US SIF & Trillium Asset Management Seek Nominations for 2025 Joan Bavaria Award
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 26, 2025 – The nominations for the Joan Bavaria Award, organized by US SIF and Trillium Asset Management, are now open. The award recognizes an investor or non-profit leader who shares the spirit of collaboration and innovation demonstrated by Joan Bavaria and the organizations she founded, and who is working to transform capital markets.
A pioneer of socially responsible investing, Joan Bavaria’s vision and humanity helped catalyze positive change in the capital markets. She is often referred to as the “Founding Mother” of Socially Responsible Investing (SRI). Joan died in 2008, following a courageous battle with ovarian cancer.
Joan was a co-founder of US SIF in 1981, and founded Trillium Asset Management in 1982, establishing an investment firm to provide a space for clients to invest their money in alignment with their values. In 1989, Joan co-founded Ceres, a nonprofit with a mission to move companies, financial markets, and policy makers to find solutions to sustainability challenges.
Following her death, the Joan Bavaria Award was created by Trillium Asset Management and Ceres to carry on Joan’s legacy by honoring other sustainability heroes around the world. The 2025 Joan Bavaria Award will be presented at the 2025 US SIF FORUM, held in Washington D.C. from June 25 – 27, 2025.
Nominations, including self-nominations, for the award are being accepted through April 18, 2025, at https://www.ussif.org/joan-bavaria-award Nominations should include a description of initiatives or accomplishments that have been the most impactful and information on the nominee’s individual accomplishments that are especially visionary, groundbreaking, or otherwise unique. Judges for the 2025 Joan Bavaria Award are leaders of two organizations that Joan Bavaria founded or co-founded: Maria Lettini, CEO of US SIF and Matthew Patsky, CEO of Trillium Asset Management.
“Since Joan Bavaria recognized the desire of investors to integrate social and environmental values into their investments in the 1960s, the industry has seen a number of influential leaders who have helped it mature into what it is today. We look forward to spotlighting another sustainable investing champion who has dedicated their career to broadening and deepening the industry."
Maria Lettini, CEO of US SIF
“We are proud to partner with US SIF to commemorate Joan Bavaria and recognize the tireless work she did to build the foundation that underpins the sustainable investment industry we have today. Joan’s pioneering work as an investor advocating for a better world remains as salient today as it ever has. We are thrilled to recognize leaders that support her vision.”
Matt Patsky, CEO of Trillium Asset Management
In 2024, Joy Anderson, Suzanne Biegel (posthumously), and Jackie VanderBrug were recognized by the award for their influential work in developing the field of Gender Lens Investing. Other previous honorees include Napoleon Wallace, Managing Partner of The Southern Reconstruction Fund, Sr. Patricia Daly, Executive Director of the Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment, and Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
If you have questions about the 2025 Joan Bavaria Award, please e-mail conference@ussif.org.
About US SIF and the US SIF Foundation
US SIF: The Sustainable Investment Forum is the preeminent voice advancing sustainable investing. Members, who represent $5 trillion in assets under management or advisement, support US SIF’s mission to rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment, the generation of positive social and environmental impacts and supporting the shift toward a more resilient and equitable planet and society. https://www.ussif.org US SIF is supported in its work by the US SIF Foundation, a 501(C)(3) organization that undertakes educational and research activities to advance the mission of US SIF, including offering trainings for advisors and other financial professionals on the Fundamentals of Sustainable and Impact Investment.
About Trillium Asset Management
Trillium Asset Management offers investment strategies and services that advance humankind towards a global sustainable economy, a just society, and a better world. For over 40 years, Trillium has been at the forefront of sustainable and responsible investing. Devoted to aligning stakeholders’ values and objectives, Trillium combines impactful investment solutions with active ownership. www.trilliuminvest.com