GIIN in the news Press releases

  • US Fund LeapFrog Eyes Indonesia, Philippine Insurance Firms

    via Reutersby Andjarsari Paramaditha

    November 09, 2011

    Summary

    Reuters speaks with LeapFrog Investments' Founder and President, Andrew Kuper. Kuper discusses LeapFrog's interest in insurance-related firms in Indonesia and the Philippines.

    From original article:

    "LeapFrog Investments, a U.S. fund focused on insurance-related firms, is looking to buy minority stakes in companies in Indonesia and the Philippines next year to tap markets it sees as under-penetrated, its founder told Reuters.

    The U.S. fund, founded in 2008 with $135 million of capital, was launched to look for ways to capitalise on the micro-insurance sector in Asia and Africa where a vast low to middle income population still lives without any insurance."

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  • Small Businesses Making a Big Social Impact

    via Forbesby Ryan Scott

    November 07, 2011

    Summary

    Forbes features an article on the increasing number of small businesses that are integrating missions of social impact into their profit motives.

    From original article:

    "A new ethos is emerging to take the tenets of corporate social responsibility to the so-called little guy, as an increasing number of small businesses integrate a mission of social impact into their profit motive."

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  • Impact Investing

    via Devexby Amy Lieberman

    November 06, 2011

    Summary

    Devex interviews the GIIN's Amit Bouri about impact investing.

    From original article:

    "Impact investment provides an additional funding stream to organizations that aim to have a positive social or environmental impact. While some of these organizations may always access grant funding to support their operations, others are developing business models that enable more traditional investment financing. Ultimately, the organizations working on the ground to advance development goals are best suited to define their own capital needs."

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  • Bank Tests the Social Investment Market

    via Financial Timesby Sophia Grene

    November 05, 2011

    Summary

    Deutsche Bank has announced the launch of a GBP 10 million social investment fund.

    From original article:

    "Deutsche Bank is launching a social investment fund of funds with GBP 10m ($16m) of its own money, aiming to build a track record in this sector before launching products for external investors.

    "We're trying to explore how this works with our own money," said Chris Minter, global head of DB private equity. "Talking to clients, there's real interest in this asset class, but you'll only get real volume if there's rigour in how the capital is deployed.""

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  • Geoff Moore of TBC Capital on the Potential of Impact Investing

    via Forbesby Rahim Kanani

    November 01, 2011

    Summary

    Forbes interviews Geoff Moore, President and CEO of TBC Capital, who discusses its launch and its focus on impact investing.

    From original article:

    "Why not explore how the levers of capital markets can revolutionize how we address social and environmental issues? My professional and personal experiences lead me to have absolutely no doubt that there are truly great investment opportunities to be found, and that double and triple bottom line investing is both achievable and highly necessary in today's world."

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  • The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)

    via Forbesby Rahim Kanani

    October 29, 2011

    Summary

    Luther Ragin, Jr. shares his perspective on the growing impact investing industry with Forbes magazine, offering his thoughts about the biggest challenges and opportunities in the field. In this first published interview as GIIN CEO, he also shares his key priorities for moving the GIIN and the impact investing industry forward.

    From original article:

    "As the interest in impact investing grows, there is a risk that hype will overshadow its real promise. We must remain disciplined in our commitment to achieving demonstrable social and environmental impact to counter this risk. Industry stakeholders must commit to rigorous and credible social and environmental performance measurement."

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  • European Commission announces plans for 90m Euro social enterprise fund

    via The Third Sectorby David Ainsworth

    October 25, 2011

    Summary

    A 90m Euro fund to support the development of social enterprise has been proposed by the European Commission. The fund is separate to a 50m Euro investment fund provided by the European Investment Fund, which is expected to open next year.

    From original article:

    "The fund aims to 'facilitate access to funding for start-up, development and expansion of social enterprises' and invest in other funds that invest in the social enterprise world, in a manner similar to Big Society Capital.However, EU budget planning means it is unlikely to be set up before 2014."

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  • Lisa Hall of the Calvert Foundation on Impact Investing

    via Forbes.comby Rahim Kanini

    October 19, 2011

    Summary

    Calvert Foundation's President and CEO, Lisa Hall, talks to Forbes about the organization's origins and its current impact investing activities.

    From original article:

    "So many of us take for granted that we can get a loan for school, to start a business, or buy a car, if we need it. But the fact is there are millions of people, both in the U.S. and around the world that are shut out of the financial system. And opportunity is hard to come by when you are shut out."

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  • Social Impact Investing

    via GOODby Alex Goldmark

    October 17, 2011

    Summary

    Jed Emerson and Antony Bugg-Levine discuss their impact investing philosophies with GOOD magazine.

    From original article:

    "Impact investing is not a replacement for government action or philanthropy, which will always be necessary to provide true public goods and push the frontiers of social justice. But impact investing can be a powerful complement to government and philanthropy."

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  • Green and Ethical Investment Comes of Age

    via Financial Timesby Penny Shepherd

    October 15, 2011

    Summary

    Green and ethical investment and finance in the United Kingdom is being increasingly recognized as a positive investment in activities that benefit society and/or the environment, according to a recent YouGov report.

    From original article:

    "More UK adults now define 'green and ethical investment and finance' as a positive investment in activities that 'benefit society and/or the environment' rather than the traditional view that it is about 'excluding companies involved in undesirable practices.'"

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  • A Quest for Hybrid Companies That Profit, but Can Tap Charity

    via The New York Timesby Stephanie Strom

    October 11, 2011

    Summary

    The New York Times outlines new legislation in the U.S. that bridges the divide between nonprofits and businesses.

    From original article:

    "California is the latest state to adopt a statute permitting what is called flexible-purpose corporations, new companies that are part social benefit and part low-profit entities. The companies are now allowed under laws in more than a dozen states and two Indian tribes."

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  • Philanthropy, Now Yielding Financial Returns

    via Forbesby Betsy Brill

    October 09, 2011

    Summary

    Forbes outlines socially responsible investing and impact investing options for those with charitable plans, and argues that for-profit investment can achieve social and financial returns.

    From original article:

    "For decades, giving for social benefit and investing for financial return have been practiced as separate and distinct activities. But today there are a range of philanthropic investment strategies available that simultaneously yield social and financial returns."

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