Successful First Day For GIIN Investor Forum

The Global Impact Investing Network welcomed more than 800 investors from 45 different countries to the first day of their Investment Forum in Amsterdam yesterday.

Day one kicked off with a presentation from Lilianne Ploumen, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Netherlands. The Minister stressed the need for urgent action from the financial community to solve social and environmental issues of today, which was a theme throughout the first day. Other themes included:

– It is possible to achieve healthy financial returns while also creating a healthier world.

While impact investing has taken root, many see an important need for scale. Investors believe that scale is possible, but that this will, in part, depend on the continued entrance of
pension funds and other institutional investors.

– Impact investors are successfully reimaging and reinventing the role of capitalism.

The space includes a broad diversity of investors and impact themes, but there is a shared desire to use investments to build stronger businesses and a better world.

– Impact investors are exploring ways to better define and measure their impact in meaningful and useful ways.

Speakers represented a range of investor types that included large institutional investors, foundations, fund managers, and banks. Overall, the energy and enthusiasm for this critical industry was tangible. It is clear that impact investing is gaining traction around the world—and that impact investors feel the weight and importance of their work.