Investors serious about long-term impact should do more to strengthen the social and environmental systems they rely on for their returns. How? Through catalytic investments, building the field – and sometimes, starting small.
Nick Hurd, Ronald Cohen and Elizabeth Corley are joined by Douglas L Peterson of S&P Global in new Impact Taskforce which aims to emulate “rocket booster” effect of UK’s last G7 presidency on impact investment worldwide.
PLUS: ABN AMRO’s sustainable impact fund; UK’s £30m social investment pilot for housing; investor coalition supports ‘just transition’; NESsT gets grant to support impact enterprises in the Amazon region, and more.
Do investors care about impact? Often, no: they're more focused on the warm fuzzy feeling of 'doing good'. But some are accepting moderate returns for more impact, and they're crucial to the growth of early-stage social enterprise.
First-time deal means tech for good VC can increase financial firepower up to ten-fold and hold its own among mainstream competitors – while ensuring no “watering down” of focus on impact, according to CEO.
Confidence in impact investment grows five-fold in three years – but six in 10 of those polled find the process 'challenging', pointing to communication and consistency as areas for improvement.
Independent review finds the social investor, which provides a mix of grants and loans to small charities and social enterprises in the UK, has had a major impact – but both its large legacy and its small team are under pressure.
