Global Social Impact Fund (GSIF) is an open-ended private debt fund managed by Global Social Impact Investments (GSII). Launched in 2019 to provide financing for high impact companies in sub-Saharan Africa, the fund aims to contribute to solving the social problems of the most economically disadvantaged people.
Assessed by Open Value Foundation’s Impact Measurement and Management Team, GSII has been working since its creation to measure the social impact of its investments and to demonstrate that private investment and business talent can contribute to mitigating the causes of poverty, especially among those affected by a situation of great economic and social vulnerability. In the words of María Ángeles León, founder of both organisations, “It seemed crucial to us to convince traditional investors of the interest and usefulness of social investments using the tools and with the rigour to which they were used to”.
Today, the fund manager publishes its first impact report, which summarises the social performance of the investments made, in a year marked by the Covid19 pandemic. “With this impact report we have transformed into objective and measurable data the looks and smiles that fill us with joy, reflecting the positive impact generated for the employees, the customers or the suppliers of the companies in which we invest”.
The investment criteria of GSII’s first fund respond to the objective of improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people on the African continent, while generating an attractive financial return for the investor. GSIF invests in companies with solid financial prospects, high development potential, and a significant and measurable social impact, in sectors which contribute to providing the skills, knowledge or resources necessary to meet people’s basic needs with dignity.
“When your aim is to improve the livelihoods of people whose freedom is limited by the lack of access to decent livelihoods, measuring is not always easy, but we believe that what cannot be measured cannot be improved“. Below are highlighted some figures that reflect the impact generated by the companies and funds of GSIF’s portfolio:
- 7,362,065 people reached
- 1,811,349 clients served
- 35% more revenue on average for clients
- 12,501 jobs maintained
- 289 jobs created
The fund manager is also working to develop the ecosystem of organisations that offer a sustainable and profitable response to social problems. In 2020, the GSII team participated in 18 events and 2 publications, in addition to the 16 partnerships and collaborations generated with other players in the impact ecosystem.
For GSII, now is the time to focus on growing the impact investment funds already in place, incorporating more financially and socially strong companies into the portfolio, with growing revenues and profits, and with tangible results of positive social impact for people in vulnerable situations.
“Together and step by step, we will make the numbers in this report grow every year, proving with rigour and affection, that making the world a better place is possible”.
Download 2020 Impact Report
