Investing for Good is a left-of-center consultancy based in the United Kingdom that promotes “impact investing” among nonprofit organizations such as charities, private foundations, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The organization consults with mostly UK-based organizations to advise them on leveraging their portfolios to make investments benefiting left-of-center social and economic priorities such as environmentalism. The firm also provides consulting services to government agencies in the UK and elsewhere.

The group directs investment from its clients to organizations and companies in sectors including “women’s healthcare and reproductive rights, independent media and affordable workspaces for artists in densely populated cities.” Clients of the group include the World YMCA, the Media Development Investment Fund, and the Nonprofit Finance Fund. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Investing for Good was founded in 2004 to promote impact investing, which the firm describes as directing funds from a variety of sectors to provide unrestricted funding to companies, advocacy organizations, and nonprofits. The group promotes impact investing over the traditional investment of an organization’s assets in stocks and bonds in order to maximize revenue. Investments that the firm facilitates target issues defined by the group as “education, gender equality, economic development, health, human rights and poverty.” ^{4 5}

The firm cites a need for impact investing because “Capitalism has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years” and that since “boundaries have become blurred between governments, global bodies, financial institutions and social enterprises” that “The idea that a firm exists to primarily to maximise the welfare of its owners, the shareholders, is now outdated.” ⁶

Activities

An early project of Investing for Good was to develop the first market for charity bonds for UK disability assistance organizations Scope and Thera, which led to the first bond issue to be listed on an established stock exchange. ⁷

In 2008, the firm established a research arm to promote research concerning impact analysis and to publish research promoting impact investing, alleging that it can be as successful as traditional investment strategies. The group then developed a “unique methodology” which it published in the Good Analyst in 2012 and the Good Investor in 2014, that compiled best practices in impact investing, including measuring the social impact of investments. ⁸

The firm also highly prioritizes investments aligned with left-of-center environmental stances and shared a 2022 UK High Court ruling that allowed trustees of organizations to exclude investments in sectors such as the energy industry for “climate change factors” even if it meant making lower returns. In response to the ruling, the group thanked the plaintiffs of the case on Twitter for their “endeavours to ensure that charity trustees don’t have to prioritise profit at all costs.” ^{9 10}

Leadership

Geoff Burnand co-founded Investing for Good in 2004 and was listed as the firm’s head of partnerships in 2023. He previously worked for the Institute for Philanthropy, Charities Aid Foundation, Charity Bank, and the Social Investment Business. He also was a director of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association. ¹¹

The board of the firm includes individuals affiliated with companies including the law firm Clifford Chance, the Innovation Foundation, PwC, and the Global Innovation Fund. ¹²

Partnerships

Organizations listed as partners of Investing for Good include Convergence, Brightlight, Herbert Smith Freehills, Diversity Forum, Scaling Frontier Foundation, and the Council for Inclusive Capitalism. ¹³

Clients

Clients of Investing for Good Include World YMCA, LaSalle Investment Management, City Bridge Trust, the Nonprofit Finance Fund, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Charity Bank, and the Maine Community Foundation. ¹⁴

1. “Our Clients.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/our-clients
2. “Our Story.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/our-story
3. Ricketts, Andy. “Charities can make climate-friendly investments even if it means lower returns, High Court rules.” ThirdSector. May 3, 2022. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charities-climate-friendly-investments-even-means-lower-returns-high-court-rules/finance/article/1754539
4. “Our Story.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/our-story
5. “Why Social Investment.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/why-social-investment
6. ^[1] “Why Social Investment.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/why-social-investment
7. “Our Story.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/our-story
8. “Our Story.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/our-story
9. Ricketts, Andy. “Charities can make climate-friendly investments even if it means lower returns, High Court rules.” ThirdSector. May 3, 2022. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charities-climate-friendly-investments-even-means-lower-returns-high-court-rules/finance/article/1754539
10. “Investing for Good.” Twitter post. May 4, 2022. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://twitter.com/Investing4Good/status/1521770358466134016
11. “Geoff Burnand.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/geoff-burnand-1
12. “Our Board.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023.  https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/our-board
13. “Our Partners.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/our-partners
14. “Our Clients.” Investing for Good. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.investingforgood.co.uk/our-clients