Businesses can be good at solving some of the world’s most significant challenges - from financial inequality, access to education and healthcare, to gender equality and climate change. Technology has the power and potential to address our global social & environmental challenges in a scalable and efficient way. We believe in the power of technology innovation as a game changer to deliver impact.
When referring to “impact” we use the UN Sustainable Development Goals as our guidelines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iIh5YYDR2o&feature=youtu.be
Source: TED - Michael Porter
The way we define impact portfolio companies is that the companies not only act to avoid harm but also generate one or more significant effect(s) on positive outcomes for otherwise underserved communities and/or the planet.
We categorize impact companies as either “Impact Natives” or “Impact Migrants”. Companies creating a product that can have a positive impact on society or the environment are sometimes “born” out of the social or environmental need, addressing a clear challenge that is weaved into their DNA. These companies are “impact natives” and, although mostly need some guidance to make their impact measurable and sustainable, have a clear impact roadmap. “Impact migrants”, however, are companies that have an embedded solution to a social or environmental challenge, however never tied that into how they built their company and targets. By working on an “impact migration” process together, we can bring the company to become an “impact native” by identifying its stakeholders and connecting their product outcomes to relevant SDG indicators.
<aside> <img src="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/9099153a-1832-4693-a34c-1af5fb0f85dc/fbc7a0e2-f53c-478b-aa54-c4087613b67a/I53wxU-c_400x400.jpg" alt="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/9099153a-1832-4693-a34c-1af5fb0f85dc/fbc7a0e2-f53c-478b-aa54-c4087613b67a/I53wxU-c_400x400.jpg" width="40px" /> Impact is a change in an outcome caused by an organization. An impact can be positive or negative, intended or unintended. An outcome is the level of well-being experienced by a group of people, or the condition of the natural environment, as a result of an event or action. Impact management is the process of identifying the positive and negative impacts that an enterprise has on people and the planet, and then reducing the negative and increasing the positive. This is very often linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all." The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly (UN-GA) and are intended to be achieved by 2030.
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