IMPACT Awards 2024

Sustainable asset manager SAIL Investments has scooped the award for the private debt fund of the year and private debt provider of the year, in recognition of its innovative private credit fund targeting sustainable tropical commodity supply chain investments.

Described as an "excellent project, showcasing how technology and innovation can create tangible, positive social impact" by judges, the Co-operative Bank of Kenya has been named as the winner of the IMPACT Awards' 'Innovation/invention of the year' for its Coffee Direct Settlement System (DSS).

IMPACT Awards judges highlighted the opening of five skill development centres for members of the local community from underprivileged backgrounds in Gujurat by BluPine. A six-month-long training programme aims to equip participants with skills and knowledge in utility-scale solar and wind power installation and operation.

The foundation - backed by the global asset manager Janus Henderson Investors - celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024, and was highlighted by judges for its efforts in delivering real impact in the communities it operates in.

During 2023, Zurich Insurance's $7.9 billion impact investing portfolio helped avoid a total of 4.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), whilst also benefited 4.6 million people. The target is to achieve 5 million per year in both categories.

Naturemetrics was named as winner of the 'Naturetech investment/initiative of the year' with judges highlighting some of the nature intelligence specialist's key initiatives throughout the prior 12 months.

Taking the 'Lender of the year' award in 2024 is EXIM Bank Malaysia, which impressed judges with its support of key environmentally sustainable projects and initiatives in promoting social responsibility.

Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) was influential in several landmark 'impact' transactions in the awards eligibility period - and has ambitious plans to become a world leader in natural capital, carbon markets and blended finance.

Canada's boreal forest is a critical but often neglected ecosystem in responsible investment strategies, Canbury Insights says.

Patron Capital has taken home the trophy for impact project or investment of the year for a second year, once again being celebrated for its female-focused homelessness and complex needs socially responsible real estate fund.

IMPACT awards judges chose Australia-headquartered New Forests as their 'asset manager of the year' in the mid-size category. One of the leading managers of nature assets globally, it has around AUD11.7 billion ($7.5 billion) in assets under management across four million hectares.

Asset manager Schroders was named by judges as 'Impact investing platform of the year' who described the platform as "excellent", noting the wide range of public and private assets available and its comprehensive impact reports.

Making the jump from global energy and mining to natural capital early in her career, this year's young professional/rising star, Maria Gonzalez Senac of Climate Asset Management, says her experience to date has helped her to better understand and address the challenges that the industry faces.

In April this year, Acre Impact Capital held the first close of its debut Export Finance Fund I at $100 million. The investor is providing debt capital to between 15 and 20 investment opportunities across essential infrastructure, spanning renewable power; health, food and water scarcity; sustainable cities; and green transportation.

Kirkland & Ellis has once again been awarded 'Law firm of the year' at Environmental Finance's IMPACT Awards.

The $944.5 million Green Growth Equity Fund, which claims to be India's first and largest climate fund, has won 'Impact Initiative of the year' for Asia.

Adenia has won this category for its social inclusion efforts with portfolio company Quickmart, as judges were particularly impressed by the company's commitment to women and rural communities.

Venture capital firm SHIFT Invest currently has a portfolio of 35 start-ups and scale-ups, spanning energy, industry, food and agriculture, and mobility.

Helping to remove obstacles to impact investing for institutional clients and empowering investors through educational events and thought leadership helped bfinance to secure this award

Strong performance against its sustainability objectives helped London-based, B Corporation-certified Tribe Impact Capital, become judges' pick for 'Wealth manager of the year'

The IMPACT Awards judges were impressed by Nordea's impact reporting 'with relevant impact indicators'

A groundbreaking loan from Banco Cooperativo Sicredi backed by the Latin American and Caribbean Development Bank (CAF) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Targeting household air pollution, Tramontana Asset Management - the winner of 'Impact project/investment of the year' for the air quality category - has provided cleaner cooking stoves to 125,000 families across southern India, 66,000 of which were distributed in the last year.

To help tackle deforestation driven by commodity production, Sustainable Investment Management launched a strategy incentivising farmers to move away from deforestation and land conversion

Community Capital Management (CCM) has secured the fixed income fund and North American impact initiative of the year awards for its flagship Community Impact Bond (CIB) fund, including an innovative initiative targeting first-time homebuyers.

Founded in 2020, AFII chief executive Ulf Erlandsson told Environmental Finance he was grateful for the recognition from the market in what was a "significant year for our young organisation".

Nuveen's environmental, social and governance (ESG)/Impact fixed income team manages $21.9 billion of intentional mandates, including $10.3 billion of securities that qualify for Nuveen's Public Markets Impact Framework as of September 2024.

Amar Inamdar has emerged as a leader in unlocking climate finance for Africa.

A $24 million green loan by Absa Ghana - its first ever corporate green loan in Ghana - aimed at supporting the west African country's journey to diversify its energy mix with more renewables, greatly impressed IMPACT Awards judges of the 'Impact project/investment of the year: Energy' category.

Nedbank Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) scooped the impact loan of the year award for its role structuring a landmark ZAR2.5 billion ($140 million) green loan for critical solar power projects being developed in South Africa.

Chi Impact Capital's investment in German-based reusable packaging business VYTAL has been named this year's impact project/investment of the year within the pollution and waste management sub-category.

The winner of the 'impact project investment of the year' for the water category, originally launched in 2020 to meet demand for safe drinking water and build a more efficient and sustainable water management system through irrigation, provision and sanitation investments.

More than half a million people have benefited from expanded access to clean drinking water in Africa thanks to one of the investments by Wellers Impact's Water Unite Impact fund in 2024, according to the winner of the small asset manager of the year award.

French pension fund and life insurer AG2R-LA-MONDIALE has used its growing investments in private equity to finance French businesses, helping them create jobs and infrastructure to fund sustainable growth.

Mirova's flagship fund, the Mirova Global Sustainable Equity Fund, outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI World Index, by 6% in 2023.

Gabon announced its 'landmark' $500 million debt-for-nature swap in August 2023. However, shortly after its launch, the Gabonese government changed - raising concerns about the longevity of the project.

Leveraging the voluntary carbon market for land protection Green Gold Forestry (GGF) looks to conserve 477,000 hectares of Peruvian Amazon, with the support of Conservation International.

Resalta and Solas Capital, through its Solas Sustainable Energy Fund (SSEF), have carried out the energy efficient retrofit of a primary school and health centre in Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia...

InvestConservation looks to provide corporates and investors with high-quality conservation projects in tropical forests.

The small self-governing Pacific Ocean island of Niue is aiming to raise NZ$32 million ($20 million) for ocean conservation and climate resilience through the sponsorship of conservation credits, called Ocean Conservation Commitments (OCCs) under Project Niue and Ocean Wide (NOW).

The winner of this year's private equity 'impact fund of the year' - Alitheia IDF Fund - has raised more than $100 million to invest in growth-stage companies, prioritising those with gender-diverse teams.

SLM Partners has reported the environmental outcomes across the properties in its 'regenerative agriculture' portfolios for more than 12 years - but its 2023 report "was a key milestone" in improved accuracy and transparency, it said.

Mercer is increasing the sophistication of its biodiversity impact measurement and monitoring to prepare for growing allocations in the theme, it says.

Through its Latin American reforestation strategy, BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (TIG) and impact adviser Conservation International (CI) are leading one of the largest-known restoration projects in the Cerrado region of Brazil...

IMPACT Awards judges chose impact asset manager Finance in Motion as this year's winner of the 'Impact initiative' category for Europe, for the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE).