Aspen Institute Showcased New Book on Impact Investing

RENEW team members Kathleen DeLaHoussaye and Emily Ziethen attended an event for the recently released book titled, 'The Impact Investor: Lessons in Leadership and Strategy for Collaborative Capitalism', authored by Cathy Clark, Jed Emerson and Ben Thornley. The discussion was hosted by the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, commonly known as ANDE, which is a part of the Aspen Institute. ANDE is “a global network of more than 200 organizations that propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets.”*

Kathleen and Emily found the discussion surrounding the book and the field of impact investment to be interesting and compelling. According to the authors, this book serves as a hands-on resource that is both informative and practical by presenting investment strategies, providing case studies and teaching important lessons that will ultimately contribute towards the reader’s success in creating “mission-driven returns.”

The research for this book drew on the practices and results of 30 different funds, firms and organizations in the field of impact investment that have historical data and a proven track record of meeting expectations and providing returns. The authors were then able to pull out trends, commonalities and conclusions from the data, which in turn empirically supports the opinion that all members of the impact community share; social entrepreneurship can be a successful means through which individuals can help lift a developing nation out of poverty, while providing financial returns.

Ultimately, the beliefs and best practices presented in this book align with RENEW’s beliefs about impact investing. RENEW strives to engage its investors, practice exceptional financial discipline and due diligence, and ultimately provide an unforgettable experience that will hopefully inspire a movement across generations so that one day every individual will invest in impact.