Impact investing grows to address problems raised by pandemic

In this Pensions & Investments special report, Hazel Bradford explores how the impact investing industry has grown to address problems raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bradford highlights that the pandemic’s unequal impact across society has helped investors understand the systemic risks that climate change, income, wealth, and racial inequality pose. The Global Impact Investing Network’s (GIIN) Co-founder and CEO, Amit Bouri, is quoted highlighting that, “Pension fund managers see the writing on the wall. They are stewards of long-term capital. We see much greater interest in how they can use capital to drive change.” Echoing Amit’s sentiments, The GIIN’s Director of Research, Dean Hand, adds that, “Pension fund officials are increasingly hearing from beneficiaries who want reassurance about the world they will retire into. We are hearing this more and more, that the cost of not doing (impact investing) is actually much larger.”