Business Awards 2018

7 APAC / 2018 APAC Business Awards , Impact Investments Asia Nov18323 Best Network for Social and Environmental Impact Investments in Asia Impact Investments Asia is a dedicated firm specialising in impact investments across Asia. We explore how the firm’s approach is vital in today’s financial market. Thanks to a vast wealth of experience, Impact Investments Asia supports corporates, banks, investors, DFIs and NGOs headquartered in Asia, helping them to connect with each other within the ever-expanding ecosystem that the firm is building. Furthering social and environmental sustainability is no longer just a matter of altruism. It is in the interests of everyone; critical to sustaining business – not to mention life itself – in the years ahead. To that end, it is not enough to merely minimize harm. Businesses will need to adopt a new mindset of maximising positive impact. That is the idea behind the growing practice of impact investing, which goes much further than socially responsible investing to proactively shape a sustainable future. As an illustration, rather than donating a few thousand dollars to a school once a year for a photo- op, impact investing would take the form of upgrading systems to help the school improve its academic capabilities. Or, instead of building community facilities for farmers, empowering them to climb out of poverty. Importantly, it is not sufficient for impact investing managers to simply have the intention to make a positive difference; they must track and report their social and environmental performance. It is also advantageous to frame impact investing around an ecosystem of likeminded corporates, banks and FIs. Whereas typical CSR programmes are focused on a given company’s local community, by joining an impact investment network, companies share insights with others in the same country or across the region to formulate optimal strategies to invest shareholder funds into projects that most effectively create the largest impact. This ecosystem is expanding fast in Asia, across a wide range of industries, including FMCG, mining, oil and gas, palm oil, finance, real estate and telecoms. Their common goal: to accelerate the development of an impact investing industry in the region, for the region. In short, impact investing is about making a real, measurable difference. By moving well beyond CSR, ESG and EHS, not only do banks, businesses and NGOs benefit but societies at large thrive too, particularly the communities and livelihoods worst affected by the inexorable industrialisation of Asia. Ultimately, Impact Investments Asia’s goal is to guide its members on allocating capital to fund actionable solutions to the major social and environmental problems in Asia. This will remain the firm’s ongoing focus as it looks towards a bright future. Contact Details: Company: Impact Investments Asia Contact: Siddiq Bazarwala Website: www.impactinvestmentsasia.org