Impact Investing has picked up momentum but more is needed to be done

International Investors Association (YASED) hosted a YASED Insights event which the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) presented the key aspects of the impact measurement and management on January 31, 2022.

YASED Secretary General Serkan Valandova pointed out that they demonstrate a strong commitment to the sustainability agenda and have spent efforts to raise the awareness on the COP26 agenda with online activities such as daily digests, panel discussions and insightful interviews.

Gülçin Salıngan, the Deputy Director of UNDP’s Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD) also emphasized that the impact investments market has an extraordinary growth performance in recent years. Salıngan underlined that it is possible for Turkey to develop its existing resources in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, and it draws a promising market profile as it such.

Fabienne Michaux, the Director of UNDP SDG Impact, remarked that efforts should be increased in a more holistic way around the world in order to reach SDGs by 2030.

Embracing an approach which puts the well-being of humanity and our planet at the center of all policies, impact investments were discussed at YASED Insights, the online event series of the International Investors Association (YASED). The event was organized as part of the SDG Investment Initiative project, which is implemented by UNDP Turkey and UNDP’s Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD).

At the YASED Insights event, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) made a presentation on the critical aspects of impact investment measurement and management. YASED Secretary General Serkan Valandova moderated while Gülçin Salıngan, the Deputy Director UNDP IICPSD, Fabienne Michaux, the Director of UNDP SDG Impact and Belissa Rojas, the Impact Measurement and Management Consultant of UNDP SDG Impact participated the event.

Impact investing is a fast-growing market

Speaking at the event, YASED Secretary General Serkan Valandova briefly explained YASED’s involvement in the efforts to foster impact investing ecosystem in Turkey led by ‘the Advisory Board on Impact Investing (EYDK)’. He gave information about YASED’s commitment to support SDGs under the Sustainable Development Platform devised to promote sustainable development through harnessing the collective knowledge and experience of their members and said “We are strongly committed to the sustainability agenda, in so doing we provided a comprehensive coverage of the COP26 with daily digests, panel discussions and insightful interviews”.

“The impact investing market has shown outstanding growth with assets reaching 2.3 trillion USD in 2020 according to IFC. In line with this growing trend, there is a vast demand in the market for standardized impact management and measurement practices to properly assess impact” said Gülçin Salıngan, Deputy Director of UNDP IICPSD. “As UNDP's Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development, we are pleased to have planted the seeds of the impact investing market in Turkey, which achieved great momentum." she added. Salıngan emphasized with "The Impact Investing Ecosystem in Turkey” and “SDG Investor Map” studies that IICPSD conducted, demonstrated the great potential that Turkey hosts for investments with social and environmental impact and added "Turkey presents a promising market to leverage existing resources for the SDG agenda.”

We need a holistic approach to meet the SDGs

At the webinar, Director Fabienne Michaux from UNDP SDG Impact shared insights about the impact investing landscape and how and in what ways it differs from conventional financing models and the applicable standards to build a functioning ecosystem thereupon. In her presentation, Fabienne Michaux talked about the cutting lines between ESG and impact-oriented approaches. Michaux also underscored the critical role of the private sector in the endeavor to achieve SDGs, and how most of the economy is dependent on the world’s environmental ecosystems and gave a detailed picture of a company’s journey to sustainability in 12 steps and explained how standards can help organizations internalize sustainability. She said the efforts must be leveraged all around the world in a much more holistic way to get on track to meet the SDGs by 2030.

Kaynak: (BHA) – Beyaz Haber Ajansı