Fourth Watch: The Name

What does our name mean?

At the surface level, the term Fourth Watch is a reference to the Roman army's time-keeping system which divided the nightly duties for watchmen into four shifts, or "watches". The fourth watch was the last one of the night and typically ended with the watchman witnessing the approaching dawn. The fourth watch is therefore a duty which is filled with progressively increasing optimism - the evidence of the end of the shift approaching.  Already in the middle of the fourth watch the watchman can see the evidence that dawn is coming and eagerly looks forward to the beautiful colours that will soon fill the sky and begins to hear the singing of birds that share this joy. It is a name that captures our hope and optimism that a better future is approaching.

The fourth watch is just beginning. Poverty and injustice are rampant around the world, and many investors, corporations, and governments have turned a blind eye towards environmental damage caused by their activities. We see light on the horizon, however. The United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Investing are gaining traction among the world’s largest institutional investors, and impact investing is growing at an exponential rate. We are very excited to be a part of what we believe is a turning point in the history of global economic systems!