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The critical role of development finance institutions (DFIs) in helping to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is well documented[1]. As a DFI, FinDev Canada’s mission is impact-driven as we seek to deploy and mobilize capital to promote inclusive private sector growth through market development and job creation in our target regions. Now, how do we actually ensure that our development impact targets are met, not only today, but throughout the life of our investment and beyond?

When asked which medal they would like to win after a competition, most people would probably choose gold. Fair enough, but at times, for instance at the beginning of an athlete’s career, it might be better to receive a silver medal because it recognizes achievement while pointing to growth and improvement ahead.

That’s how we at FinDev Canada are looking at an independent analysis just completed that examined our Development Impact Framework. It looked at how closely our policies and practices under the Framework align with the global Operating Principles for Impact Management.

Before the pandemic struck, many African countries had been enjoying above average economic growth fuelled by higher commodity prices, better governance, a rising middle class, and foreign and domestic private sector investment responding to the huge potential in Africa’s increasingly better educated and dynamic youth. Underpinning much of that growth was the digital revolution that swept the continent in the past decade. By leapfrogging traditional communications technologies, Africans began to experience the benefits of a digital economy.

These days, you can’t talk about finance and investing without someone bringing up non-financial concerns, but when we dive a bit deeper into this discussion, the curious reader can become confused by the seemingly interchangeable use of terms such as impact, ESG, socially responsible, and green investing to describe securities, bonds and investments strategies.

On March 22, 2021, FinDev Canada joined more than 100 leading financial institutions that are already part of PCAF and committed to measure and disclose the GHG emissions associated with our loans and investments.

The glossary was designed as a collective tool to foster conversations around gender and to provide a common vocabulary for gender-related issues