SIRI Practicum Student Reflections
In their own words, students share their reflections on their SIRI Practicum experiences!
It’s often said that companies should at least 'do no harm' to society and ideally take on a positive responsibility for people and the planet. But in practice, not every company can live up to this standard. Our project explores how strong corporate governance can pave the way for truly ethical decisions and long-term sustainability.
For my SIRI practicum project, I am working in the area of sustainable finance and climate risk, with a focus on how extreme weather events impact insurance costs and how those costs affect investment portfolios...
The project I am working on this semester is situated at the intersection of sustainable finance and entrepreneurship. Broadly, it addresses two related challenges: how small businesses can access innovative financial models to support their growth, and how foreign startups can succeed in entering new markets, particularly in Asia.
What does it really mean to grow old in today’s world? For many, it means wrestling with steep medical bills, struggling with stairs in homes never designed for aging bodies, or worrying whether their retirement savings will last long enough...
As a sustainability-focused researcher with a background in environmental management and applied ecology, I am deeply motivated to explore the intersections of ecological integrity, social equity, and economic viability. This practicum provides a unique opportunity to engage directly with complex environmental systems in the Amazon, where the challenges of forest conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development converge.
Starting my practicum on financial instruments impacting development in the global south feels like stepping into a space where my academic interests, personal experiences, and professional goals all intersect...
The client my team and I are working for in the Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI) Practicum course is an internationally well-recognised independent organisation. This organization has been a leader in sustainability reporting and accountability. They aim to use their frameworks and tools to train and empower companies of all sizes to build sustainable, long-term value that benefits people and the planet.
Coming from the energy sector, especially in business development, I’ve seen how much financing and investment decisions can decide whether climate goals actually move forward or just stay as plans. That curiosity pushed me to dive deeper into sustainable investing and eventually brought me to the SIRI Practicum at SIPA.
As part of my SIRI practicum, I am working with a global alternative investment fund that manages $48 billion in assets...
In the SIRI Practicum class, my team and I are working with a South American NGO that promotes investment in sustainable businesses that benefit the local Amazonian communities...
The SIRI practicum is an opportunity at Columbia to gain faculty-supported consulting experience in sustainable investment. In my case, this is in the scope of Fukuoka, a Japanese city confronted with modern challenges: an ageing and shrinking population, new businesses preferring to locate in the capital Tokyo and meeting its own net-zero climate targets. As a group of four SIPA students, we are going to support our SIRI client by identifying how the city can attract local and international start-ups and small businesses that will make the city future ready.
This semester, I have the privilege of being part of the Sustainable Investing Research Consulting Class at Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI). I am working with a client that represents both an innovation center and an angel private equity fund. The client focuses on developing and financing solutions in the longevity space, with a mission to connect global stakeholders and scale sustainable innovations...