GIIN in the news Press releases

  • 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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  • Social Investment Business to Run GBP 10m Investment-Readiness Fun

    via Civil Societyby Vibeka Mair

    February 29, 2012

    Summary

    Civil Society reports on a new fund to be set up in the UK.

    From original article:

    "The Social Investment Business is to deliver a new GBP 10m government fund that will help social ventures prepare themselves to raise additional social investment or to run public services. The Investment and Contract Readiness (ICR) Fund will be fully launched by the end of April 2012, and will focus on supporting social ventures that have the potential for high growth and delivering positive social impact."

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  • Your Practice

    via Reutersby Jennifer Hoyt Cummings

    February 26, 2012

    Summary

    An article on Reuters that discusses the rise in SRI advising.

    From original article:

    "These days advisers help manage USD 3.07 trillion in assets that follow socially responsible strategies, according to the latest industry data from 2010, a nearly five-fold increase from 1995."

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  • Playing with Fire

    via The Economistby Andrew Palmer

    February 24, 2012

    Summary

    The Economist featured an article discussing social impact bonds in Peterborough, UK and other financial innovations.

    From original article:

    "Peterborough is where the proceeds of the world's first "social-impact bond" are being spent. This instrument is not really a bond at all but behaves more like equity. In September 2010 an organisation called Social Finance raised GBP 5m (USD 7.8m) from 17 investors, both individuals and charities. The money is being used to pay for a programme to help prevent ex-prisoners in Peterborough from reoffending. Reconviction rates among the prisoners recruited to the scheme will be measured against a national database of prisoners with a similar profile, and investors will get payouts from the Ministry of Justice if the Peterborough cohort does better than the rest. If all goes well, the first payouts will be made in 2013."

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