Assets managers are expected to triple funds allocated to investment propositions that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. GIIN plays a major role in supporting financial institutions who aim to achieve social and environmental impact parallel to financial returns. Some experts predict that the usage of the word “impact” will be rendered obsolete in the next 10 years, by then all investments will have a positive impact.
Impact investing is a general term for investments that not only aim to gain financial results but also have a measurable benefit on society and the environment, it gained mainstream popularity in 2008. That same year the Global Impact Investment Network was founded to accelerate the development of a coherent impact investing industry.
Job van Schelven and Alex Crowell of PureTerra water investment fund were amongst the 1,200 impact investors at the GIIN’s 2018 forum in Paris.
The forum welcomed an array of impact investors including pension funds, insurance companies, family offices, etc. and presented them with the opportunity to build relationships, share insights about new strategies, discover the latest industry developments, and explore ways to drive continued momentum and growth in the market.
The opening address by Amit Bouri, Co-founder and CEO of the GIIN.
We need a new financial system that is accountable for its effects on people and the planet. I believe that impact investing presents a real alternative to the status quo….. 3 priorities for impact investments: mobilize more capital, ensure impact integrity and build the movement…..I hope that every one of you views this movement not just as an opportunity but as a responsibility to lead, to change expectations, & to build a just and sustainable world where everyone uses the full power of their investment capital as a force for good!
The drive and ambition amongst impact investors are promising, however significant developments still must be made. Currently, the billions directed towards impact investing is only a small fraction of all invested funds. And among the billions invested in impact propositions, only a small fraction of those are allocated to support radical technologies and scale-ups.
It is imperative to allocate more capital to new technologies in order to achieve UN SDGs.
98 Sparks is passionate about investing in technologies and entrepreneurs to make a measurable positive impact. We support financial investors to allocate funds to early-stage technologies.
