Abstract
Impact investing refers to the practice of investing with a dual objective: generating positive social and/or environmental impact while also achieving a financial return.1 Impact investments are often characterized by (i) the pursuit of an identified social and/or environmental impact, often with the view of benefiting an under-served or excluded segment of the population, (ii) the measure of the impact post-investment to be able to track progress, (iii) a longer term approach to the investment cycle (impact investing is also sometimes described as “patient capital”), and (iv) an innovative approach to structuring investments (impact investing is often considered part of a broader “innovative finance” field). Although there is still much debate around terms and definitions, the concept has gained considerable traction in recent years and moved to the centre stage of the discussion on how to tackle some of our most pressing challenges with limited, sometimes decreasing, resources.2
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Notes
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) (July 2013). Global Asset Management 2013: Capitalizing on the Recovery and Preqin (February 2014). 2014 Preqin Global Private Equity Report.
World Economic Forum (October 2011). Arab World Competitiveness Report 2011–2012.
World Bank (2004).Unlocking the Employment Potential in the Middle East and North Africa: Toward a New Social Contract.
World Bank (April 2010). Middle East and North Africa: Women in the Workforce.
See McKinsey & Company (May 2013). SME Banking Opportunity in MENA.
Population Reference Bureau (April 2007). Youth in the Middle East and North Africa: Demographic Opportunity or Challenge?
World Economic Forum (September 2013). From the Margins to the Mainstream Assessment of the Impact Investment Sector and Opportunities to Engage Mainstream Investors.
World Economic Forum (September 2013). From the Margins to the Mainstream Assessment of the Impact Investment Sector and Opportunities to Engage Mainstream Investors.
See HM Government (February 2011). Growing the Social Investment Market and Social Enterprise UK (June 2013), available at http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/news/the-social-apprentice-campaign-launched.
See HM Government (June 2013). Growing the Social Investment Market, 2013 Progress Update and see SIB Group Press Release (April 2014). World-leading Fund Helps Charities and Social Enterprises Win Multi-Million Pound Deals.
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© 2015 Ali El Idrissi
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Idrissi, A.E. (2015). From Necessity to Opportunity: The Case for Impact Investing in the Arab World. In: Jamali, D., Lanteri, A. (eds) Social Entrepreneurship in the Middle East. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137395368_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137395368_9
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
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