Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)

The Global Impact Investing Network is a nonprofit organisation founded in 2009, dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing. As the founder of GIIN, Amit Bouri, said during a podcast: “Impact investments are investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets and target a range of returns from below market to market rate, depending upon investors’ objectives”.

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2009 to promote impact investing. Impact investing is a form of investing that aims to generate positive social and environmental impact alongside financial returns.

The history of the GIIN can be traced back to the early 2000s when a small group of investors and philanthropists began to explore the concept of using investment capital to address social and environmental challenges. In 2007, the Rockefeller Foundation convened a group of these early impact investors to discuss the potential for a more formalized network to support the growth of the industry.

The following year, the GIIN was officially launched with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, as well as other organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The organization's founding members included a diverse range of investors, including foundations, family offices, and asset managers.

Since its founding, the GIIN has played a leading role in advancing the field of impact investing. The organization has developed a number of tools and resources to help investors navigate the complex landscape of impact investing, including the Impact Reporting and Investment Standards (IRIS), which provides a common language and framework for measuring and reporting on the social and environmental impact of investments.

The GIIN has also been instrumental in promoting collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the impact investing community. The organization hosts regular conferences and events, and has established a number of working groups and initiatives focused on specific areas of impact investing, such as climate finance and gender lens investing.

Today, the GIIN has over 370 members from around the world, representing a wide range of sectors and asset classes. The organization's mission is to catalyze the impact investing market to drive social and environmental change, and it continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of the industry.

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) has developed a set of investment criteria to guide investors in making impactful investments that generate both financial returns and positive social and environmental outcomes. These criteria are designed to help investors assess the potential impact of their investments and ensure that they align with their goals and values.

• Intentionality: The first criterion is intentionality, which refers to the investor's intention to generate positive social or environmental impact alongside financial returns. Impact investing is not about sacrificing returns for impact, but rather about generating both simultaneously.
• Measurability: The second criterion is measurability, which refers to the ability to measure and track the social and environmental impact of an investment. This involves defining clear impact metrics and collecting data to monitor progress towards achieving them.
• Additionality: The third criterion is additionality, which refers to the extent to which an investment contributes to positive social or environmental outcomes beyond what would have been achieved without the investment. This criterion is important because it ensures that impact investments are actually making a difference, rather than simply displacing other forms of capital.
• Risk and Return: The fourth criterion is risk and return, which refers to the financial risk and return potential of an investment. Impact investments should be evaluated using the same financial analysis and due diligence as traditional investments, and should aim to generate competitive returns while also creating positive social and environmental outcomes.
• Impact Management: The fifth criterion is impact management, which refers to the process of managing and optimizing the social and environmental impact of an investment over time. This involves setting impact goals, tracking progress, and making adjustments as needed to ensure that the investment is having the desired impact.

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) is a non-profit organization that is guided by a set of core values that inform its mission and activities. These values are rooted in a commitment to promoting social and environmental impact alongside financial returns and reflect the organization's belief that impact investing can play a powerful role in driving positive change in the world.

• Impact: The first value of the GIIN is impact, which refers to the organization's focus on generating positive social and environmental outcomes through its work. The GIIN believes that impact investing can help to address some of the world's most pressing challenges, and is committed to supporting the growth and development of the impact investing market.
• Collaboration: The second value of the GIIN is collaboration, which reflects the organization's belief in the power of collective action. The GIIN brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, including investors, fund managers, and social enterprises, to share knowledge and best practices, and to work together towards common goals.
• Innovation: The third value of the GIIN is innovation, which reflects the organization's commitment to exploring new approaches and ideas. The GIIN is constantly seeking to push the boundaries of impact investing and to identify new ways to drive positive social and environmental outcomes through investment.
• Integrity: The fourth value of the GIIN is integrity, which reflects the organization's commitment to ethical and transparent business practices. The GIIN believes in the importance of accountability and responsibility in impact investing and seeks to promote high standards of integrity and transparency across the industry.
• Inclusivity: The fifth value of the GIIN is inclusivity, which reflects the organization's belief in the importance of diversity and inclusion. The GIIN is committed to building a more inclusive and equitable impact investing industry, and to promoting the participation of a wide range of stakeholders, including those from historically marginalized communities.

"The GIIN is dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing around the world. Impact investing is investing with the intention of generating positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets, and target a range of returns from below market to market rate, depending on investors’ strategic goals. By convening, educating, and supporting investors and other stakeholders, the GIIN seeks to accelerate the growth of a coherent global impact investing industry, with an emphasis on collaboration, knowledge sharing, and development of best practices."

The GIIN's mission statement reflects its belief that impact investing can play a powerful role in addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges, from poverty and inequality to climate change and environmental degradation. The organization is committed to supporting the growth and development of the impact investing industry by convening stakeholders, sharing knowledge and best practices, and promoting collaboration and innovation.

As a non-profit organization, the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) does not have a portfolio of investments in the traditional sense. Instead, the organization's activities are focused on supporting the growth and development of the impact investing industry as a whole, and on promoting the use of investment as a tool for positive social and environmental impact.

• The GIIN's work is centred around several key initiatives and programs, which are designed to support investors, fund managers, and social enterprises in pursuing impact investments. These initiatives include:
• IRIS+: The Impact Reporting and Investment Standards (IRIS+) is a comprehensive system for measuring and reporting social, environmental, and financial performance in impact investing. The GIIN provides support and guidance to investors and other stakeholders in using IRIS+ to evaluate the impact of their investments.
• ImpactBase: ImpactBase is an online directory of impact investment funds and products that have been screened and validated by the GIIN. The platform provides investors with access to a range of impact investment opportunities and enables fund managers to connect with potential investors.
• GIIN Investor Forum: The GIIN Investor Forum is an annual conference that brings together impact investors, fund managers, and other stakeholders to share knowledge and best practices, and to explore new opportunities and trends in impact investing.
• GIIN Membership: The GIIN offers membership to investors, fund managers, and other stakeholders who are committed to promoting impact investing. Members have access to a range of resources and services, including research, training, and networking opportunities.