NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Friday, May 25, 2018

By Michael Zaytsev

For many investors, making a positive social impact is becoming increasingly important. For some, doing good has become as essential as doing well. This goal is at the heart of impact investing, which the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) defines as investing “with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside financial return.”

The pursuit of this so-called double-bottom-line is the Holy Grail for the impact investing industry. However, the challenge still facing many investors is how to make a significant impact without sacrificing returns. This is especially true of institutional investors, who often need to write eight- or nine-figure checks in order to justify an allocation.

Cannabis is one of the few industries that satisfies all of the above conditions, making it the perfect impact investment.