helps them navigate our challenging times.

In an intimate and candid conversation, CEO Mike Hankin sits down with esteemed Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Jon Meacham to draw historical parallels with the current crisis, and discuss lessons we can take from past leaders about navigating challenging times.

To kick off our Navigating Our World podcast, Brown Advisory CEO Mike Hankin shares his thoughts on why NOW is especially important during this crisis, and on the responsibility of business leaders to address the polarization around challenging issues -- including capitalism, climate change and more -- without taking sides. Please visit https://www.brownadvisory.com/now2020 to listen to our first episode: We've Been Here Before (and Made It Through): A Conversation with Jon Meacham, historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

We look forward to having you join us on our Navigating Our World podcast journey. Please visit the Navigating Our World website to listen to our first episode: We've Been Here Before (and Made It Through): A Conversation with Jon Meacham, historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.