A 1. Impact Investing 101: What is it and What Role Can Evaluation Play?

Trainer: Jyotsna (Jo) Puri
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Language: English

Workshop description:
What are the most effective and innovative business procedures for developing positive social impact around the world? When is it a great business practice to contribute for social good? How do you target an investment approach that tries to make both financial return and measurable positive, environmental or social impact?
This training will introduce participants to the basics of impact investing. Through this workshop, participants will analyze classic models of impact investments, key actors involved in the impact investing ecosystem, impact measurement components, tools and frameworks.
By gaining an outline of the current landscape of impact investing, participants will learn and be able to apply impact investing methods into this emerging sector. Participants will also gain a deep understanding of the subject by analyzing the scope of financing and investment approaches used by impact investors.

This workshop would align with the NEC Conference strand of transforming evaluation for transformative development (new trends in evaluation).

Learning outcomes:
Participants will discuss opportunities in impact investing and the role that evaluators can and should play including some challenges in delivering these to the satisfaction of all parties. By the end of this training, participants will be able to deal with challenges in impact investing and how to find opportunities to invest in social and environmental impact.