While private impact investing has experienced significant growth and maturation, the field is in need of robust analysis on financial performance to help inform investor expectations. This report introduces the first Impact Investing Benchmark, which begins to address this important facet of the conversation.
The market for labeled green bonds—bonds whose proceeds are specifically “ring-fenced” for environmental or climate mitigation or adaptation projects—has grown rapidly since the first green bond issue in 2008. Growing diversity of issuers, larger average issuance size, and estimated full-year 2014 issuance of $40 billion (half in corporates) all suggest that the green bond universe…
Foreword The impact of fossil fuels on climate change is an important topic on the minds of many investors. We have been a part of many discussions with our clients about the decision to divest fossil fuel investments. There are thoughtful and passionate arguments on both sides of the issue, and we have a deep…
Impact investing, through which investors allocate capital to market-based (i.e., profit-oriented) solutions to social and environmental challenges—in contrast to philanthropic or political solutions—has garnered increasing attention over the last decade.
This report discusses the landscape of the U.K. social investment market, with a focus on impact investing; reviews the barriers to the growth of the market and potential solutions; and outlines a decision-making framework to help investors evaluate and implement social investments within a diversified investment portfolio. While this report is focused on the social…
Describes potential motivations for integrating environmental, social, and corporate governance considerations into investment decisions and encourages interested investors to be clear about their own reasons for doing so.
This paper examines various approaches to social investing, explores whether social investing is incompatible with fiduciary responsibility, and outlines steps necessary to develop a social investing program.