Issuer and Investor: The Leverage of State and Local Public Finance Offices

State and local treasurers and comptrollers hold a position no other market participant does: they issue municipal debt and invest across the full fixed-income universe—corporate bonds, treasuries, commercial paper, and munis alike. That dual vantage point makes them one of the most underleveraged relationships in impact-focused fixed-income engagement today.

 

This session digs into what that dual role means for our engagement strategy. We'll examine how ICCR members can approach these offices on two fronts at once: pressing for transparency and impact integrity in their own bond issuances, while also partnering with them as fellow investors pushing for accountability from corporate and other fixed-income issuers. Panelists will share the regulatory and legal considerations unique to public finance engagement, lessons from early conversations with treasurer and comptroller offices, and practical guidance on aligning impact priorities with fixed-income portfolio realities. The session will also highlight how many state and city pension funds actively leverage their bond portfolios to have positive social and environmental impact in their communities .

 

Attendees will learn new strategies for engaging municipal issuers and investors, gain a clearer understanding of the leverage these offices hold across markets, and concrete approaches for translating impact priorities into fixed-income engagement practice.