Overview
The belief that delivering positive societal impact means sacrificing return is shifting. Companies, investment managers, investors and civil society are increasingly considering their value and contribution to society as part of their business and investment strategies.
This is being driven by global shifts in the importance of agendas such as climate change, pollution, human rights and equality to businesses and investors. These present significant risks and opportunities for investors, whose returns are dependent on a thriving society and a thriving environment.
The private sector has a critical role to play in delivering a more sustainable and prosperous future - one aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In response, the interest in impact investments is growing rapidly.
From ESG to impact
ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and impact considerations are fundamental to a more sustainable economy. Investing with impact requires a focus on both ESG and Impact.
ESG: Assesses the exposure of an investment to environmental, social and governance risks. Typically focussed on operational risks rather than products/services.
Impact: Assesses the total contribution of an investment to a more sustainable future (e.g. through the lens of the SDGs). Typically focused on products/services.
- What is your impact strategy? What difference will your investments make? How do you decide what’s right for you, and communicate this clearly to your stakeholders?
- PwC will work with you to turn your ambitions into a pragmatic approach that integrates impact considerations into the investment lifecycle and merges with existing governance arrangements.
- How do you create an approach to impact assessment that is robust yet pragmatic to suit the nature of your fund?
- PwC can help you develop and apply consistent, objective, practical approaches to impact measurement and management to inform investment decisions.
- An investor’s contribution is the difference you make once you own an asset. How do you use your influence to get the most efficient impact from an asset under your ownership?
- PwC can support you to identify and realise opportunities to enhance an asset’s net positive impact.
- As demonstrated through our Total Impact Measurement and Management (TIMM) framework, we specialise in measuring, monetising and reporting impact to help you effectively evidence and communicate progress to key stakeholders.
Why choose PwC
- Trusted advisers to impact investors: We are advising leading impact-focused investors, ranging from PE firms to investment funds and platforms, on impact strategy, measurement and reporting.
- Deep understanding of the impact investing market: PwC UK sits on the Advisory Group of the Impact Management Project. PwC has helped transform the market for impact investing. Our involvement has given us insight and access to emerging best practice and relevant developments in the market.
- Leaders in impact measurement and management: We have helped numerous companies understand, measure and report societal impacts using our market-leading Total Impact Measurement & Management (TIMM) approach. As technical specialists, we sit on a number of technical committees.
- Deep knowledge in deals and responsible investment: Starting in 2008, we were at the forefront of what later became known as “responsible investment” services. To date we have worked with over 25 multinational and mid-market PE firms, and have won multiple awards from the private equity industry.
- Advisers on the UN SDGs: We have worked with a number of organisations on publications and guidance for companies on the SDGs. We have created a diagnostic tool, the SDG Navigator, which uses data on 230 indicators, to help businesses understand what the priority SDGs are in the geographies and sectors they operate in.
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Jo Kelly
Assistant Director, Sustainability and Climate Change, PwC United Kingdom
Tel: +44 7711 562486