GIIN in the news Press releases

  • Mary Ellen Iskenderian, CEO of Women's World Banking on the Future of Impact Investing

    via Forbesby Patsy Doerr

    April 14, 2019

    Summary

    In this interview for Forbes with Patsy Doerr, Mary Iskenderian, CEO of Women’s World Banking, provides insights on gender lens investing—the inclusion of gender considerations in the investment process. Iskenderian pinpoints the period after the financial crisis as a significant one for the expansion of gender-lens investing, stating that her organization has moved away from its original focus on microfinance institutions to “serving the greatest number of women through whatever channels available.” Iskenderian also voices the hope that “all of us begin to wear those gender glasses,” and that all impact investors begin to “recognize that their impact will be greater if they take a gender approach.”

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  • Day Late Dollar Short? In Impact Investing, Urgency is Vital

    via Financial Timesby Amit Bouri

    March 01, 2019

    Summary

    Amit Bouri, CEO and co-founder of the GIIN, calls for a greater sense of urgency to address global social and environmental challenges through impact investing in this Financial Times op-ed. He states, “inaction costs, not just in money but in people’s lives” and emphasizes the need for significant, sustained investment. Starting today” to help solve these issues.

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  • Why Impact Investing Can Help Solve the World's Problems

    via Thomson Reuters Foundation Newsby Mark Haefele

    March 01, 2019

    Summary

    In this Thomson Reuters Foundation article, author Mark Haefele of UBS Global Wealth Management details a discussion of impact investing at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, which was largely focused on using the practice as a tool to support the SDGs. Haefele pinpoints several factors currently preventing impact investing from reaching its full potential and proposes ways of mitigating these roadblocks. He concludes by stating that work by the WEF and other organizations to strengthen investment standards and increase awareness of “opportunities to do well while doing good” can draw more private investors to the space and eventually help to close the current SDG funding gap.

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  • Stricter Global Standards Needed for Impact Funds to Work - OECD

    via Reutersby Sarah Shearman

    March 01, 2019

    Summary

    This article summarizes key takeaways from an OECD report urging for stricter measurements of impact investing funds. As the number of social investment funds has quadrupled over the past twenty years, concerns over impact washing and good intentions without real demonstration of impact have mounted. In light of this “excitement in the sector”, the OECD calls for a common understanding to streamline impact measurement and for straightforward standards to be set “by people who understand the issues.” 

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  • Impact Investing: Feeling the Effects

    via IPE Real Assetsby Maha Khan Phillips

    March 01, 2019

    Summary

    Following the launch of CBRE Global Investors, a social and affordable housing fund, Maha Khan Phillips explores the subsector of impact real estate in this IPE Real Assets article. Referencing statistics from the GIIN Performance of Real Assets Impact Investments report, Phillips believes that there is a strong opportunity for more impact investments in real estate, in part because of the current lack of adequate accommodations for the homeless. Abhilash Mudaliar, director of research at the GIIN, speaks positively of this potential for growth, referencing the growing contingent investing both “for business performance and investment performance.”

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  • The Rise Fund Spin-Off Marks Growth of Impact Investing

    via Barron'sby Abby Schultz

    March 01, 2019

    Summary

    In this Barron’s article, Abby Schultz reports on the launch of Y Analytics, a private benefit corporation grown out of The Rise Fund by TPG, which is a new analytical platform that uses previous impact measurement and management (IMM) research to allow investors to account for impact in growth stage companies before making an investment. Schultz also quotes Kelly McCarthy, the GIIN’s Director of Impact Measurement and Management, about how the new platform’s approach complements other tools and developments within the IMM space.

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  • Y Analytics: The Rise Fund's New Impact Measurement Business Gets a Mixed Welcome

    via ImpactAlphaby David Bank and Dennis Price

    March 01, 2019

    Summary

    ImpactAlpha provides a critical analysis of Y Analytics, an impact measurement arm of TPG Growth’s Rise Fund, recently launched by TPG Growth and Bono at the Davos World Economic Forum. Some concerns have been raised regarding the methodology, which attempts to put a monetary value on social impact, including that it may rely too heavily on studies rather than feedback and that it is too divergent from current industry norms. However, as mentioned in a quote from Kelly McCarthy, the GIIN’s Director of Impact Measurement and Management, strengthening impact measurement and management and working to create common standards will be a positive externality of Y Analytics’ work.

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  • Bill Gates Says Investing in 4 Simple Plans Has Saved Millions of Lives and Provided a Better Return on Investment Than the Stock Market

    via Business Insiderby Hilary Brueck

    March 01, 2019

    Summary

    In this interview with Business Insider, Bill and Melinda Gates reflect on the work of their eponymous foundation since its founding twenty years ago, namely the investment of $10 billion into global health initiatives. The Gates express concern over wealthy countries’ level of fixation on domestic issues, and urge governments to remember their commitments to global health. The couple explains the impact and value of these investments relative to other poverty-related initiatives, saying that “an investment in health is more valuable than just about any other a person can make” because “health is what then allows people to go on and get a great education and participate fully and reach their full potential.”

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  • Beyond the Bottom Line: Should Business Put Purpose Before Profit?

    via Financial Timesby Andrew Edgecliff-Johnson

    February 08, 2019

    Summary

    In this article, the Financial Timestraces the growth of socially responsible investing from the creation of Phillips Van-Heusen’s pension fund in 1974 to overcoming the roadblocks caused by the “doctrine of shareholder primacy” to the practice’s more mainstream position today. Author Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson emphasizes the importance of improving and spreading the practice of “purpose-first” investing as businesses are increasingly involved and positioned to address social and environmental issues which many governments are not prepared to address on their own. He highlights the potential for leaders of the business and finance industries to “lead on some of society’s most pressing issues” and encourages them to shape a model of capitalism that will allow them to do so successfully and responsibly.  

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  • Investing for the Greater Good

    via Inquirerby Queena N. Lee-Chua

    February 07, 2019

    Summary

    This two-part feature focuses on the growth of impact investing in the Asia-Pacific region, pinpointing it as an example of the practice’s potential. Author Queena N. Lee-Chua details the influence of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in the region, the rise of gender lens investing in the region, and highlights the work of individual organizations and success stories in particular countries and sectors. 

    Continue reading about the rise of impact investing in Southeast Asia here: https://m.inquirer.net/business/262801

     

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  • Wake Up World and Embrace the Impact Revolution

    via Financial Timesby Sir Ronald Cohen

    February 07, 2019

    Summary

    In this Op-ed for the Financial Times, Sir Ronald Cohen reflects on the progress of the impact investing industry as well as the steps needed for the practice to reach its full potential. For instance, he points out the need to “draw up a new social contract” as the world’s “human and environmental crises” continue to grow, and he refers to impact investing as “our rocket ship to social change.” Cohen also underscores the significance of impact measurement, calling it the most crucial step to growing and spreading the practice and ultimately enabling impact investing to “build a better world.”

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  • How Green Wall Street Can Weather 2019

    via Bloombergby Emily Chasan and Eric Roston

    February 07, 2019

    Summary

    As a new year began with more investors focused on impact than ever before, Bloomberg’s Emily Chasan and Eric Roston named nine questions believed to be focal points for socially responsible investors in 2019. The themes predicted to be central to the industry this year center on diversity and the environment as well as advances in technology and investing practices.

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