Inclusion is a topic central to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In order to achieve the ambitious targets, it is essential for all people to become agents of change and contribute towards building a larger included society. Businesses, in particular, are crucial in creating innovative market-driven approaches that catalyze progress towards a future where no one is left behind.

IIX and the impact investing movement believes in creating a more inclusive world where financial systems, economic opportunities, and social good act as catalysts across geographies. To foster progress on this front and continue to be a thought leader, IIX has brought back its community-wide Impact Chat Series and congratulates its second cohort of international students from the IIX Impact Institute who recently completed their Executive Certificate Program.

Speakers of IIX Impact Chats are professionals and experts of international repute who come together to discuss impact investing and topics of social impact, finance, innovation, and inclusion featuring insights from the public, private and philanthropic sector. The first Impact Chat of 2017 took place on Thursday, June 8th at The Great Room downtown Singapore and discussed an extremely relevant and current topic – Business for Inclusion. The panel, moderated by IIX founder, Durreen Shahnaz, included Sophie Guerin, Head of Diversity & Inclusion for Asia Pacific & Japan at Dell, and Valerian Fauvel, CFO, Director, and Portfolio Manager at Insitor Impact Asia Fund.

Throughout the panel discussion, participants learned about what businesses and investors are doing to play a leading role in promoting inclusion in the workplace, marketplace, and society at large. As the moderator, Durreen Shahnaz, explained, “This is where the strength of this evening lies– for us to be talking about inclusion is one of the core components of our lives.”

Valerian Fauvel from Insitor Impact Asia Fund discussed how Insitor is helping promote inclusivity through business by investing in companies that enhance access and affordability of services such as energy to communities across the globe, while Sophie Guerin explained how Dell championing inclusion in its workplace and serves as a model for other companies.

“To drive gender inclusion and economic empowerment of women, it is essential that you engage both women AND men as champions.” Sophie expressed, “Through Dell’s Men Advocating Real Change program we have engaged our executives across the globe as champions for a more inclusive workplace and economy with tremendous success. In addition, by supporting organizations like IIX we are able to further enable the success of inspiring stakeholders driving inclusive economies in Asia and around the globe.”

At the close of the evening, students of the Spring 2017 IIX Impact Institute Executive Program took the stage to present a project focusing on women inclusion in financial markets before accepting their course certificates. As food for thought, the group opened the minds of audience to innovative approaches to inclusion as they presented on a bond they structured to create economic opportunity for Nepalese women victim to sex trafficking.

In bringing together key players across sectors, this successful Impact Chat is the true representation of how private sector is breaking barriers—creating opportunities and environment that promote gender equality and inclusiveness in innovative impactful ways.

 

Jocelyn Matyas
Business Development & Advocacy