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Summer 2024

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AIMR Summer 2024 issue brings in-depth discussions from leading experts in sustainable finance and impact investing, offering practitioners a wealth of knowledge and empowering practical guidance. This issue’s cover story focuses on leveraging worldwide expertise and best practices to enhance the growth of sustainable and impact investing in Asia. The organizational report addresses sustainable capitalism issues, examining the balance between maintaining corporate performance and achieving meaningful social impact. The regional report delves into the burgeoning field of health tech, highlighting the transformative potential of sustainable finance in fostering innovation and many more. We hope you find this issue enriching and informative as we continue to support the growth and development of impact management practices across Asia and beyond.

Editor's Words

Editor's Words Icon

Editor's Words

As we step into the Summer of 2024, the Asian Impact Management Review continues to be at the forefront of the discourse on sustainable and impact investing. The conversation around impact measurement and management is becoming increasingly sophisticated as the region draws on global insights to enhance its sustainable and impact investing (SII) journey. This issue is dedicated to exploring these advancements, offering our readers a blend of thought leadership, case studies, and practical frameworks that can empower our readers to drive meaningful change in their organizations and communities.

Our cover story, by Deegan Lee and Somerset Gall from a women-owned specialist consulting firm, Tideline, highlights the importance of adopting robust impact measurement and management practices, supportive policies, and green transition strategies to foster a thriving Sustainable and Impact Investing (SII) ecosystem in Asia. Their insights are crucial for understanding how Asia can expedite the adoption of SII by drawing on proven strategies and frameworks worldwide. Mitch Koshiba, in his regional report, delves into how sustainable finance principles are applied in the healthcare industry. This article underscores the strategic use of financial investments to foster innovative health-tech solutions, illustrating the synergy between economic growth and impactful health advancements. In the realm of corporate strategy, Kotaro Sueyoshi’s organizational report proposes a pathway for companies to address social issues while enhancing their corporate value. Sueyoshi's insights provide a compelling argument for how businesses can achieve a harmonious balance between social responsibility and economic growth, ultimately driving corporate and industrial competitiveness. This issue features two compelling case studies that offer practical examples of successful impact measurement and management. Reana Rossouw uses a South African case study to showcase the importance of rigorous impact assessment in achieving sustainable investment goals. Similarly, Ainurul Rosli, Jane Chang, and Carrie-Ann Huelin's article use the Connect Activities to Goal (CAG) framework to explain the challenge of translating a social value strategy into actionable plans for a business through a case study of ISG Ltd, a company with over 2,000 employees globally. In the realm of research, Jeffrey Cheah's article challenges traditional models like the Balanced Scorecard and SROI. Cheah advocates for a more comprehensive, standardized, multi-dimensional approach to evaluating the financial and social outcomes of social enterprises, emphasizing the need for innovation in performance models. Agnieszka Koziel's methodology article underscores the importance of integrating standardized metrics and reporting guidelines to accurately measure and communicate the sustainability impacts of investments. Our two book reviews further enrich this issue with critical analyses of recent publications in sustainable finance, each offering a unique perspective from diverse authors. Richard Hardyment reviews "Measuring Good Business: The Future of Sustainable Finance Data," which explores the complexities of business impacts and the future of sustainability standards. Elisa Aracil’s review of "Essential Concepts of Sustainable Finance: An A-Z Guide" offers readers a detailed guide on integrating sustainability into financial systems, focusing on regulatory frameworks, reporting standards, and investment strategies. Lastly

In our Impacter Insights section, Tim West, founder of Pioneers Post and Fable Bureau, shares his transformative journey from opera singer to philanthropist, impact journalist, and leader in social change. This interview provides a unique perspective on the transformative power of journalism to drive social enterprises and highlights how Time West’s platforms connect societal problems with innovative solutions through impactful storytelling.

We are confident that the insights and discussions presented in this issue will inspire and equip our readers to navigate the complex and rapidly evolving field of sustainable and impact investing. Join us on this journey towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and impactful future.

Cover Story

Cover Story

Applying Global Insights to Accelerate the Sustainable and Impact Investing Journey in Asia

The Asian Sustainable and Impact Investing (SII) ecosystem can continue to leverage global lessons related to impact measurement and management, policy, and the green transition to accelerate the adoption of SII.

Regional Report

Regional Report

The Growth of Health-tech Innovation through Sustainable Finance and Impact Investment

Sustainable finance principles can be applied in the healthcare industry through impact investments, underscoring how financial investments are strategically used to foster novel and innovative solutions alongside economic growth.

Organizational Report

Organizational Report

Sustainable Capitalism: Balancing Corporate Competitiveness with Impact

This article proposes a pathway toward achieving a balance between addressing social issues and enhancing corporate value, ultimately fostering a return to corporate and industrial competitiveness and driving economic growth.

Case Study

Case Study

The Value of Impact Measurement and Management: Lessons from a Youth Employment Program in South Africa

Impact assessment and measurement are vital to achieving the desired outcomes of impact-first as well as sustainable impact investment strategies, as illustrated by this case study of a South African youth employment program.

Case Study

Operationalizing Social Value Strategy: How to Connect Operational Activities to Social Value Goals

This study examines operationalizing Social Value (SV) in an organization through a case study of ISG Ltd. We propose the “Connect Activities to Goal” (CAG) framework (Capacity Building, Action Planning, Guided Behavior) to bridge the gap between SV strategy and measurable SV goals.

Research Highlights

Research Highlights

Refining Impact Measurement: Multi-Dimensional Performance Models for Social Enterprises

Traditional models, such as the Balanced Scorecard and SROI, fall short in holistically assessing both financial and social outcomes in social enterprises, necessitating a more comprehensive, standardized, multi-dimensional evaluation approach.

Methodology

Methodology

Leveraging IRIS Metrics for Comprehensive Sustainability Reporting with GRI G4 Guidelines

In the rapidly evolving field of sustainable finance, the integration of standardized metrics and reporting guidelines is a trend and a necessity. This is particularly crucial for measuring and communicating the sustainability impacts of investments, a topic of increasing importance in today’s world.

Book Review

Book Review

Essential Concepts of Sustainable Finance: An A-Z Guide

“Essential Concepts of Sustainable Finance” offers a comprehensive guide on integrating sustainability into financial systems, emphasizing regulatory frameworks, reporting standards, and investment strategies for sustainable development.

Book Review

Measuring Good Business: The Future of Sustainable Finance Data

Business impacts are complex, contextual, and dynamic. How far can global sustainability standards measure reality? A new book, Measuring Good Business, examines the limits and future of data in sustainable finance. It proposes more customized, bottom-up numbers that empower stakeholders to better understand impacts.

Impacter Insights

Impacter Insights

The Conversation with Pioneers Post’s Founder Tim West on the Power of Journalism for Social Change and the Evolution of Social Enterprises and Impact Investing

Discover Tim West’s journey from opera to impactful journalism in our latest feature, exploring the evolution of social enterprises and the transformative power of purpose-driven media.

Pioneers Post

Pioneers Post

UK government’s angel investor U-turn will maintain diversity in impact investing, says impact community

Experts had warned government’s January policy change would exclude more women and ethnic minority founders from winning investment. They welcome reversal, but flag it’s a ‘drop in the ocean’ in battle to create a more diverse investment ecosystem.

Pioneers Post

South Africa’s SAB Foundation: Why 90% of its investees are still in business five years later

Africa’s award-winning catalytic investor SAB Foundation has an impressive record in sustaining early-stage impact businesses, viewed as too risky by many. The secret lies in how it supports entrepreneurs.