GIIN in the news Press releases

  • Morgan Stanley Offering Advisors Sustainable Investing Platform

    via Financial Advisorby Dorothy Hinchcliff

    April 25, 2012

    Summary

    Morgan Stanley Smith Barney is launching a platform for its financial advisors to offer clients investments with positive social and environmental impact in what appears to be a major push to offer sustainable investing to mainstream investors.

    From original article:

    "MSSB said the platform will offer public and private market products to clients through their financial advisors and is the first phase of the firm's plan to meet investors' desires for investment opportunities with positive social and environmental impact without sacrificing investment performance."

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  • Hillary Clinton opens Global Impact Economy Forum

    via UPI.com

    April 25, 2012

    Summary

    The U.S. State Department held the forum to increase collaboration among civil society, investors, businesses, entrepreneurs, and governments.

    From original article

    "We have an opportunity with the convergence of the recognition on the part of government, the private sector, civil society, that we can be so much more effective working together than working at cross-purposes."

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  • Finance can fund a revolution in giving

    via FT Opinionby Alexander Friedman, Patty Stonesifer

    April 24, 2012

    Summary

    Alexander Friedman, CIO at UBS, and Patty Stonesifer, former CEO of the Gates Foundation, write in the Financial Times that finance can fund a revolution in giving.

    From original article:

    "Over the past 50 years, the financial industry has built a huge infrastructure to manage investments and along the way has been roundly criticised for seemingly subjugating the welfare of society to short-term profits. It now has an opportunity to change the debate by opening the capital markets to the social sector in a manner that is good for investors and great for the world."

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  • LeapFrog to acquire stake in Ghanaian insurance firm Express Life with USD 5.5m investment

    via Ghana Business News

    April 23, 2012

    Summary

    Ghana Business News covers LeapFrog Investments' acquisition of a majority stake in a Ghananian insurance firm.

    From original article:

    "The $5.5 million investment will allow LeapFrog to acquire a majority stake in Express Life Insurance Company, a Ghanaian insurance firm founded by Obed Kweku Danquah, Executive Chairman of Express Group of Companies."

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  • Big Society Capital likely to invest up to GBP 50m in first year

    via Third Sectorby David Ainsworth

    April 16, 2012

    Summary

    Third Sector Online reports on Big Society Capital

    From original article:

    "Nick O'Donohoe, Chief Executive of Big Society Capitol, told Third Sector that the majority of investments in the first year would be in new social finance funds. In most cases, BSC will be the 'cornerstone' investor—the first organisation to invest capital in the hope that this will attract cash from other sources."

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  • Greed for Good

    via Slateby Vijay Vaitheeswaran

    April 08, 2012

    Summary

    Slate offers a perspective on philanthropy, philanthrocapitalism, and impact metrics.

    From original article:

    "Capitalism can transform from a model of greed is good to greed for good. Incentives and purpose matter, and enlightened corporations that take a long-term view will find taking on some of the world's difficult global problems can be profitable. That does not mean that the role for government or the individual is diminished."

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  • Daniel Izzo on Brazil's First Impact Investing Venture Capital Firm

    via Forbesby Rahim Kanani

    April 06, 2012

    Summary

    Forbes interviews Daniel Izzo, co-founder and partner of Vox Capital, Brazil's first impact investing venture capital firm, which focuses on high potential businesses that serve the Brazilian low income population through products and services with the potential to improve their lives.

    From original article: "Vox Capital's current portfolio has 6 companies...The impact we, as a fund, have is completely related and dependent on the impact our portfolio companies deliver through their products and services...We are measuring the impact of our portfolio companies through IRIS and GIIRS."

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  • Big Society Fund Launches with GBP 600 million to Invest

    via BBC News

    April 03, 2012

    Summary

    BBC News covers the U.K.'s Big Society Capital launch with almost USD 1 billion.

    From original article:

    "Big Society Capital has GBP 600m, of which the majority comes from unused cash in bank accounts that had been dormant for more than 15 years. The fund will back social enterprises that prove they can repay an investment through the income they generate."

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  • Funding the Dream

    via The Economist

    March 30, 2012

    Summary

    The Economist details the U.K.'s Big Society Capital's plans.

    From original article:

    "The goal of BSC, which will be run independently from government, is to create a market for "social finance," a hybrid investment class that delivers a mixture of social and financial returns."

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  • Citi Leads Investment in SJF's New Fund

    via Wall Street Journalby Yuliya Chernova

    March 11, 2012

    Summary

    This Wall Street Journal article profiles Citi's lead investment in SJF Ventures' new, US-focused impact investment fund.

    From original article:

    "SJF Ventures' new fund is the first national fund to receive a license under SBA's new program, called Impact Investment Initiative, which supports funds that invest in clean-tech and education, or whose investments boost the economy in low-to-moderate-income areas."

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  • 'Middle Way' Can Improve Society

    via Financial Timesby Sophia Grene

    March 10, 2012

    Summary

    This Financial Times article focuses on social investing and harnessing entrepreneurship to improve society.

    From original article:

    "Sir Ronald Cohen believes in a middle way. 'Most of us recognise that the system cannot go on as it is,' says the founder of Apax Partners, a UK private equity group, and co-founder and retiring chairman of Bridges Ventures, a social impact investor. 'Philanthropy and government can't balance out all the inequalities caused by capitalism, but when you harness entrepreneurship, you use what is most powerful in capitalism.'"

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  • What's Impact Investing's Bottom Line?

    via Financial Advisor Magazineby Jeff Schlegel

    March 01, 2012

    Summary

    FA Magazine features an article with the GIIN's Amit Bouri, and discusses impact investing's bottom line.

    From original article:

    "'Impact investors are incredibly diverse in their motivations and goals for their investments,' says Amit Bouri, director of strategy and development at GIIN, a New York City-based non-profit group focused on growing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing. 'But all impact investors are very focused on returns.'"

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