IN THIS ISSUE:

* HIP's 2009 Wishlist for Investors

* Is President Obama HIP?

* How to Secure  a HIP Job

* HIP Internships & Alumni

* Make Your Portfolio & Company More HIP

HIP's 2009 WISHLIST FOR
YOUR PORTFOLIO

Happy New Year from all of us at HIP Investor!

What are your goals for 2009?  Here at HIP, our wish-list seeks more Human Impact + Profit for your portfolio, your company and your world.

More HIP Stocks to Invest In:  Over the past year, HIP's team has researched more than 350 of the largest public companies based in the United States yet operating globally.  The most highly rated according to HIP's methodology include Procter & Gamble, General Electric, UPS, United Technologies, PepsiCo, Heinz, Intel, Hewlett Packard, and Cisco - which create sustainable products, operate in an eco-efficient manner, and are inclusive and respectful of all sources of talent.  Our wish for 2009 is more HIP investments for your portfolio, which we are tracking in the HIP 100 Index^TM (which mutual funds, ETFs and advisors can license).

Fewer un-HIP ways to Get into Debt:  How easy is it to get into debt? Very easy, especially when banks and consumer finance companies strive to get you paying interest to satisfy immediate gratification.  Kathryn Tuggle of FOX Business News interviewed HIP CEO R. Paul Herman about how to avoid this.

More HIP Places to Park Your Cash:  Last spring, we highlighted innovative banks for individuals and institutions that are customer-friendly, offer unique products (e.g. loans for solar panels) and are naturally resource-efficient (e.g. online convenience).  These include Wainwright Bank, New Resources Bank, Self-Help Credit Union and Charter Oak Bank.  Want your savings to better society? Check out our top 10 list. 

More HIP Opportunities for Accredited Investors:  New funds are emerging that focus on sustainable, profitable growth - and range across industries as diverse as organic food and farming, renewable energy, base-of-the-pyramid financial services, affordable health care and eco-efficiency for buildings.  These include the Patient Capital Collaborative (early-stage venture capital), RSF Mezzanine Fund (growth-stage debt), the CalCEF Cleantech Angel Fund (growth-stage venture capital), and Renewal2 (early-stage financing).   Even Trillium is launching a fund-of-funds seeking Human Impact as well as Profit.

More HIP Choices in All Asset Classes:  What investment products focus on green real estate or sustainable forestry?  How about a carbon-credit fund?  If a region has many HIP companies (e.g. Scandinavia), is that basket of currencies more HIP?  We envision a full portfolio of HIP choices in the future - now only if the financial industry can answer the call.  HIP Investor seeks out these products (or creates them) for investors and their portfolios.

HOW HIP IS PRESIDENT OBAMA?

President Obama appears to be on the path to making our world more HIP.  In less than two weeks, Obama is seeking to solve human problems in five categories:

• Health: Preparing a plan to close the gap for Americans accessing health care at a reasonable cost.
• Wealth: Negotiating a recovery and reinvestment plan with Congress to create "green" jobs that create new markets for American innovations and investing in education infrastructure.
• Earth: Empowering the Environmental Protection Agency (and more than 10 States restrained by the EPA) to pursue initiatives to enforce the Clean Air Act - and hence accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). (Read about more potential eco-improvement recommendations here.)
• Equality: Signed a new law mandating equal pay for equal work, to fight the bias that women and ethnicities have encountered, such as Lilly Ledbetter encountered over decades.
• Trust: Encouraging more fairness and justice in applying the laws and regulations to all citizens, and calling out the financial industry for its proper responsibility and moral obligations.

And the President is appointing a new Chief Performance Officer, former McKinsey & Co. management consulting partner Nancy Killefer, to measure how government works - and highlight where it can work better.  She will likely team up with the new Chief Technology Officer (still to be named and approved - vote for your priorities at www.ObamaCTO.org ).  The US Government is seeking to realize a high return on investment (ROI) from its tax and fee revenues - and that is HIP. (More details are at www.whitehouse.gov)

HOW TO SECURE A "HIP" JOB IN SUSTAINABILITY

HOW TO FIND A "HIP" JOB

At HIP Investor, we have been fortunate to attract highly talented staff and dozens of interns - as well as a constant flow of passionate professionals, all seeking to create sustainable, profitable growth.   Frequently we are asked for advice in finding a job that is HIP, so here are our recommendations:

Be the Magnet - Develop your unique perspective and skills.  Research how wellness programs boost health and save money.  Publish on how renewable energy generates extra profit and mitigates risks.  Twitter the latest green products that customers are buying.  Show your entrepreneurial initiative by creating a pool of knowledge and attracting a community of followers. On your resume, highlight the quantitative results of your experience (numbers, values and percentage improvements).

Find Growing Companies -  Fortune magazine's Best Companies to Work For feature has new job listings for Google and Wegmans groceries.  But you can also find high-growth companies in Inc. magazine's lists (www.inc5000.com) as well as jobs at firms in your own area (or a nearby region) on www.craigslist.org or customer-friendly businesses on www.yelp.com .  You can join the social networks at www.NetImpact.org and www.JustMeans.com too.

Pitch a Project - Now that you found a company to target, think how you can boost their revenue, lower their costs, or help them find tax incentives (especially in the new Federal stimulus package).  Brainstorm 3 projects to propose; write up a one-paragraph summary of each, and show how the benefits outweigh the costs.  Even if your 3 projects are not accepted, you have showcased your ability to think, design, and communicate for the firm's benefit.  Even if there's not a role at the firm, your initiative might be rewarded with referrals.  Again, be the magnet!

Network, network, network:  Seek out groups who share your interests on Facebook or Meetup; connect with school alumni groups and corporate colleagues through LinkedIn or Plaxo; amplify a community like Net Impact (both university and professional chapters globally) or build your own community in Ning; or publish your thoughts in a focused online community like JustMeans or CSRwire.

Pay It Forward: In the meantime, prove your value by interning or volunteering; while it may not be paid, you build valuable experience in sustainability that firms will need to hire.  Take action now - and invest in yourself.  You'll even make new friends - and build a career that generates both Human Impact + Profit.

Jobs that focus on Human Impact + Profit can be found at: www.NetImpact.org, www.JustMeans.com, www.Idealist.org - and HIP Investor's openings are at www.HIPinvestor.com 

HIP ALUMNUS UPDATE

Congratulations to Todd Feiler, a former Portfolio Research Associate who helped build the HIP 100 Index, and is now working as a City Hall Fellow in San Francisco city government.  See Todd's City Hall Fellows profile and meet all 20 Fellows. 

HIP SPRING 2009 INTERNSHIPS - DEADLINE IS JAN. 31, 2009

HIP is seeking talented individuals to apply HIP's innovative framework to analyze S&P 500 companies and create HIP portfolios for investors.  A great opportunity to work with a team of sustainability experts and change the transform the world of investing. 

Applications are accepted through January 31, 2009. LEARN MORE

MAKE YOUR PORTFOLIO AND COMPANY MORE HIP WITH OUR SERVICES

COMPANIES: Lead By Becoming More HIP

* HIP Strategy Workshops - Design New Products for Increased Sales to Meet Global Customer Needs - innovate to grow revenue and capture market share.

* HIP  Scorecard - Use Leading Indicators To Manage Your Performance and Profit Across the Entire Enterprise - align all your staff to deliver HIP results.

* HIP Supplier Scorecard - Bring Sustainability and Savings Into Your Supply Chain - the fastest way to getting HIP.

* HIP Financials and Wall Street Presentation - Educate Investors and Wall Street  About How Human Impact Leads to Profit - great for Shareholder meetings!

INVESTORS: Is Your Portfolio HIP?

* HIP 100 Index (TM) - Apply this new approach to your investments, seeking both good and profit. Can be customized to your specific passions and goals - like Health, Wealth, Earth, Equality and Trust. 

* HIP Scorecard - Measure the Impact of Your Portfolio (Stocks, Bonds, Real Estate and Charity) across each asset class - excellent for institutions, foundations and endowments.

LEARN more about HIP's services for investors and for companies or contact Jessica@HIPInvestor.com to help you, your portfolio, or your company be even more HIP!