Category: Reports

This World Economic Forum report is a primer for family offices interested in impact investing, which aims to generate both financial returns and positive social/environmental impact.

It provides guidance on defining an impact investing vision, developing engagement strategies, and executing/evaluating portfolios, emphasizing the unique position of family offices to grow this sector. The report proposes a step-by-step framework for family offices to incorporate impact investing while considering their values, risk tolerance, and financial goals.

This report from the Omidyar Network focuses on “Frontier Capital,” early-stage investing in emerging markets that seeks both financial returns and social impact, specifically targeting low- and lower-middle-income populations. It identifies three segments of investment: Replicate and adapt, frontier, and frontier plus, each with varying levels of risk and potential impact, and calls for more risk-tolerant capital to support innovation in these areas. The document highlights the importance of mixed-income models and asset-light businesses for achieving scale and impact in these markets.

This World Economic Forum report assesses the state of impact investing at the time, highlighting the gap between excitement and actual investment from mainstream investors, and proposes strategies to bridge this gap. It emphasizes definitional clarity, addresses challenges such as small deal sizes and lack of standardized measurement, and recommends actions for various stakeholders to accelerate capital flow into impact investments.

The report calls for greater transparency in financial returns and social impact measurement, while encouraging mainstream investors to engage further.