Impact Dispatch - September 2025

As we wrap up the very busy month of September, I’ve been reflecting on the juxtaposition of the headwinds and tailwinds currently facing the impact investing space. This dichotomy was on display during UNGA and Climate Week in New York: on one hand we learned about new planetary health boundaries being breached, and on the other we learned that staple crops like rice and wheat are projected to hit record harvests this year, meaning more food for more people. We heard all kinds of rhetoric but we also saw the launch of new commitments and partnerships, many of which will be made possible through impact investing.

Just before Climate Week, I was in Singapore for two events: Impact Week hosted by TPC (Tsao Pao Chee) and NO.17 Foundation and the Impact International Forum hosted by the FBN (Family Business Network). The momentum for impact investing in Asia is accelerating rapidly, and while there will inevitably be challenges along the way, this region’s expansive growth is an undeniable tailwind that keeps me optimistic about our future.

Like me, you may soon be packing your bags for Berlin. As this year’s GIIN Impact Forum’s theme reminds us, we must lean into — and hold fast to — our shared purpose and values to meet this moment and harness the wind at our back. I hope to see you there.

• The FT published a thorough analysis of the energy transition, digging into setbacks and achievements, and reminding us that although progress has been “patchy and non-linear” we are moving in one direction: global carbon neutrality.
• The Guardian reported global investment in renewable energy in 2024 was up 10% based on research from Zero Carbon Analytics.
• GIIN member Otipêy was featured in SSIR for their pioneering work in community-driven outcomes-based financing with Indigenous communities in Canada.
• A historic global treaty to protect national and international waters (known as the high seas) will become international law in January, enabling the creation of marine protected areas across more than two-thirds of the world’s oceans, via the BBC.

• During Climate Week NYC, the GIIN cohosted beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship and the DO School Fellowships, and convened its inaugural Climate Solutions Investing Roundtable, bringing together leading investors to exchange strategies on scaling capital flows toward climate solutions. Read the GIIN Climate Solutions Investing Framework and reach out to [email protected] to get involved.
• The GIIN team showed up at various conferences throughout September including: Chief Research Officer Dean Hand, Head of Secretariat / Director, Impact Principles Joohee Rand and CEO Amit Bouri spoke at Triple I for Global Health, an UNGA side event held at the Japan Society. President Sapna Shah and Dean Hand spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative. Manager and Team Lead, Data Structure and Analysis Jacob Tate spoke at LatImpacto on the potential of AI-enabled data for impact. Director of IRIS+ and IMM Panagiota Balfousia, CFA, FRM and Senior Advisor Mirjam Garzon led a keynote conversation at the SZ Forum Impact Investing 2025. Director of Training Kate W. spoke on a panel at the UK's Church Investors Group. Climate Solutions Director Elina Rolfe and Mirjam Garzon led webinars with Bundesinitiative Impact Investing and Swiss Sustainable Finance / Swiss Platform for Impact Investing. Elina Rolfe spoke at an asset owner workshop during Climate Week NY hosted by Nuveen, a TIAA company.
• Does your portfolio include investments in businesses that have to manage waste? The answer is likely yes. Take part in the public comment period for the IRIS+ theme on waste management by sharing your feedback by October 31 and attending the interactive regional calls here.
• The GIIN recently redesigned the IRIS+ website, offering a refreshed experience while continuing to serve as a free, public good that helps investors make more informed decisions and deliver stronger outcomes for people and the planet.
• The Impact Principles have released a new resource in the Common and Emerging Practices series on Principle 3: Investor Contribution. Based on an analysis of disclosure statements, the resource highlights how Signatories contribute to impact achievement, showcasing common, emerging, and nascent practices with real-world examples across asset classes and investor types. Read more here.

• The Stockholm Food Forum runs from October 3 - 4 where Amit Bouri will join a panel on financing a resilient and regenerative food future.
• The flagship GIIN Impact Forum takes place in Berlin from October 7 - 9 where global leaders from institutional asset owners, asset managers, family offices and more will gather for the GIIN’s largest event of the year. Don’t miss out: register today.
• The World Economic Forum’s Global Future Councils bring together subject matter experts to address critical global challenges. These councils will meet in Dubai this October, where Amit Bouri will join the Council on Reimagining Aid.
• The GIIN heads to SOCAP in San Francisco at the end of October where Amit Bouri will join the plenary on Future Global Financial Markets and Chief Research Officer Dean Hand will host a panel on how to contextualize an ever-growing volume of impact data, compare outcomes across markets and assess what truly drives meaningful change.
• On October 20, the GIIN’s Associate Director of Market Building Ina Lee, Impact Europe and Toniic are hosting a hands-on event for investors actively deploying catalytic capital. Through interactive sessions and roundtables, participants will share insights, tackle market gaps and build relationships to drive collaborative impact. Register here.
• On October 22 Amit Bouri will join global leaders at the Financial Times Climate and Impact Summit North America for a panel on impact investing’s narrative.
• From October 22 - 23, Senior Advisor Maud Savary-Mornet will speak at the Responsible Investor Asia 2025 conference in Singapore.