Private markets are seen as fertile ground to more directly achieve positive impact, given an investors engagement at boards and subcommittees. With the speed at which impact investing is evolving, it is prudent to self-reflect on one’s own impact management practices and test the integrity of your approach.

Who would have thought that the investment profession would become one of the leading actors of global sustainability? Many now hold the view that managers of capital have a moral duty, given their role, to drive forward the sustainability agenda. Ten years ago, as a consultant I certainly would not have predicted the role asset management now plays in the drive for global sustainability. Yet here we are, with impact investing showing signs of only gaining further momentum. And so, demonstrating your impact (positive contribution) is more and more a requirement to do business.

Old Mutual Alternative Investments (OMAI) is one of the largest alternative investment managers in Africa, with over R58 billion (US$4 billion)* under management in infrastructure assets, private equity and impact funding. Our commitment to responsible investment is central to OMAI’s investment objectives and to fulfilling our fiduciary duties towards our shareholders and beneficiaries. We believe that embedding environmental, social and governance (ESG) thinking into our investment decision-making is critical if we want to create positive futures and sustainable, superior, risk-adjusted returns for our clients. OMAI has therefore adopted an ESG and Impact Management Framework to achieve its vision of continual improvement in ESG performance and unlocking positive impact outcomes.

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-10-28-how-to-measure-the-impact-in-impact-investing/