NorthStar Asset Management

NorthStar Asset Management is a progressive wealth and investment management firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1990, the firm was created with the conviction that investing must serve people, not just profits. NorthStar focuses on aligning capital with social justice, using investing and shareholder power as tools for change.

NorthStar is 100% socially responsible in its investment approach and is proudly a 100% Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE).

Mission and values

NorthStar believes that investing is never neutral. The firm helps clients pursue financial growth while advancing social and environmental justice. Every investment decision is grounded in:

• A commitment to equity and accountability
• A belief that the financial system often causes harm and must be challenged
• The idea that capital should be a force for justice, not just a source of returns

The Six Pillars of impact

NorthStar's work is guided by six deeply interconnected pillars that shape every investment decision, shareholder proposal and advocacy campaign:

1. Racial equity – Challenging systems and corporate practices that reinforce racial injustice and the racial wealth gap.
2. Gender equity – Advancing equal opportunities, protections and representation for women and gender-diverse people.
3. Economic equality – Addressing structures and business models that deepen inequality, and supporting those that share prosperity more fairly.
4. Environmental justice – Centering communities most affected by environmental harm and holding companies accountable for their environmental impacts.
5. Human rights – Protecting the rights and dignity of workers, consumers and communities across supply chains and operations.
6. Corporate governance – Improving how companies are governed, including board structure, voting rights and accountability mechanisms.

These pillars are intersectional

progress in one area is closely linked to progress in the others.

Roots and history

NorthStar's history reflects a long-standing commitment to activism and accountability:

• 1990 – NorthStar Asset Management is founded in Boston, MA with the goal of using investing to drive social change, not just returns.
• 1993 – The firm shifts focus toward shareholder advocacy and publishes the *NorthStar Proxy Voting Guide*, one of the earliest resources of its kind for holding corporations accountable.
• 2000 – NorthStar files its first shareholder proposal at Household International, raising concerns about predatory lending practices.
• 2013 – NorthStar launches an Outside Investments department to channel integrated capital toward overlooked solutions and secures a permanent home in Jamaica Plain, deepening its community roots.
• 2020 – The firm surpasses 250 company engagements, underscoring its track record in shareholder activism.
• 2024 – NorthStar becomes employee-owned, further aligning its internal structure with its values of equity, inclusion and shared power.
• 2025 – NorthStar unveils refreshed branding to reflect its legacy of activism and its future-focused vision.

Over more than three decades, NorthStar has filed hundreds of shareholder proposals and sent hundreds of letters to companies, pushing for changes in areas such as predatory lending, LGBTQ+ benefits, prison labor, water rights, political spending transparency and fair chance employment.

Leadership and team

NorthStar is women-led and shaped by people from historically marginalized communities. The firm highlights that:

• Its leadership team is all women and majority BIPOC and LGBTQ+.
• Many team members are immigrants or first- and second-generation Americans.

The team's lived experience informs its approach to challenging entrenched systems of power and centering impacted communities in its work.

NorthStar has been recognized in national media and by industry rankings, including being named among CNBC's Top 100 Financial Advisory Firms (ranking as of October 2024; no fee paid for this ranking).

What this means for clients

For clients, NorthStar offers:

• A long history of values-driven investing and activism
• A focus on social and environmental justice alongside financial outcomes
• A diverse, mission-driven team using finance as a tool for systemic change

Clients who believe wealth can be used to advance justice and accountability may find NorthStar to be a strong long-term partner.

• Individuals and families – People seeking progressive wealth management, financial guidance and portfolio management that reflect their values across generations.
• Mission-driven institutions – Foundations, endowments, nonprofits and faith-based organizations that want their investment strategies to align with their social justice missions.
• Financial advisors and intermediaries – Independent advisors, RIAs, wealth managers and other financial intermediaries who want to offer values-aligned, impact-focused strategies to their own clients.

Clients do not necessarily need to leave an existing firm or family office to work with NorthStar. NorthStar can collaborate with existing advisors to integrate its strategies so that client portfolios better reflect their values.

Core services

NorthStar's work spans traditional investment management and active shareholder advocacy:

Progressive wealth and investment management

For individuals, families and institutions, NorthStar provides:

• Public equity and fixed income portfolio management
• Values-aligned portfolio design rooted in the Six Pillars
• Long-term investment strategies focused on both social and financial outcomes

NorthStar helps clients explore their relationship to money, clarify what is "enough," and structure portfolios to support a more just and equitable world.

Shareholder activism and corporate engagement

NorthStar is known for its active ownership approach, which includes:

• Filing and leading shareholder proposals
• Engaging directly with company management
• Strategic proxy voting
• Coalition-building with other investors and community organizations

The firm has led engagements on issues such as predatory lending, LGBTQ+ employee benefits, prison labor, the human right to water, racial equity, fair chance employment and political spending transparency.

Partnering with advisors through a Global Equity Strategy

For advisors and intermediaries, NorthStar offers a Global Equity Strategy delivered through a separately managed account (SMA) format. This strategy combines:

• Decades of portfolio management experience
• NorthStar's longstanding shareholder advocacy work
• A disciplined, values-driven research process

The strategy focuses on delivering a dual mandate of social and financial returns for end clients.

Investment and impact approach

Aligning portfolios with client values

NorthStar begins by listening to each client's goals and values. Portfolios are then designed using the Six Pillars framework — racial equity, gender equity, economic equality, environmental justice, human rights and corporate governance — so that holdings better reflect what matters most to the client.

NorthStar takes a long-term view of markets, looking at secular trends and societal shifts rather than short-term volatility. The firm seeks companies with solid fundamentals and quality characteristics while applying a rigorous social review.

Three-part approach to driving change

Across its strategies, NorthStar's approach to social change can be summarized in three key actions:

1. Do no harm – Avoid sectors and business models that profit from human suffering or environmental degradation. This includes areas such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling, fossil fuels, weapons, for-profit prisons, nuclear and aerospace/defense.
2. Tilt toward solutions – Invest in companies whose products and services help address long-term societal challenges and support a more just future.
3. Advocate for change – Use shareholder rights to push companies toward stronger policies, better practices and measurable progress across the Six Pillars.

Transparency and reporting

NorthStar shares the results of its advocacy and engagement through materials such as:

• An annual Social Change and Activism Report
• Periodic client updates
• Thought leadership, white papers and public commentary

These communications help clients and advisors see how shareholder advocacy and investment decisions are contributing to broader systemic change.

Fit for potential clients

NorthStar may be a good fit for clients who:

• Want their investments to reflect deeply held social and environmental values
• Are interested in combining long-term financial goals with measurable impact
• Believe active ownership and shareholder advocacy are important parts of investing

Clients seeking detailed information about account structures, services and fees should refer to NorthStar's regulatory filings or contact the firm directly.

• Email: info@northstarasset.com
• Phone: 617.522.2635
• Mailing address:

NorthStar Asset Management 2 Harris Ave Boston, MA 02130 United States

(These details are for general inquiries from prospective and existing clients.)

How prospective clients can connect

NorthStar welcomes conversations with people and organizations who want their investments to align with social and environmental justice.

Individuals and families

Prospective individual and family clients can:

• Reach out by email or phone using the contact information above.
• Use the "Invest with us" pathways and contact options available on the NorthStar website to start a conversation about values-aligned wealth management.

Mission-driven institutions

Foundations, endowments, nonprofits and faith-based organizations can:

• Contact NorthStar directly via email or phone, or
• Use the institutional contact options on the website to explore aligning investment strategy with their mission.

Financial advisors and intermediaries

Independent advisors, RIAs, wealth managers and other intermediaries interested in NorthStar's strategies can:

• Use the contact form and scheduling tools on the Advisors section of the website to request a conversation.
• Book a time to talk using the "Book a time" options provided there, or follow up by email or phone.

What to expect in an initial conversation

In early discussions, NorthStar typically focuses on:

• Understanding your goals, values and priorities
• Learning about your current portfolio or investment structure
• Exploring whether NorthStar's values-aligned and activism-focused approach is a good fit

From there, NorthStar can outline potential next steps and how it may collaborate with you or your existing advisors.

Regulatory and disclosure information

For more detailed information about NorthStar Asset Management, including a description of its services and fees, NorthStar directs interested parties to its regulatory filings:

For more information about NorthStar Asset Management, including a description of our services and fees, please refer to www.adviserinfo.sec.gov

Prospective clients should review these official documents and are encouraged to contact NorthStar directly with any questions that are not answered there.

Lists Mission, Boston, Jamaica Plain, and Enterprise as a location. Names Massachusetts and United States as a service area. Areas beyond these are not published.

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