A (Non-Finance) Introduction to Impact Investing

Investments aiming to generate a positive social and/or environmental impact as well as some financial returns have become known as impact investments over recent years and have gained substantial momentum in both the finance and social entrepreneurship community.

Impact investing can be viewed as occupying the space between traditional philanthropy and traditional investments. It differs from traditional investments, which aim to yield risk-adjusted optimal returns, by introducing positive impact generation as a precondition to further considering an investment opportunity. On the other hand, it differs from traditional philanthropic expenditure by expecting to generate some financial return. In this course participants will gain a fundamental understanding of the impact investing space and why it is a good idea.