The Investor Case for Supporting Worker Organizing Rights:
How should different stakeholders, including investors, think about and react to union formations?
While small-cap stocks were hard hit during the first half of 2022, August’s earnings season revealed a bounce back for the asset class. What does this mean for Trillium’s ESG Small/Mid Cap Core Portfolio?


Dear U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator and Members of Congress,
After being on the decline for decades, unions are making a comeback in the context of rising economic inequality, declining working standards, pent-up demand for a greater voice at work, and the growing pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers in the United States have long faced a tilted playing field when trying to organize—despite the important economic and societal benefits unions offer. How should different stakeholders, such as investors, think about and react to union formations?
As an investment firm, Trillium seeks to advance humankind towards a global sustainable economy, a just society, and a better world through activating our clients’ capital. We believe sustainable economic growth cannot be built on abuses of power or the exploitation of workers. Profits should not supersede basic worker and human rights. For a healthy society and healthy economy, we believe there must be a balance of power and interests―and unions offer an important check to the enormous power of company executives compared to individual workers.
After being on the decline for decades, unions are making a comeback in the context of rising economic inequality, declining working standards, pent-up demand for a greater voice at work, and the growing pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers in the United States have long faced a tilted playing field when trying to organize—despite the important economic and societal benefits unions offer. How should different stakeholders, such as investors, think about and react to union formations?
As an investment firm, Trillium seeks to advance humankind towards a global sustainable economy, a just society, and a better world through activating our clients’ capital. We believe sustainable economic growth cannot be built on abuses of power or the exploitation of workers. Profits should not supersede basic worker and human rights. For a healthy society and healthy economy, we believe there must be a balance of power and interests―and unions offer an important check to the enormous power of company executives compared to individual workers.
After being on the decline for decades, unions are making a comeback in the context of rising economic inequality, declining working standards, pent-up demand for a greater voice at work, and the growing pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers in the United States have long faced a tilted playing field when trying to organize—despite the important economic and societal benefits unions offer. How should different stakeholders, such as investors, think about and react to union formations?
As an investment firm, Trillium seeks to advance humankind towards a global sustainable economy, a just society, and a better world through activating our clients’ capital. We believe sustainable economic growth cannot be built on abuses of power or the exploitation of workers. Profits should not supersede basic worker and human rights. For a healthy society and healthy economy, we believe there must be a balance of power and interests―and unions offer an important check to the enormous power of company executives compared to individual workers.
No genuine effort to slow or combat climate change can ignore Energy and Power. Trillium seeks to find the companies best-positioned to lead―and benefit from―the ongoing energy transition. Learn more about our approach to investing in Energy and Power.
Advocacy Impact Report - Second Half 2021
Trillium considers it fundamental to our mission and our fiduciary responsibility to engage with the companies that we hold in our portfolios to press for positive change that we believe will help improve ESG policies, performance, or impact. Learn more about our recent engagement activities.
