responsAbility included in industry’s first publicly available resource of impact investing fund managers

Zurich, Bethesda, 25 February 2020 — Swiss impact asset manager responsAbility Investments is part of ImpactAssets 50 2020 (IA 50), a publicly available, online database for impact investors, family offices, financial advisors and institutional investors that features a diversified listing of private capital fund managers that deliver social and environmental impact as well as financial returns. The ninth annual IA 50 was released today.

“With record applicants and assets under management, the IA 50 continues to reflect the rapid growth and interest in impact investing,” said Jed Emerson, ImpactAssets Senior Fellow, and IA 50 Review Committee Chair. “This year’s showcase includes eleven impact funds with more than USD 1 bn in assets under management. And to ensure we’re capturing the best future ideas, we’ve added emerging impact managers, who have the hunger, creativity and a willingness to explore alternatives that more seasoned fund managers may not.” 

The IA 50 2020 saw a record number of private debt and equity fund manager applications. Managers who met the IA 50’s in-depth review criteria manage an estimated USD 39.8 bn in assets devoted to creating measurable, positive impact, up from USD 26.9 bn in 2019. 

The IA 50 Review Committee is comprised of an expanded group of 14 impact investment experts and leaders. Sandra Osborne Kartt, CFA, Director, Investments, ImpactAssets and Jennifer Kenning, CEO and Co-Founder of Align Impact and IA 50 Senior Investment Advisor, led the ImpactAssets and Align Impact Investment teams in the application scoring and analysis process. 

“The IA 50 is a proven and trusted way for investors to start exploring a subset of managers that are already working in this area and determining what interesting impact investments an investor can make today,” said Osborne Kartt. “We are excited by growing investor appetite as well as the diverse array of impact themes and strategies represented by this year’s list.”

About responsAbility Investments

A leading impact asset manager with a 17-year track record, responsAbility manages USD 3.5 bn of assets invested in 450 ESG-managed high-impact companies across 90 emerging economies. Since the company's inception in 2003, responsAbility-managed funds have disbursed USD 10 bn in private debt and private equity to companies in the sectors of climate finance, sustainable food and financial inclusion whose business models directly support the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

responsAbility is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and has local offices in Bangkok, Geneva, Hong Kong, Lima, Mumbai, Nairobi, Oslo, Paris and Tbilisi. Owned by various reputable Swiss and international financial institutions, private investors and its own employees, responsAbility is registered with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA.

About the ImpactAssets 50

The IA 50 is the first publicly available database that provides a gateway into the world of impact investing for investors and their financial advisors, offering an easy way to identify experienced impact investment firms and explore the landscape of potential investment options. The IA 50 is intended to illustrate the breadth of impact investment fund managers operating today, though it is not a comprehensive list.  Firms have been selected to demonstrate a wide range of impact investing activities across geographies, sectors and asset classes.

The IA 50 is not an index or investable platform and does not constitute an offering or recommend specific products. It is not a replacement for due diligence. In order to be considered for the IA 50 2020, fund managers needed to have at least $25 million in assets under management, more than 3 years of experience as a firm with impact investing, documented social and/or environmental impact and be available for US investment. Additional details on the selection process are here.

The IA 50 Emerging Impact Manager list is intended to spotlight newer fund managers that may demonstrate future potential to create meaningful impact. Criteria such as minimum track record or minimum assets under management may not be applicable.

About ImpactAssets

ImpactAssets is a nonprofit financial services firm that increases the flow of capital into investments delivering financial, social and environmental returns. ImpactAssets’ $1.1 billion Donor Advised Fund and field-building initiatives enable philanthropists, other asset owners and their wealth advisors to advance social or environmental change through impact investment and philanthropy.