Brad Merchant is Director of Impact Investments at Palladium, discusses the current economic climate in Africa and the secrets to investing in the region. When you imagine a finance professional at work in pursuit of the next impact investment opportunity, you may not envisage hours spent on dusty, back roads in rural West Africa. But...Read More

    Downloadable Resources Open interactive popup Executive Summary (PDF-360KB) Full Report (PDF-3MB Advances in automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital technologies are changing the way we work, the activities we perform, and the skills we need to succeed. Catching this rapid transformation wave is of the utmost importance to ensure sustainable growth. Over the...Read More

The Brief  |  February 18, 2020 The Brief: Impact alpha in donor-advised funds, inclusive credit unions, greenhouses in India, flexible loans for founders of color, off-grid energy impact     ImpactAlpha Greetings, Agents of Impact! Featured: Impact Voices Impact drives alpha, and other lessons from ‘100% impact’ donor-advised funds. In the same way that some big foundations are beginning...Read More

So, Is Organic Food Actually More Sustainable? At Columbia, a culture of heightened environmental consciousness has led to the proliferation of sustainable food options: Meatless Mondays at the dining halls, weekly farmers markets, and active student groups. I myself am heavily involved in this culture of “sustainable” eating, keeping to a plant-based diet and seeking...Read More

‘A much deeper, faster and more ambitious response is needed’ There are 10 years left to achieve the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an ambitious plan to create a better future for people and the planet. However, at the first Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Summit, which took place at UN Headquarters in New...Read More

  The VMD tiny home is an eco-conscious dwelling that is built using shipping-containers Mexican architectural studios Studioroca and Taller Escape have recently joined forces to create a prefabricated housing model that is move-in ready in just 99 days from ordering. Dubbed VMD, the 30-sq-m (323-sq-ft) tiny home is an eco-conscious dwelling that is built...Read More

Humanitarian plan aims to assist 109 million vulnerable people in 2020 A record 168 million people worldwide will need help and protection in 2020, or roughly 1 in every 45 people on the planet, the UN’s top humanitarian official said on Wednesday. Mark Lowcock was speaking in Geneva, where the UN and its humanitarian partners...Read More

As the planet warms due to excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, a solution for drawing down that carbon — or at least a major part of it — lies silently below us. Soil organic matter — made of decomposing plant, animal and microbial tissue — is what distinguishes healthy, vibrant soil from just plain...Read More

The number of financial advisors investing a portion of assets according to environmental, social and governance criteria has increased substantially. Two years ago, 41% of top advisors polled by Ignites Research used ESG products or ESG ratings (or both). This year, that figure soared to 69% of advisors. There are two ways FAs can approach...Read More

The millennial appetite for social entrepreneurship isn’t simply youthful idealism, writes Russell Prior Young people today are growing up in an increasingly interconnected and borderless world. This lets them explore the world outside their own and connect to the problems that surround them. In recent months, we’ve seen the proliferation of networking groups, societies and advisory...Read More