Correcting The Unintended Carbon in Your Retirement Plan with Scott Ryan and Kathryn Hopkins

In this insightful episode of The Future of Finance, host Georges Dyer sits down with Scott Ryan and Kathryn Hopkins of Investature, a mission-driven firm aiming to align retirement plan investing with climate impact. The conversation explores how retirement plans—representing trillions of dollars in assets—can be powerful tools for addressing climate change. Scott shares his journey from fintech to founding Investature, emphasizing the often-overlooked role of financed emissions and how individual and institutional decisions in retirement plans can directly reduce carbon footprints.

Kathryn brings an educational lens to the conversation, underscoring the importance of financial literacy and helping people understand that they can have a double bottom line—achieving both financial returns and environmental impact. Together, they outline barriers such as litigation fears and lack of awareness, while offering actionable solutions for employees, employers, and institutions.

They call for a cultural shift in fiduciary thinking, where choosing sustainable investment options is no longer seen as a risk—but as a fiduciary duty. With compelling examples, like how $1,000 in a climate fund can offset the emissions of a cross-country flight annually, they demonstrate the tangible power of intentional investing. This episode is a roadmap for individuals and organizations ready to take bold, climate-conscious steps in finance.

Keywords:

Climate finance, retirement plans, double bottom line, fiduciary duty, sustainable investing, financed emissions, financial literacy, 401(k) engagement, climate solutions, impact investing