Your business can do well by doing good

It has become clear that private sector involvement and private finance, resources and expertise will be required to achieve the UN's SDGs. Picture: ELMOND JIYANE

It has become clear that private sector involvement and private finance, resources and expertise will be required to achieve these SDGs and as the debate about the role of business in society is getting louder, an “impact economy” is on the rise. Global Impact Investing Network’s Sizing the Impact Investing Market report, released earlier in April — estimated the current size of the global impact investing market at $502bn. However, the industry’s growth potential is hindered by an increasingly polarised debate about whether impact investing requires a trade-off between financial return and social or environmental impact and a consistent, common understanding of how you measure and claim impact.

Locally, a study was conducted by academics from the University of Stellenbosch to find out whether South Africans are ready to accept and work with impact investors and identified barriers impact investors currently face. Despite this, more than two thirds of existing impact investments have been made in emerging markets such as SA and India. There is a growing call for ethical, socially inclusive investments, and our country is a perfect gateway for impact investors wishing to target the African continent. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special economic envoy has also recognised impact investing’s potential influence.

Disruptive technologies also present impact investors with unprecedented opportunities to innovate and re-imagine how services and products are provided and distributed; how businesses grow and how markets and industries evolve. Impact investors have an opportunity to play an active role by financing businesses that use disruptive technologies to solve global problems on a large scale.

South Africa South Africa Latest News, South Africa South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

BUSINESS MAVERICK ANALYSIS: Trading on US-China deal to deliver the goodsGlobal free trade is one of those amazing benefits to global wealth. The IMF has measured a 60% reduction in prices in emerging economies since 1990 due to freer trade. But it’s disparities and contortions are also heavily criticised. Consequently, the US-China trade talks are among the most controversial issues of the day. The question is: how will completing the deal — or not completing it — affect SA?
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »

BUSINESS MAVERICK: Dabbling in weed could be good for democracyIt appears that cannabis’s moment has arrived. Lobbyists agree that the time has come for it to come out of the shadows and start flourishing, not just as a crop, but as an investment opportunity for both the fiscus and business owners. The world cannabis market could reach upwards of US$630-billion in market value by 2040 — and that has investors reaching for their rizlas. But one African country is lagging. Guess which. The greedy ones only see big money
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »