Impact investors play a critical role in international efforts to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Investing with integrity, by integrating high standards of anti-corruption, is integral for investors to meet their development objectives.
Yet, business integrity considerations remain peripheral to discussions about shaping standards for responsible investing.
A new report by Transparency International UK, supported by British International Investment, ‘Investing with integrity’, explores the links between business integrity considerations and development impact outcomes.
The initiative was supported by British International Investment to consider further how our business integrity risk management work supports our development impact mandate.
It’s the first comprehensive guide for impact investors seeking to embed the anti-corruption element of business integrity in their work.
Based on more than 50 interviews with stakeholders – from impact investors to asset owners to investees – the report explores the realities of implementing business integrity principles in impact investing, illustrates challenges that may arise and provides guidance on how to best respond.
The report’s recommendations for impact investors include:
1. Consider business integrity as central to a development mandate, not just a compliance issue
2. Be proactive in detecting and mitigating risk, to become leaders in business integrity
3. Coordinate business integrity and environment, social and governance activities
4. Recognise that high levels of transparency should be the norm
5. Collaborate on a sector level to raise standards and encourage good practice
You can read the full report here
You can read the press release from Transparency International UK here
You can find out more about our report launch event here
