As a long-time investor and connector in the gender lens investing space, I’m constantly asked about vehicles directing capital towards women, across all asset classes and sectors. What investment opportunities are there? Where are these investments targeted? What gaps still need to be filled?
Read MoreBelow are a selection of articles and columns Suzanne has published on gender-smart investing.
Here’s why climate and gender investors should collaborate→
/Environmental issues — that’s what I started with in impact investing 17 years ago — and they’re still as much a part of my investment thesis as gender equity. Yet even though I see the connections between gender and climate change/environment — between women and clean energy, and women and sustainable food, for example — I’ve often been split between them in terms of how I spend my time and resources.
Read MoreThinking differently about gender equality and finance→
/As part of a forthcoming panel at the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, i’ve been asked to think about how, as leaders, we can play our part in advancing gender equality. In a time of so much turbulence — economic, social, environmental, political, cultural, technological — there are opportunities for huge directional shifts, but we need a compass to keep us on course.
Read MoreRealizing the potential of women entrepreneurs in Africa→
/Gender lens investing is gaining traction with investors around the globe and Africa is no exception. In my role as senior gender lens investing advisor at the Wharton Social Impact Initiative, I got together with Isis Nyong’o Madison to reflect on discussions and lessons learned at Sankalp Africa Summit. The 2017 gathering of more than 1,000 investors, fund managers, entrepreneurs, and intermediaries focused on building inclusive economies. We thought we’d share some key takeaways for reducing barriers and improving the investment ecosystem.
Read MoreHarry Specters – A Chocolate and Social Finance Love Story→
/This is a story of love, autism, chocolate, and innovative social finance. Full disclosure – I’m an investor in this company and this is my first “chocolate bond” which I’m deliciously excited about.
Read MoreImpact investing: due diligence with a gender lens – or, Where the women and girls are
/I’ve been working on investing with a women and girls focus for a long time.
And my husband has been working on his running for a long time. He’s an ultra marathoner – a good one. He’s both a natural, and he works at it. What do these things have to do with each other? It’s about practising, training, working at it. And… personal bests.
Read MoreRoutes into impact investing: why we must embrace different motivations
/In the past few weeks, I have spent time in Africa and the UK working with entrepreneurs, charities, grantmakers and investors who want to make the world a better place. Something that is becoming clear to me is the need to talk about the different ways investors can be involved.
Read MoreGetting real on measurement: the role of the impact investor
/It’s been well over a decade now that I’ve been investing in growing businesses – and charities – tackling ingrained social and environmental challenges. I have some truly exciting companies in my portfolio, some of which have grown significantly in the last couple of years. It’s an honour to be part of their journey, and I am glad to offer my skills and experience when they need it (and sometimes when they think they don’t). But as an impact investor, I am very aware of the risks we run when we ask the entrepreneurs for too much, too early; it’s time to get real about the practicalities of impact measurement.
Read MoreNail it before you scale it - view from a seasoned impact investor
/As an angel investor, most of my impact investments are focused on earlier stage ventures looking to grow and scale both their business and their impact. It’s truly exciting to be a part of an entrepreneur’s growth and watch a business grow every year in orders of magnitude. More than ever in terms of businesses focused on impact, however, investors have a responsibility in helping to guide that growth sustainably.
Read MoreAn investor offers a challenge to wealth managers
/I was at the Skoll World Forum last week, which was a huge celebration of “social entrepreneurship” – celebrating entrepreneurs solving social challenges around the world. I was there with my investor and funder hat on – meeting entrepreneurs, hearing the stories of other individual and institutional investors and looking forward to creating more change by collaborating in how we invest our capital.
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