Martijn Blom’s Post

Impact investing is on the rise. 600bn in 2019 to 1.57 trillion today The younger generation of impact investors are stepping into the board rooms and taking the reigns. The numbers are real and timely. The world needs the top 1% to contribute back to society. Back in 1600’s in Florence, the wealthy elite realised that they needed to continue to redistribute their wealth to the rest of the population via philanthropic activities that built schools, hospitals, public spaces, etc. They did this to ensure their wasn’t a revolt. Contrast that with today's environment, and the wealthy, ably supported by compliant governments, are hoarding their wealth and minimising their taxes, so functioning societies are reliant upon the benevolence of a wealthy few. The few are now turning into the many The change can’t happen fast enough.

Today we launch the third impact report for the Schroder BSC Social Impact Trust which aims to provide investors with sustainable financial returns and access to a diversified portfolio of high-impact investments addressing social issues in the UK, including homelessness, fuel poverty, inequality, health and social care. So far, the Trust has committed £87m to 194 social organisations, reaching more than 400,000 people. This report sets out the social impact being achieved through a unique partnership between investors and frontline organisations. It also shares the Trust’s methods for impact investing, what the team are learning, and their aspirations for enhancing impact over the coming year. Capital at risk. https://lnkd.in/e--EsKtb https://lnkd.in/e8qv_E7m

Impact Investing Solutions is dedicated to creating a better world through innovative financial strategies that prioritize both purpose and profit. Our initiative, the World Impact Centre (WIC), embodies this mission by mobilizing capital to address pressing global challenges. At WIC, we focus on aligning investments with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring that every dollar invested contributes to meaningful social and environmental change. We believe that impact investing is not just about financial returns; it's about fostering a sustainable future where communities thrive, and critical issues such as poverty, climate change, and education are effectively addressed. By joining us in this initiative, you become part of a transformative movement that empowers individuals and organizations to make a significant difference. Together, we can create a legacy of positive impact and build a world that we can all be proud of. Are you ready to invest in a future filled with purpose? Visit conda.ch/iisolutions to learn more about how you can contribute today! #ImpactInvesting #WorldImpactCentre #SustainableFuture #InvestWithPurpose

How can impact investing jump-start an affordable housing boom in Europe? Bax's Director Rolf Bastiaanssen has been invited to to answer this question alongside an expert panel hosted by Erste Social Finance at Impact Europe's Impact Week next month. Affordable & social housing remain existential challenges to Europe. 1 in 10 city-based Europeans live in a household spending more than 40% of income on housing costs. Around 900,000 people are experiencing homelessness. More affordable housing is needed, and quickly. The panel will explore how local and European impact investment funds can best deploy impact capital to accelerate the building of high-quality affordable housing. Join the session in Bilbao next month: https://lnkd.in/eVqQWnmJ

As we look ahead to 2025, we’re thrilled to have Maarten Van Dam featured in Impact-Investor.com's latest article on the future of impact investing🌱 "With a lot of sustainable initiatives, the economic rationale, the economic thinking behind it is more and more proven. It’s not charity, it’s not donation-driven. More and more people realise that there is economic sense to becoming more green, more sustainable and more impact-minded." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eehv8rpA #ImpactInvesting #SustainableFinance #Pymwymic

Subsidy and Synergy: How Philanthropy Can Complement Impact Investing More Effectively The original goal of impact investing was to build out the funding spectrum between #philanthropy and commercial #investment. But according to Asad Mahmood at Social Investment Managers & Advisors (SIMA Funds), the arrival of private equity firms — promising scale and market-rate financial returns — has pulled all the sector’s energy toward the commercial end of the spectrum. He explores the key role philanthropic subsidy has played in the development of #EmergingMarkets business, clarifies some misconceptions about its role in impact investing, and proposes some ways #philanthropists and #ImpactInvestors can better align their efforts. https://bit.ly/49lcUkE #ImpactInvesting #SocialEnterprise #microfinance #partnerships #sustainability #EnergyAccess #scale #BusinessDevelopment

Subsidy and Synergy: How Philanthropy Can Complement Impact Investing More Effectively The original goal of impact investing was to build out the funding spectrum between #philanthropy and commercial #investment. But according to Asad Mahmood at Social Investment Managers & Advisors (SIMA Funds), the arrival of private equity firms — promising scale and market-rate financial returns — has pulled all the sector’s energy toward the commercial end of the spectrum. He explores the key role philanthropic subsidy has played in the development of #EmergingMarkets business, clarifies some misconceptions about its role in impact investing, and proposes some ways #philanthropists and #ImpactInvestors can better align their efforts. https://bit.ly/49lcUkE #ImpactInvesting #SocialEnterprise #microfinance #partnerships #sustainability #EnergyAccess #scale #BusinessDevelopment

FIIND Impact Foundation is delighted to announce a new resource for anyone interested in faith- and values-consistent investing. Since 2020, eight organisations, FIIND Impact Foundation included, at the forefront of faith-aligned investing have been collaborating to drive systemic change, working in partnership with faith-based asset owners, advisors, and other investment decision makers. These collaborations have resulted in significant success in growing the movement of faith-consistent investing (FCI) by building the capacity, confidence, and motivation of faiths to engage in faith-based investing. To showcase and amplify this success, these organisations, led by FaithInvest and with generous support from Porticus, have launched a website called The FCI Collaboratorium.   This website is a place for anyone—from those new to faith-consistent investing to those deeply immersed in it already— to learn more about developments in this ecosystem, to join in the collaboration, and to share and receive resources around faith-based investing.   We invite you to explore the website and encourage your networks, especially individuals, organisations, and funders, who may learn something or want to get more involved in this ecosystem, to check it out as well. #Collaboration #FaithBaseInvesting #thereisnoplaneB

Pathway Fund recently partnered with Better Society Capital, Access - The Foundation for Social Investment, and a number of other organisations, to implement a project led by the Diversity Forum, which works to improve the collection of #EDI data, across the #socialinvestment sector. Collecting #data of this nature is complex. But we know that it’s essential for us to strive to improve that collection. It fundamentally helps us to improve #EDI practice, in the space, more broadly. As a result – and as part of this project – Pathway Fund’s Project Manager Swati Pujari was pleased to have been able to be part of the core project team, which produced a #report and #framework designed to ensure the quality and meaningful use of #diversitydatacollection, while fostering effective collaboration between social enterprises and social investors. Find out more about the project – and read the #report and #framework – in this blog below, written in partnership with Access - The Foundation for Social Investment, Pathway Fund, and Better Society Capital. https://lnkd.in/g6ATJx9N #partnership #socialinvestment #diversity

We're excited to see this fantastic initiative led by The Diversity Forum, in collaboration with Pathway Fund, Better Society Capital, and Access - The Foundation for Social Investment. This project is all about improving the collection and use of #EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) data within the #SocialInvestment sector. The complexity of collecting meaningful EDI data is undeniable, but it's crucial for driving positive change. By enhancing these practices, we can foster more inclusive environments and make more informed decisions in the social impact space. Pathway Fund’s Project Manager, Swati Pujari, contributed to the creation of a comprehensive #Report and #Framework. These resources aim to improve #DiversityDataCollection quality and promote effective collaboration between social enterprises and investors. If you're interested in learning more about this project and exploring the insights it offers, check out the blog post linked below. It’s a valuable read for anyone committed to advancing equity and inclusion in their work.