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Viewpoint: Should the Ease of Doing Business Really Be Our Top Priority?
Once the “ease of doing business” has been naturalised, a community will forget how this ease was achieved in the first instance – what did we lose, modify, erase, corrode as a community to facilitate the making and progress of this object called “business”?
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- SDGs
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Too Risky for the Crowd? Assessing the Potential of Crowdfunding for Energy Access
Crowdfunding raised $77 million for energy access between 2015 and the end of June 2019 – and the industry is on pace to generate over $200 million in crowdsourced financing by 2020. But despite this growth, Davinia Cogan at Energy 4 Impact points out that crowdfunding remains on the periphery of discussions about energy access finance. With the sector's estimated $33 billion in commercial capital needs, she explores whether – and how – the crowd can be part of the financing mix.
- Tags
- crowdfunding, energy access, SDGs
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A Spectrum of Solutions: How Impact Investors Are Funding the SDGs
Toniic recently released a report showing how impact investors are aligning their work with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Kristin Siegel, director of Toniic's 100% Network, discusses the findings – which include data from 76 Toniic member portfolios totaling $2.8 billion in committed capital. She points out that the data show how impact investors are "going beyond current media darlings" to include a variety of SDG-related focuses in their portfolios.
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- impact investing, SDGs
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Press Release: Calvert Impact Capital Passes $500 Million Milestone in Distribution of Community Investment Notes™ via Incapital Network
"Incapital's distribution network has been instrumental in helping us grow our business and in increasing access to investments that deliver deep impact as well as a financial return," said Calvert Impact Capital President and CEO Jenn Pryce. "Channels like Incapital's are essential for moving money at the scale we need to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals."
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- impact investing, SDGs
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Press Release: Study Shows Broad Appeal Of Impact Investing Across All Age Groups In The United States And United Kingdom
Whether it's an investment that considers environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors or socially responsible investing (SRI), 56 percent of U.S. survey participants and 59 percent of UK respondents say the concept is either "somewhat" or "very appealing."
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- ESG, impact investing, SDGs
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Exit Strategy: How Cashing Out Can Move Us Closer to Universal Energy Access
You might think that a lack of investment is the biggest problem facing off-grid energy companies. But as Leslie Labruto and Sarah Bieber at Acumen point out, in an industry that's seen over $1.4 billion invested since 2012, with only $50 million returned to investors, the lack of exits is an equally serious challenge. They discuss a new Acumen report that demonstrates how the shortage of exits is holding the sector back, and what can be done to address it.
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Press Release: Fiera Capital Invests in World Bank Sustainable Development Bond
This is the latest example of the World Bank's engagement with investors around specific development challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs"). Through this engagement, the World Bank and Fiera Capital are raising awareness for SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation, and SDG 14, Life Below Water.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing, WASH
- Tags
- impact investing, SDGs
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Mainstreaming Impact Finance: Major Momentum and Gaps in the Transformation of the Financial Industry
There are exciting signs of a new level of mainstream corporate interest in sustainable business and finance. But despite the significant progress made in the sector since the 1970s, challenges remain – from lack of transparency in impact measurement, to lack of clarity about what impact even means. AlphaMundi founder Tim Radjy explores why we need to transform the rules of business and shift our systems to sustainable alternatives – and how impact finance can help make that happen.
- Categories
- Investing
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