Foundation News

We are excited to welcome Pedro Henriques da Silva as our new director, Shifting Trillions. Pedro joined our staff on May 1st and will leverage the Foundation’s roles as an active asset owner, shareholder advocate, and impact investor to move banks, asset managers, and other companies to transform the extractive fossil fuel economy to a restorative, renewable energy economy.

Sierra Club Foundation plays a critical role as the fiscal sponsor of and grantor to all of the charitable projects of the Sierra Club, and as a grantmaker to strategic partner organizations. Increasingly, the Foundation is also providing leadership in shifting trillions of dollars in capital from the extractive fossil fuel economy of today, to a renewable energy economy that is restorative and just, for all. We partner with Sierra Club’s Fossil-Free Finance Campaign to call upon major banks and asset managers to stop financing new fossil fuel projects. Through our Catalytic Capital Portfolio, we catalyze investments in Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) led initiatives, and in innovative financing vehicles and pooled funds that advance climate solutions in frontline and Tribal communities. We are a thought leader for other foundations and nonprofits in increasing the impact of their investment portfolios to advance their missions and core values. Considering climate change as a material investment risk and committing to analyzing investment opportunities using environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria as a core component of investor prudence and fiduciary responsibility is critical in order to shift trillions of dollars to just and equitable climate and clean energy solutions.

Says Executive Director Dan Chu, “I am excited to have Pedro in this critical leadership role. He is having a transformative impact on our shifting trillions effort by leveraging his financial and investment networks to join us in shifting trillions of dollars to create a just and restorative economy for all.”

“To me, this work is both personal and grounded in justice. It’s about the relationships between our communities, our systems, and our planet. I’m excited to bring the unique set of experiences I developed in the impact investment space to the work of transforming those relationships and advancing the goal of a healthy planet for all,” says Pedro about his role.

Pedro brings experience working with clients to align their investment strategies with their missions and values from his previous work with Global Endowment Management (GEM), a leading outsourced Chief Investment Office (OCIO) that provides institutional investment capabilities for endowments, foundations, and other long-term investors. Pedro led the firm’s work on impact measurement, developed theories of change for the firm's investments, and designed GEM's frameworks for applying racial and social equity lenses to its portfolio. He also led the firm’s thought leadership and industry engagement efforts around stakeholder impact, net zero, and climate justice. Pedro recently authored an innovative report on integrating climate justice into net zero commitments for the Intentional Endowments Network, of which the Sierra Club Foundation is a member.