Social and environmental value-creation is contagious and spreading — ImpactAlpha, May 30 — Impact investing is a wedge issue. That’s not to say it’s a hot-button that pols will press in this year’s mid-terms. Nor does it split us neatly into blue or red, left or right. Rather, the act of driving capital toward explicit, accountable social and environmental…

In search of a theory of system-change — ImpactAlpha, May 24 — Several years ago, when I was just starting ImpactAlpha, I was summoned to a meeting with the éminence grise of social entrepreneurship, Bill Drayton. As a reporter, I had known him for years; a lunch with Bill was always a bounty of insight and optimism. …

Right now, unwarranted pessimism is the bigger risk — ImpactAlpha, May 17 — National and international news got you down? Take a break from You-Know-Who and consider that growth in clean-energy generating capacity continues to blow through even the most optimistic forecasts of a few years ago. If falling costs and improving technology aren’t enough to convince you that…

Is this any way to run a capital market? — ImpactAlpha, May 10 — Not long ago, I decided to change my leaky kitchen faucet myself. How hard could it be? I turned the water off and was deep into the job when I realized that, between the sink and the wall, it was impossible to loosen the old faucet. …

Big new private-equity funds are on the hook to deliver impact outperformance — ImpactAlpha, May 3 — The era of impact-washing is over. That statement may seem premature, given the daily announcements from big banks and investment firms of green-finance commitments, sustainable and impact funds and change-the-world startups. Yes, there will be a long tail of overinflated rhetoric, underdeveloped measurement and deals with…

A raft of innovative social-impact and environmental financing vehicles are emerging from labs, incubators and startup funds — By finding inventive ways to make social inclusion and environmental regeneration pay, innovative financing models are “internalizing positive externalities.” Too wonky? Just say “impact alpha.” In Indonesia, for example, the Tropical Landscapes Finance Facility has issued a $95 million bond that will pay for wildlife-friendly, socially inclusive and climate-sensitive…

Kresge Foundation and LISC argue for community plans that support jobs, entrepreneurship, education, health and safety — Wednesday’s deadline for identifying such zones under a provision of last year’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act forced tough choices. States were able to choose no more than one-quarter of their low-income neighborhoods for investments that will let investors defer and reduce capital gains taxes.

Among the benefits: Access to non-financial data, benchmarking against best practices, performance measurement over time — More than 2,400 companies have been certified as “B Corps,” giving them a handy way to demonstrate their adherence to social and environmental performance and accountability standards. Do investors care? A new report from the Yale School of Management, “Just Good Business,” suggests they should. Among the reported benefits: Access…

Dutch and Nordic pension funds take the lead in ‘SDG investing’ at 4th Impact Summit Europe — All Sophie Robé wants is 5%. Out of the €11 trillion (US$13.6 trillion) expected to be represented at the 4th Impact Summit Europe this week in The Hague, that could be real money to meet the global Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. By organizing the event, Robé, the founder of…