The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) report, “Quantification Matters – How To Mobilize Finance For Social Impact”, first released in September 2016, demonstrates how impact and financial value go hand in hand. The private sector can be a central actor for positive social impact, transforming global problems into opportunities. The report suggests that more clearly communicating the business case of these opportunities is the key to mobilizing finance.
Key findings suggest that:- mainstream finance mechanisms are more powerful in creating social impact at scale than a separate asset class (for example, social impact bonds); it is a myth that social impact bonds are a panacea in that their risk/return profile makes them unviable for traditional investors; and to achieve viable and scalable social impact, companies need to mobilize support from institutional investors.