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Status of the Social Impact Investing Market
Report

Status of the Social Impact Investing Market

A Primer


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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative

Recommendation

Economic anthropologist Maximilian Martin offers a solid introduction to social impact investing and to the entities that play significant roles in its growth. He illustrates examples of how firms, governments and nonprofits work together to achieve economic returns for investors while helping to address critical social and environmental issues. getAbstract recommends his brief but enlightening paper to investors, policy makers and activists searching for innovative ways to unite financial and social aims.

Summary

Individuals and institutions seeking returns on investments that benefit the environment or society drive the small but growing trend of social impact investing. First recognized in 2007, these “investments made into companies, organizations and funds with the intention to generate measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return” now total $36 billion, but forecasts suggest they could reach as much as $1 trillion by 2020. The reasons for such growth are twofold: Not only do such investments tackle the world’s most pressing challenges but many nations with aging populations are facing enormous...

About the Author

Maximilian Martin founded Impact Economy, a firm specializing in social impact investing and strategy.