Helping to remove obstacles to impact investing for institutional clients and empowering investors through educational events and thought leadership helped bfinance to secure the 'Consultant/advisor of the year' award.

With 25 years' experience in the investment industry, the consultancy has supported investors in ESG and impact advisory, manager selection, portfolio design and monitoring.

Over the years, bfinance said it has facilitated $2 billion of assets deployed in impact strategies. More recently, it has pioneered a new Manager Impact Assessment Framework to help clients cut through so-called 'impact-washing' or 'SDG-washing' when selecting and monitoring external asset managers.

The consultancy said it has also prioritised the development of educational resources and seminars on impact investing as a means of mobilising capital, prompting one judge to note: "The focus on bespoke strategies and direct education creates meaningful impact for clients."

Sarita Gosrani, director – ESG & responsible investment at bfinance, said: "We are really honoured to be recognised for our efforts in the nascent but quickly evolving space of impact investing.

"We have supported institutional investors globally in allocating capital with impact, using our proprietary framework which goes beyond labels and prioritises a deep evaluation of a strategy's true impact potential."

She added: "We are excited to continue guiding our clients toward investments that not only deliver returns but also contribute to a more sustainable, equitable world."