At Equity Mates Media, we’ve got two podcasts designed to help new investors and those who are yet to get started. Here’s what we’re chatting about this week…
Are rewards programs worth it?
Bryce went AWOL this week, so Alec welcomed Queenie Tan in to co-host… because the rumour is she’s a whiz when it comes to understanding rewards programs. Alec really wanted to know whether they are worth all the fuss!
With so many programs you can sign up to, Queenie gives us a run through the major airline alliances – SkyTeam, Star Alliance and Oneworld. She’s done the maths too – and says if you’re good at paying off your credit card regularly you can actually find $1200 of extra value! (Producer Sascha here – strong caution with credit cards – I know I’m terrible with them!)
You need to listen to hear all Queenie’s top tips! And remember… got a question? Ask us at equitymates.com.
From the vault: Get Super Savvy!
Let’s look back at some of your favourite episodes of You’re In Good Company.
Superannuation isn’t the sexiest topic, but here’s the thing: if you’re working and earning an income, you’re earning super, and therefore investing in the stock market! So it’s worth understanding how the current system operates, getting across government changes and their implications, and knowing the various superannuation options available.
Check out this episode where Maddy and Sophie talk about all the things super, and hear from you as well!
Which investing question do you want answered?
We want to help you in your investing journey! Here’s two topics, what should we prepare answers for? Remember you can always ask us whatever is on your mind!
What is ESG investing?
“Hey Equity Mates – I’m pretty new to investing, and I want to be more mindful about ESG stocks. But what does this actually mean and how should I think about putting this in my portfolio?
Thanks guys! Riley”
ESG! This old chestnut. Firstly, what does it actually mean? Well ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It’s an approach to investing that means you think about the impact as well as financial performance. So, the first step is to really think about what the values are to you.
Now, let’s break down the key pillars together:
Environmental Factors. How are these companies impacting the world around them? Whether it’s energy consumption, waste & pollution management, or action on climate change, what is this company doing about it?
Social Factors. This is where you evaluate their relationships with employees, customers, and their labour supply chain. Key areas to think about can include: their attitudes towards diversity & inclusion, community engagement, philanthropy and human rights.
Governance Factors. This is when you examine the integrity of a company’s management and board. How are they incentivised? How diverse is the board? Have they demonstrated ethical business practices?
Crucially, ESG is different for everyone. You might love one company and their attitudes towards diversity, but wish their climate policy practice was better. Here’s 5 steps you should follow when thinking about how ESG interacts with your portfolio:
First, define your investment goals and values. Think about what matter to you, and how you’d like to invest.
Then, research your ESG investment options. Stuck about where to start? Visit equitymates.com and search for ESG. Lots of podcasts to dig into.
Evaluate ESG Metrics and Ratings. There’s lots of great guides out there, but friend of the pod Camille Socquet-Clerc has some great resources on the Bloom website.
Diversify your portfolio. It’s hard to match all the ESG factors in just one company. So think about spreading your risk across companies that target a number of ESG factors.
Keep curious, and monitor your investments! Things evolve all the time. It doesn’t mean you have to watch your investments every single day, but think about checking in regularly.
Wow! That escalated quickly into quite a list! But the fact you’re interested in ESG investing is fantastic. It’s a powerful way to align your investments with your values, and a way of having a real-world impact with your portfolio.
Got more questions? Join the Equity Mates Forum, the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group and 100s of podcasts. Simply visit equitymates.com and search for the topic you want to know more about – and if we haven’t answered it yet – tell us at contact@equitymates.com
This is an excerpt from our Get Started Investing Newsletter email. Once a week, for those , we’re featuring some of the most interesting content we’ve come across in this weekly email. No spam, we guarantee.