Robert Kinloch “Bob” Massie IV was born in 1956 to historians Robert K. Massie and Suzanne Massie. Bob Massie is an activist, clergyman, policymaker, and author. He has spent his life confronting the systemic injustices of the world. Through his strong sense of hope and vision of how the world could be he has continuously worked to create change through human connection and political, economic, and environmental action.

Bob has made a significant impact in the fields of sustainability, climate change, finance, and corporate accountability and has led several influential organizations. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the field of finance in 2002 by CFO magazine.

He was born with factor VIII hemophilia and at age 12 his family moved to France for better and more accessible health care. While in France Massie regained the ability to walk. This experience helped form his political views on national health insurance in the US and made him a lifelong advocate.

Massie graduated high school a year early and took a gap year during which he interned for Senator Henry M Jackson on the Senate Investigations Subcommittee. Massie wrote an informative and imperative report warning of the dangers regarding blood supply contamination by viruses like hepatitis A and B.

Massie attended Princeton University from 1974 through 1978. During his time there he was a part of the student movement campaigning for Princeton’s disinvestment from South Africa, as well as pushing for equal access to the university’s dining clubs for women.

After graduating from Princeton with a degree in history, Massie attended Yale Divinity School graduating with a Master of Divinity in 1982. He became interested in the role business plays in American society while working for Ralph Nader at Congress Watch during a year off. Massie then attended Harvard Business School, graduating in 1989 with a Doctor of Business Administration.

Massie was ordained as an Episcopal priest and founded a homeless shelter while serving as chaplain at the Grace Episcopal Church in New York City. He lectured at Harvard Divinity School from 1989 to 1996 and acted as Director of the Project on Business Values and the Economy. Massie received a Senior Fulbright Research Award in 1993 with which he was able to teach at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He published his book Loosing the Bonds: The United States and South Africa In the Apartheid Years in 1997, winning the Lionel Gelber Prize for Best Book on International Relations the following year.

In 1994 Massie was inspired by his knowledge of the urgency of climate change to run for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts and was nominated as the democratic candidate.

Massie was the executive director of the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres) from 1996 to 2003. While president, he increased the organization's size and revenue greatly and founded the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) which became a permanent independent organization. Massie proposed and spearheaded the establishment of the Investor Network on Climate Risk and the Institutional Investor Summit on Climate Risk, which is now a gathering held every two years at United Nations headquarters, bringing together state treasurers, foundation presidents, asset owners and managers, pension trustees, and financial leaders.

The GRI was funded by the UN, MacArthur, and Ford Foundations in 1997 and in conjunction with the UN Environment Program along with other groups instituted international disclosure standards for large companies and organizations on their environmental, social, and human rights records. The GRI’s guidelines are now being used by over 2,000 corporations across the globe.

In 2009 Massie received the Joan Bavaria Innovation and Impact Awards for Building Sustainability in Capital Markets and in 2010 the Institute for Global Leadership (IGL) at Tufts University awarded him the Damyanova Prize for Corporate Social Responsibility.

In 2012, Massie’s autobiography, titled A Song in the Night: A Memoir of Resilience, was published. The same year, he became president of the New Economy Coalition (NEC), an organization committed to transitioning our economic system from capitalism to a solidarity economy through a member-based network. The NEC’s members include grassroots community organizations, sectoral associations, nonprofits, and mission-driven businesses. Massie was the executive director of the Sustainable Solutions Lab at UMass Boston from 2015 through 2017.

In 2017 Massie ran in the Democratic primary for Massachusetts Governor, focusing on workers’ rights, economic equality, and climate change initiatives. He also stated his commitment to acting on racial, economic, and gender justice (including trans rights and safety).

I have had the privilege of knowing Bob for several decades. There are few people in my circle with his imagination and passion, or who are as knowledgeable or accomplished in as many fields.

In 2010 I created my Institute's Bory Damyanova Prize for Corporate Social Responsibility. in honor of a treasured student. I wanted it to be a mark of integrity and public service. I awarded my inaugural award to Bob.