Arctaris Impact Investors, LLC
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2022, 2023)
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
- Economic Impact
- Environmental Impact
- Social Impact
Environmental Achievements
- 51.3 megawatts of solar capacity installed
- 270 acres of solar infrastructure installed
- Two brownfield sites remediated
- 82% of operating companies in our portfolio have sustainability measures that reduce energy usage
- 82% of operating companies in our portfolio have sustainability measures that reduce waste
Social Achievements
- Launched Arctaris-Connecticut Program to invest in community development projects in Hartford’s urban core, with emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and community revitalization
- Invested in partnership with Great Works Internet to construct broadband fiber networks for five communities in Maine
- Funded fiber broadband networks for three counties in Colorado in partnership with Clearnetworx
- Helped a minority executive purchase Cleveland-based Specialized Construction Inc., creating one of the only minority-led asphalt paving companies in the country
- Funded mixed-use development in Gowanus, Brooklyn providing high-quality, affordable housing
- Completed investment to build affordable senior housing in Baltimore
- Investment in Erie Downtown Development Corporation project creating housing and retail space
Governance Achievements
- Established a 10-member Advisory Board to ensure that Arctaris deploys its NMTC allocation to the most impactful projects with a focus on DEIB mandates. Eight members of our 10-person CDE board are women or minorities
Climate Goals & Targets
Medium-term Goals:
- Engage more closely with key internal and external stakeholders to improve our impact measurement and management strategy and to attract mission-aligned investors, talent, and collaborators.
Short-term Goals:
- Establish more detailed impact targets, impact risk considerations, and impact additionality road maps for all new investments and existing portfolio companies.
- Continue to simplify the impact data collection process, while offering more operational insights to portfolio companies that participate in the impact data collection process.
Environmental Challenges
- High employee turnover in home care (65%)
- Housing shortage in Grand Junction, Colorado
- Lack of broadband access in underserved communities
- Lack of affordable housing in Gowanus, Brooklyn
- Wealth inequality and racial segregation in Washington, D.C.
- Food insecurity in Huntsville, Alabama and Erie, Pennsylvania
- Economic distress in Rangeley, Maine
Mitigation Strategies
- S&K Holdings offers Upward Mobility program for employees
- The Eddy project in Grand Junction provides 96 units of workforce housing
- Arctaris Broadband Company invests in fiber optic infrastructure
- 300 Nevins Street development in Gowanus provides 164 affordable housing units
- Northeast Heights development in Washington, D.C. creates jobs and increases foot traffic
- Front Row development in Huntsville includes a grocery store
- Flagship Complex in Erie includes a grocery store and affordable housing units
- Saddleback Mountain investment created jobs and revitalized the local economy
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Prioritizing minority- and women-owned businesses as subcontractors and tenants
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Arctaris benchmarks investments against the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to communicate impact in a universal language.
Reporting Period: 2023
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
- Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
- Community Development
- Economic Development
- Environmental Sustainability
Environmental Achievements
- 305 acres of solar infrastructure installed (+13% from 2022)
- 58.3 megawatts of solar capacity installed (+13% from 2022)
- 100% of operating companies have specific programs to reduce energy usage
- 70% of operating companies actively sourcing sustainable materials
- 20% of operating companies actively using solar solutions
Social Achievements
- 2,169 total jobs in the Arctaris portfolio (+8% from 2022)
- 39% of portfolio companies are, or are eligible to be, Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBEs)
- 33% of portfolio companies provide special hiring programs for people who reside in the same neighborhood
- 11% of companies in the Arctaris portfolio are veteran owned
- 40% of portfolio companies provide special hiring programs for women, people of color, and immigrants
- 1,710 multifamily residential units completed, under construction, or planned
- 549 housing units planned or offered at 120% or below area median income (AMI)
- 4,701 estimated number of homes and businesses with access to the Arctaris Broadband Company-funded broadband networks (+292% from 2022)
Governance Achievements
- Independent validation of impact measurement and reporting by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC)
- Impact Notes Upgrade from BBB to BBB+
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Conduct strategic refresh of the Arctaris impact approach
Medium-term Goals:
- Create an Arctaris Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI)
Short-term Goals:
- Launch at least three new place-based programs across the country
- Deploy remainder of New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation
Environmental Challenges
- Rising interest rates and costs exacerbating the country’s housing crisis
- Unclear outlook for underserved communities due to various economic and political shifts
- Backlash against DEI and ESG
- Challenges faced by Chime Solutions, including turnover, declining revenue, and liquidity issues
Mitigation Strategies
- Remaining committed to investing in new and affordable housing projects
- Providing capital “where the federal money doesn’t reach” through programs like broadband initiatives
- Continuing investments in low-income communities with market-based solutions
- First-Loss Capital program to mitigate risks for investors in challenging investments like Chime Solutions
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Supporting minority-owned suppliers