Launched by UK filmmaker Richard Curtis, Make My Money Matter takes home the trophy for non-profit of the year.
Enlisting A-list stars as the face of its campaigns, Make My Money Matter targets pensions and banking industries across a variety of topics, including ending fossil fuel investment, calls to tackle deforestation, and an increase of investment in climate solutions.
One IMPACT Awards judge claimed Make My Money Matter was an "influential organisation, getting people talking about impact who otherwise are not engaged".
Earlier in the year, Make My Money Matter issued a plea, led by actress Olivia Coleman, for UK pension schemes to stop financing fossil fuel expansion.
The non-profit also publishes a variety of reports researching and reporting on the climate performance of pension funds.
Publishing research looking at the climate impact of business pensions last year, conducted alongside researcher Route2, Make My Money Matter reported that the pension investments of major FTSE100 companies finance seven-times higher than the reported Scope 1 and 2 operational emissions of those companies.
It also found that 50% of CEOs and business leaders are more likely to explore a "more sustainable" company pension scheme, a 12% increase on the year prior.
Its research additionally found that £300 billion ($379 billion) of UK pensions were linked to deforestation. To tackle this, Make My Money Matter partnered with data-driven non-profit, Global Canopy, to convene a working group to facilitate discussions with 12 pension funds regarding how to practically remove deforestation from their portfolios – through roadmaps and policy setting. This has since grown to reach 17 pension funds.
"Make My Money Matter is pleased and excited to receive this brilliant award! We hope it is testament to our powerful campaigning – raising awareness of the links between our money and climate crisis and driving action amongst individuals, businesses, and the finance industry," campaigns director David Hayman said.
"We believe money is the most powerful tool we have to address the climate emergency, and this award shows how we are bringing these critical issues into the mainstream."
