13 May 2024
As an impact-led and inclusive investor, promoting gender balance and diversity is central to our investing approach. We aim to ensure that our investments benefit all sections of society.
Broadening the representation and participation of women and diverse groups in business leadership and decision-making is critical to economic development. It is also vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5: Gender Equality.
Our commitment to women’s economic empowerment and broader diversity outcomes is outlined in our Gender and Diversity Finance Position Statement.
Our approach to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment
Around the world, including in countries where we invest, women’s economic participation is limited by the discrimination and unequal opportunities they face. We are committed to using our role as an investor to help close the gaps between men and women, and to demonstrate the social and economic value of investing in women to the wider investment industry.
We focus on women’s role as leaders, employees, entrepreneurs, suppliers, customers and community members. By identifying ‘gender-smart interventions’, we deliver social and economic value to the companies and markets we invest in. We aim to make a difference to women’s lives. Whether that’s backing businesses that channel funding to female entrepreneurs, or partnering with companies to improve opportunities for women in their workforce.
Between 2022-2026, we have set a target for 25 per cent of all new investments to qualify under the 2X Challenge, the initiative to shift more capital towards investments that empower women. We’re proud to be a founder of the 2X Challenge. Since its launch in 2018, it has mobilised more than $33.6 billion to advance women’s economic empowerment.
In 2024 we published Closing the gap: Lessons from six years of investing in women, which highlights the key achievements and lessons in our journey so far.
For tools and resources on gender-smart investing, diversity and inclusion, visit our Gender Finance Toolkit. In it you’ll find our Fund Manager’s Guide to Gender-smart Investing, our Gender Bonds Toolkit and much more.
Our approach to supporting Black-owned and led businesses
As a long-term partner to businesses in sub-Saharan Africa, we acknowledge the barriers and inequities that Black owners and leaders continue to face when accessing capital compared with other ethnicities operating businesses in the region.
We are committed to promoting equity in our portfolio and the markets we invest in. We have an ambition to increase the number of Black-owned and -led businesses in our sub-Saharan Africa portfolio over the course of our current strategy period (2022-26).
Our long track record of investing in Africa gives us the ability to recognise talent and potential. We are working closely with Black-owned and -led businesses to understand their funding needs in depth and to design flexible capital solutions that reflect their specific requirements.
We intend to use our experience and lessons learnt from shaping and championing gender-lens investing to expand our approach to gender and diversity finance. Our support of Black-owned and- led businesses presents an opportunity to enhance indigenous and local representation in our investments, and to influence broader capital markets to deliver more equitable and inclusive economic development.
