It's quite the legacy to uphold.
The world has changed quite a bit since oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller and steel magnate Andrew Carnegie were duking it out for dominance in the field of philanthropy. But today, Rockefeller's great, great grandson, Justin Rockefeller, is carrying out the family legacy of giving in a decidedly modern way.
"I'm very proud of my ancestors, and the work that they did both with capitalism and philanthropy," Rockefeller tells Town & Country at this year's Philanthropy Summit. "And I can point to many ways they improved the lives of people they've known but also people they never knew. I'm proud to be a part of that legacy, and I hope, through impact investing, I hope to build on top of that legacy."
To that end, Rockefeller co-founded The ImPact, an organization focused on educating families about impact investing, or investing in companies that generate positive social or environmental outcomes in addition to profitable returns. "We want to increase transparency in the space of impact investing so people can make more informed decisions," he says. "We want investing that aligns with one's values to align with philanthropy better."