A coalition of impact investing networks (Stichting NAB, FAIR, Impact Finance Belgium, Social Impact Agenda per l’Italia, SpainNAB) and Impact Europe (formerly EVPA) launch their Impact Manifesto today, calling on MEPs, political parties and EU decision-makers to put impact at the centre of EU policies.
The upcoming European elections are taking place in a poly-crisis context. Only 15% of Sustainable Development Goals are on track, and the urgency to act against climate change and rising inequalities has never been more acute. In response, impact investors, a diverse set of actors who focus on driving measurable positive impacts for people and planet, are stepping up and mobilising resources to solve the pressing challenges of our time.
The Impact Manifesto outlines a set of concrete policy actions to enable the work of impact investors. Building a resilient European economy that fosters innovation and provides opportunities for all can only happen if EU policies allow more impact capital to be deployed and more impact actors to join the movement. The Manifesto proposes ways the EU can harness the power of impact investors to accelerate the transition to a more innovative, sustainable and inclusive economy.
The Manifesto calls for EU funding to lead by example, by ensuring all the European Union’s deployed public money is intentionally impactful. It also urges the EU to initiate a European Year of Impact in 2030 and renew its commitment to Sustainable Development Goals and green transition targets.
Impact Europe invites European political parties and MEPs to endorse the Impact Manifesto and signal their commitment to making impact investing a priority.
“Key policy initiatives for people and planet – like a just transition to a green economy – can’t happen unless impact investors step up. This is why we are calling on EU policymakers to enable the work of impact investors”, said Roberta Bosurgi, CEO of Impact Europe. “The stakes are high and now is the moment to drive transformative policies at the EU level. We are ready to work together with EU policymakers to prioritise an enabling policy framework for impact.”
Laure Wessemius-Chibrac, CEO of Foundation Netherlands Advisory Board on impact investing (Foundation NAB), said: “Impact investment is a powerful tool for positive change. An enabling EU policy framework would allow impact investors to boost positive social and environmental change.”
For more information and interview requests, contact:
Angela van der Kooye, Foundation NAB, Communications & Impact Manager
Email: Angela@nabimpactinvesting.nl
Notes to editors:
The Impact Manifesto and full set of actions is available here.
The launch is taking place in the European Parliament in Brussels on 16 April from 8.30 to 9.30 CET, in the MEP Salon.
Impact Europe is the investing for impact network, a unique network at the intersection of business and purpose, driven by knowledge and focused on impact. We rally people, capital, knowledge, and data to catalyse, innovate and scale impact. Impact Europe brings together a diverse group of capital providers (impact funds, foundations, corporate social investors, banks, public funders) and social innovators of all sorts – from household names to emerging new players. Together we work to increase prosperity and social progress for all, fix inequalities and injustices and preserve the planet.
FAIR was born in 2021 from the merger of Finansol, historic actor of social finance, and Impact Invest Lab (iiLab), innovation lab on impact. Federating social impact finance in France and representing a French expertise centre abroad, FAIR gathers more than 130 social enterprises, banks, asset managers, NGO, schools and committed individuals. FAIR manages a label, the Finansol label, which helps the public distinguish social products from other products. Over 190 such products have been awarded the Finansol label as of today. FAIR hosts the French NAB which is part of the GSG network.
Impact Finance Belgium (IFB) is a membership association, with an overall goal to increase Impact Investing in Belgium to 10% of all Belgian AUM by 2030. Our members include parties such as f inanciers, fund managers, impact investors, development financers, family offices, social enterprises, and other network organisations. Our activities include the publishing of research, organizing expertled talks and connecting stakeholders in the ecosystem. IFB is part of the GSG Network.
The Foundation Netherlands Advisory Board on impact investing is an initiative launched in 2020 by several Dutch financial sector players, social investors and impact fund managers. It is focused on scaling up investments in impact and increasing cooperation in the Dutch impact investing sector. The NAB is part of a global network of similar national advisory boards, grouped together under the Global Steering Group for impact investment (GSG).
Social Impact Agenda per l’Italia is the GSG’s National Advisory Board for Italy and promotes the development of impact finance in Italy. The network gathers 24 organisations, representing investors, social enterprises, market builders, philanthropic institutions, which work together to establish a new economy that combines economic sustainability with positive social and environmental impact. SIA carries out advocacy, research, communication and market development activities, in order to create a favourable ecosystem for investments with positive impact.
Spain NAB, Consejo Asesor para la Inversion de Impacto, founded in 2019 is the Spanish independent non-profit association for impact investing which gathers the leading 45 institutions in the sector including banks, asset managers/owners, foundations, service providers and public sector authorities. Its mission is to develop the impact investing sector in Spain undertaking market research and building the impact community at the national level to develop market knowledge and strengthen partnerships, with the goal of mobilising public and private support for impact investing in Spain.