Investing with Impact
This edition explores impact investing and how you can help drive positive change through capital.
Hey humans đ Weâve been taking a short siesta and are stoked to be back with a fresh new format. Expect snappy insights from members of the Humans For Good community, across a wide range of interesting & thought-provoking topics - kicking off with impact investing.
Sustainable investing has grown from a relatively small part of the landscape, to becoming a much more mainstream concept - and can be found across everything from everyday banking products, to fixed interest and more exotic options like venture capital. Keep scrolling for 8 things that are worth knowing about this space, a few good reads if youâd like to learn more, and to round it off, some discounts on good products and services.
8 things we need to know about impact investing, by Todd Soulas
Todd has drawn on his background in strategy, consulting and angel investing to bring us a few hot tips for being conscious with our capital.
Impact investing isn't new but it is still early and as issues such as gender equality, social injustices and climate change continue to grow, the attractiveness of impact investing as a tool to solve problems will likely accelerate further
Sustainability and âimpactâ are starting to influence traditional investment processes and those that donât embrace it are likely to be left behind, as we may see a great repricing of assets in the shift to sustainability
ESG, SRI and impact investing are all different and have their place in the investment landscape, but they all share the fact that they look beyond the âbottom lineâ (profits)
Impact investing often relies on frameworks for assessing and understanding impact, but there are a number of these and they have large amounts of subjectivity and ambiguity. The key is often to use them as lenses through which to view opportunities and support your decision making process, rather than rigid and dogmatic rules to follow
One of the biggest challenges in impact investing is being able to quantify impact and compare investment opportunities, but tools like Giant Leapâs Impact Calculator are closing this gap
As the field of impact investing continues to grow, there are incredible opportunities to not only learn, but contribute to and shape its direction by getting involved with events and organisations like Impact Investing Australia or the Centre for Social Impact
You donât need to start a fund to impact invest. Platforms like Birchal and even syndicates through Aussie Angels are making it possible without one
Impact investing sits within the broader investment landscape, so make sure you engage in different communities across startups, innovation, investments, and social impact to understand how it all fits together (and to find the best opportunities)
Recommended reads & listens
đ Check out our chat with Anne-Marie Elias as we talk getting capital and capability to where it matters most
đ Introduce yourself to the topic of sustainable investing with this course
đڏđ˝ââď¸ Dig a little deeper into impact investing and how capital can help save the world
đ§ Listen to thought-provoking discussions on sustainability & responsible investing
âď¸ Learn about measuring impact and the SDG compliance framework
đŁ Receive impact investing news and tips in your inbox and take a look at what the team at Giant Leap use to think about impact
For more, have a read of this list that Vis from Greenfluence curated for Humans For Good - and drop any that weâre missing in the #impact-investing Slack channel.
Food for thought
âIt is the best investment to make an impact on others, because even when youâre dead, money alone will not bury you.â â Gift Gugu Mona, Philanthropist
âWe need to start to talk about money in ways that dethrone it and make it subject to human ethics and standards of love and decency.â â Joel Solomon, Investor
âOne who picks fruit is forgotten quickly, but one who plants trees is remembered enduringly.â â Matshona Dhliwayo, Philosopher
A few good offers
Claim $10 free giving credit to gift to any charity on Little Phil
Attend Purpose Conference (an immersive, two day event for the purpose-driven business community) from the 19th - 20th October with a $50 discount using the code HUMANSFORGOOD - or volunteer by signing up here
Use your time as effectively as possible and access Rocketâs focus features for 55% off the first 6 months, using the code HFG55 (or download the free version)
If youâre considering becoming a B Corp, email michelle@definitii.co with the code HFG to book a consulting session with a 10% discount
Read Dent Globalâs book âBecome a Key Person of Influence,â free of charge
Thanks for reading and sharing!
Keep in touch:
đ Join us on Slack to find events, opportunities, and a diverse bunch of humans with a shared desire to have a positive social & environmental impact
â Reach out to good people for good chats with our Coffee Club
Spread the good:
đ Browse our database of small actions with big impact
đ¸ Offer a discount for great humans and businesses
Until next time,
â Georgia, Todd and the team from Humans For Good