Guest blog by En Lee and Sam Lindsay
For many investors, impact investing has remained largely confined to private investments. For this reason, impact investments may still account for only a small proportion of many portfolios.However, with new opportunities for impact investing now emerging across different asset classes, investors are beginning to allocate more of their assets to businesses that generate social and environmental outcomes. To encourage this move, the Investor Team for the Impact Investing Exchange Asia (IIX Asia) has come up with a simple 7-step process that helps investors and advisors assess investment portfolios and begin the process of shifting the emphasis in the direction of more impact investments.Step 1: Define Core Values and Mission
- Identify core values, mission, country and sector preferences
- Understand the motivation (e.g. preserving family legacy or instilling values in the next generation)
Step 2: Identify Target Impact Areas and Role of Investment
- Identify your target outcomes and objectives (improving healthcare, empowering rural women through education)
- Define the risk/return profile of your investments (wealth preservation, commercial returns etc.)
Step 3: Integrate Impact Allocation
- Determine allocation across asset classes: cash, fixed income, public/private equity, real estate…
- Distinguish between philanthropic and investment capital in the portfolio
Step 4: Evaluate and Select Investment Opportunities
- Determine which investments should be non-impact, mission-related and mission-driven
- Direct investments (e.g. private equity, debt, hybrids etc.)
- Indirect investments (e.g. funds, funds of funds etc.)
Step 5: Implement a Strategy
- Identify potential impact investment opportunities (e.g. by using a impact accelerator such as Impact Partners or a deal site like Maximpact)
- Commence due diligence, structure investment, execute and close transaction and if necessary, post-deal monitoring (specialists can assist in these areas)
Step 6: Monitor, Analyze and Report Results
- Measure financial, social and/or environmental returns
- Insist on impact assessment report from a reputable assessor (professionals such as Shujog Impact Assessment can help)
- Identify a suitable impact methodology for the identified outcomes (e.g. GIIRS)
Step 7: Consider Changes in Objectives, Strategy and Managers
- Revisit country and sector focus
- Evaluate investment financial and social/environmental performance
- Assess asset allocation, risk/return profile and intended social and environmental outcomes
A version of this blog was first published in the IIX Asia digital publication, Impact Quarterly.
About the Authors: En Lee is Co-Head, Asia Pacific for LGT Venture Philanthropy, a global impact investor supporting organisations with outstanding social and environmental impact. He is the former Director and Head of Investor Team at Impact Investment Exchange Asia. Sam Lindsay is a consultant for the Aligned Network and a former Investor Team Member at IIX Asia.
About IIX Asia: Impact Investment Exchange Asia (IIX Asia) is the world’s first public trading platform dedicated to connecting social enterprises with mission-aligned investment.