Thus, when one of the investors in IIX’s Women’s Livelihood Bond (WLB) sent me a note saying, “The market is crashing but WLB is up by 3.8%, thank you,” I had to smile and thank the women who received loans as a result of the WLB for making it a success even as they go about building their own livelihoods. For IIX, which was born out of the 2008 financial meltdown with a vision to radically transform financial markets for social good, I see this as a glimmer of hope that the lessons of 2008 weren’t all for nothing. READ MORE
Media
by Durreen Shahnaz, Founder and CEO of IIX
March 16, 2020
IIX was born out of the 2008 financial meltdown with a vision to radically transform financial markets for social good. Over a decade later, we are bracing for a new crisis in which we need to plan for the safety of our families and employees while again facing the prospect of another global financial and economic meltdown. So, what have we actually learned from 2008? And why are over 89% of our investors looking into impact investing at a time when the markets are in turmoil?
Sokkheng, who runs a village store in Cambodia with her husband, lacked confidence when it comes to choosing the best approach to reinvest in her business, potentially making her vulnerable to economic and financial risks.
Today, her prospects have markedly improved, thanks to the support of a microfinance institution with a history of promoting the well-being of rural society, backed by a loan from the world’s first financial product focused on women to be listed on a stock exchange; the product is called the Women’s Livelihood Bond Series (WLB Series) and has been launched by Impact Investment Exchange (IIX). READ MORE
In 2009, with the help of a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, Kraybill and Shahnaz created Impact Investment Exchange (IIX). They hoped to create an exchange dedicated to listing the stocks and bonds of, in Kraybill’s words, “mission-driven social enterprises” — businesses that are similarly dedicated to doing some kind of good as opposed to simply making money. It’s an idea that Kraybill admits is still “ahead of its time.” READ MORE
DBS Foundation, the first foundation in Singapore dedicated to championing social entrepreneurship, supports and funds numerous social enterprises that empower disadvantaged women and girls. DBS is a supporter of Impact Investment Exchange’s Women’s Livelihood Bond Series, which recently closed a second USD12 million bond to help create sustainable livelihoods for more than 250,000 underserved women in the region. READ MORE
Latham advised DBS, Standard Chartered, and ANZ on Impact Investment Exchange’s US$12 million Women’s Livelihood BondTM2 (WLB2)
Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) has successfully closed the US$12 million Women’s Livelihood BondTM 2 (WLB2), the Asia-Pacific’s second multi-country gender bond to be listed on a stock exchange (the Singapore Exchange), creating sustainable livelihoods for 250,000+ underserved women in the region.READ MORE
Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) launched its Women’s Livelihood Bond series in 2017 to help low-income women in Southeast Asia transition to sustainable livelihoods. Proceeds raised through the bond offering are invested in financial institutions and social enterprises supporting women.
IIX has floated both bonds on the Singapore Stock Exchange support liquidity for investors and provide “additional comfort to investors due to the added reporting requirements of a public exchange,” an IIX spokeswoman told ImpactAlpha. READ MORE
The Trailblazers in Impact Interview Series celebrates some of the partners we’ve worked with over the years in creating positive social and environmental impact.
In this edition, we speak with Founder and CEO of Karma Healthcare, Jagdeep Gambhir, who has been working with Impact Partners since 2017. In 2018, IIX successfully helped Karma Healthcare close a funding round led by 1Crowd and existing investors Ankur Capital, Beyond Capital Fund and Ennovent, and received support from organizations such as the Tata Trusts, UBS Optimus Foundation and WISH Foundation.
Karma Healthcare provides affordable, equitable and reliable healthcare services to the underserved rural population in India through a hub-and-spoke model that connects remote communities to doctors via real-time online video consultations. Since the inception of its first clinic in 2014, Karma healthcare has created a comprehensive ecosystem of clinical treatment, quality medicines and diagnostics at competitive rates. Prior to founding Karma Healthcare, Jagdeep worked as a program manager at various health initiatives and was an analyst at Goldman Sachs.
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The Trailblazers in Impact Interview Series celebrates some of the partners we’ve worked with over the years in creating positive social and environmental impact.
In this edition, we speak with Founder and CEO of Krakakoa, Sabrina Mustopo, who has been working with Impact Partners since 2016. In 2019, IIX invested in Krakakoa through its IIX Growth Fund, together with co-founder of SYSTEMIQ Jeremy Oppenheim and LIC VC.
Krakakoa is a bean-to-bar chocolate impact enterprise established in 2013 with the mission of improving the livelihoods of Indonesian smallholder cocoa farmers. It does this by buying directly from smallholder farmers with price premiums and promoting better farming techniques. Krakakoa also works with female factory workers to provide stable wages, while producing and distributing retail-ready premium chocolate bars and related products.
Prior to founding Krakakoa, Sabrina worked at McKinsey, with a focus on climate change and agriculture related topics.
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The Trailblazers in Impact Interview Series celebrates some of the partners we’ve worked with over the years in creating positive social and environmental impact.
In this edition, we speak with Founder and Managing Partner of Treïs Group Jérôme David. Treïs Group has previously invested in high impact enterprises through Impact Partners such as SolarHome, a Pay-As-You-Go (“PAYG”) Solar for off-grid households in Southeast Asia.
In 2008, Jérôme David founded Treïs Group, an investment firm that provides advisory and management services to investors aligned with ESG principles. Prior to this, Jérôme amassed a wealth of experience in general management and marketing at United Technologies.
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