Finnfund blog
Finnfund blog consists of articles by our experts and guest stars on various themes around development finance, developing countries and sustainable investing aiming to find solutions to global challenges.
Capturing adaptation opportunities
By Anne Arvola and Juho Uusihakala, Finnfund; Mikko Halonen, Gaia Consulting Oy; and Linda Rosengren, Natural Resources Institute Finland The article has originally been published in The catalytic effects of DFI investment – gender equality, climate action and the harmonisation of impact standards by ODI. Abstract The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) definition of climate adaptation highlights […]
Read moreAugust 13, 2021
Discovering outcomes in gender-lens investing
By Juho Uusihakala, Finnfund; Ilona Mooney, Work Ahead; and Nilah Mitchell, 60 Decibels The article has originally been published in The catalytic effects of DFI investment – gender equality, climate action and the harmonisation of impact standards by ODI. Abstract Gender-lens investing has quickly become a priority for many development finance institutions (DFIs). The 2X […]
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Thoughts left by 2020, part 1: Global thinking becomes more relevant after the pandemic
The year 2020 not only marked our lives forever, but it also made us think about our current living habits and how sustainable is our life on this planet. More than a year ago, back in February 2020, I was not aware that my last “in person” monitoring mission for 2020 was taking place at that precise moment. I was leaving […]
Read moreMay 6, 2021
The great digital divide – investing in access, inclusivity, and equality
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a new wave of technological enthusiasm. Businesses and policymakers are imagining the post-COVID world where physical location, thanks to digital connectivity, loses importance. Surely, if this is the case, then we could solve some of the most complex issues of our time? A teacher in Finland could educate […]
Read moreApril 15, 2021
Digitalisation, healthcare and climate risk are key topics in inclusive insurance
Last year, Finnfund made its first investment in the insurance sector by providing a USD 7.5 million loan to Softlogic Life Insurance PLC in Sri Lanka. I remember participating the onsite Due Diligence the last week of February 2020 very well, as it turned out to be my last business trip for a while. The […]
Read moreApril 9, 2021
Managing environmental and social risks is a key part of impact investing
There is a lot of buzz about sustainable finance, responsible investment, sustainable investment, ESG investing, impact investing and environmental and social impacts of investments. All this is diverse terminology aimed at communicating the positive changes and developments an investment can have. Depending on the perspective, slightly different things are meant by the different terms. As […]
Read moreFebruary 25, 2021
Searching for a meaningful job attracts job seekers to impact investing
Lately, I have encountered many news and studies about the growing trend of people, especially the younger generation, wanting to have a meaningful job and how many organisations put a lot of effort into helping their employees fully understand the importance of their work. As an HR manager, I have read hundreds of job applications […]
Read moreFebruary 2, 2021
Seeking significant positive impacts in addition to financial return
OP Finnfund Global Impact Fund I is the first global emerging markets impact fund in Finland. The fund targets significant positive impacts on, for instance, climate change, food security, gender equality and the availability of financing. As someone who has been keeping a close eye on the global impact investment market, I foresee substantial growth […]
Read moreJanuary 27, 2021
The fascinating (and long) journey of our human rights approach
Building a human rights due diligence approach for a development financier like Finnfund is a long and fascinating journey. It’s not only about building systems and developing processes but about building people and changing the thinking. It has also been a journey for me. This blog is not about me, but given that I have […]
Read moreJanuary 22, 2021