#63 Amit Bouri: Founding the GIIN, embracing risk, and activating impact investors in a crisis

My guest today is Amit Bouri, he was one of the founders of the Global Impact Investment Network (known as the GIIN) back in 2009. Today, he’s the CEO, and he not only manages this key global institution, but he’s also steered the global direction of the field of impact investment.

This was a radical new concept a mere ten years ago, the idea of investors measuring their social impact as closely as they measure their profits. But today, it’s prolific. Growth is strong, and its proven that it can, not only, survive a downturn, but also contribute to the rebuilding.

Good Future · Amit Bouri: Founding the GIIN, embracing risk, and activating impact investors in a crisis

On this episode…

We discussed how the GIIN activated its network of investors to accelerate their deployment of capital amid covid, to get it where it was needed most. We also discussed the evolution of the concept of investing for impact, from its early days, and into the future.

Amit explained the origins of the R3 Coalition, and Imperative 21, two very different groups that are focussed on reshaping the purpose of business and finance in our society.

My key takeaway this week…

Within the concept of impact investing we tend to focus on the technical elements of collecting and measuring data, and of neatly allocating capital. This may work on a spreadsheet, but to have real impact, we need to go further. We need to move from the office to the field, to speak to beneficiaries, and to listen. To understand what people need and what’s holding them back; and if possible, to use capital as a means to solve a problem, rather than seeing capital accumulation as the goal in itself.

Good Future’s Good Books

No mud no lotus

By: Thich Nhat Hanh

“He’s Buddhist and the book talks about how we need to have a more holistic view of things, you need the mud to grow the lotus, and about the interconnectedness of systems. And our fundamental conditions. I’ve looked at the book many times over the years, but now, amid the many crisis of this year, they’re a results in some ways due to our connectedness. But if we can lean into our unity, we can get out of it, and build resilience. Which is why I enjoy working for a network. It’s a great bit of perspective, to help us focus on the long view.”