A new sustainable investment division specializing in sustainable development investment strategies has been created by Jones Heward Investment Counsel, a member of the Bank of Montreal Group of Companies.

The firm has hired Blair Feltmate to be VP of Research, and Brian Schofield as VP and portfolio manager to lead the new division. They will report to Michael Stanley, senior VP and director, Canadian Equities.

Schofield and Feltmate are the co-founders of the new division. Their approach will be based on investing in companies that are quantifiable practitioners of sustainable development and also long-term creators of shareholder value, utilizing innovative proprietary methods to rigorously quantify and measure these factors. The companies chosen are committed to the best environmental and social practices in their industries.

Feltmate’s responsibilities include research, product development and marketing of institutional and mutual fund portfolios. Schofield’s responsibilities include portfolio management of institutional and mutual fund assets, marketing and product development.

Feltmate is an internationally recognized expert on sustainable development, the author of numerous publications on the subject and has advised a wide range of corporations, associations, boards and government organizations on sustainable development issues. Prior to joining Jones Heward, Feltmate co-founded Sustainable Investment Group Ltd., a money management and consulting firm specializing in sustainable development assessment and investment. He holds a Ph.D in ecology from the University of Toronto.

Before joining Jones Heward, Schofield co-founded Sustainable Investment Group Ltd. Previously, he was VP, Mergers and Acquisitions, at Yorkton Securities Inc., and VP of Stature Inc., a Toronto-based financial advisory firm specializing in mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings.