Impact Investing Primers and Guides

Investing for Tangible Impact

The Global Impact Investing Network defines impact investing as investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside financial return.  

Here are a few primers, guides and PDFs that we've gathered on investing for impact, whether that impact addresses societal goals such as the UN SDGs, infrastructure needs in the developing world, or environmental issues such as pollution and sanitation. 

Five Building Blocks For Impact Management (Franklin Templeton, 2019)

For compliance reasons, this paper is only accessible in the EMEA region

Investors can build impact management systems that are aligned with best practices and mesh well with their strategic focus. This paper provides an overview of frameworks and tools that are available to impact investors.

Impact Investing - Made Simple Guide (Hermes IM, 2018)

For compliance reasons, this paper is NOT accessible in the United States

This guide examines the world of impact investing, explaining the key aspects of this investment approach, looking at a range of ESG strategies, and the importance of impact investing as a driver of future growth.

FocusPoint: Bigger and Better Impact Universe (NNIP, 2019)

For compliance reasons, this paper is only accessible in certain geographies

There may be a surprisingly large number of stocks that have a positive impact, if the universe of examined companies is expanded so that it includes small caps. NNIP looks at the CFROI of these companies.

Integrating social impact and place-based financing into climate strategies (LSE, 2019)

For compliance reasons, this paper is only accessible in the United Kingdom

The just transition offers investors in the UK a strategic opportunity to connect climate action with positive social impact across the country. This report sets out the initial findings of a project designed to identify how this opportunity can be realised, with a regional focus on Yorkshire and the Humber.

Rethinking Impact to Finance the SDGs (UNEP/IMPACT, 2018)

This paper argues that by changing the way we think about impact investing, we may be able to actually deliver on many of the SDGs.

The Value of Community Impact in Social Infrastructure (Franklin Templeton, 2018)

For compliance reasons, this paper is only accessible in the EMEA region

This report looks at the ways that private investors can positively impact communities via investments in social infrastructure opportunities, including an examination of the UN SDGs that are aligned with these investments.

ESG, SRI, and impact investing: A primer for decision-making (Vanguard, 2018)

Vanguard elucidates a 4-step decision making framework for investors, as well as discussing impact investment trends and relevant case studies.

The impact of impact investments - focus on India (KPMG/GSG, 2018)

KPMG produced this survey on impact investing in India, where certain impact ventures are known to have delivered both positive environmental and social outcomes as well as financial returns.

The need for sanitation (NNIP, Nov 2018)

For compliance reasons, this paper is only accessible in certain geographies

Sanitation is an area in which equity investors can make a positive impact while also potentially generating attractive returns. Poor sanitation still leads to over 2 million deaths per year.

2018 Annual Impact Investor Survey (GIIN)

This survey looks at the impact investing market via the eyes of 229 organizations managing almost USD 230 billion in impact investing AUM.

The Performance of Impact Investing Through Private Debt (GIIN, 2018)

GIIN partnered with Symbiotics to produce this analysis of impact investing within the private debt market. It also includes relevant information on community development loan funds and other private debt impact investing vehicles.