Antigen? Antibody? P.C.R. ? Understand Coronavirus Tests.

Reprinted with the courtesy of the New York Times. All rights reserved.

By Tariro Mzezewa

 

Antigen? Antibody? P.C.R. ? Understand Coronavirus Tests.

For travelers, here’s what you need to know to assure yourself and others that you aren’t spreading the virus.


For those who must travel, or those who are itching to do so, airlines and airports are increasingly offering ways to get tested for the coronavirus ahead of a trip. Taking a test can assure you and others that you aren’t spreading the virus from one place to another. In recent weeks, destinations including Hawaii, New York, Washington, D.C., and some Caribbean countries began allowing people who have tested negative for the virus and can show test results to skip mandatory 14-day quarantines, a process that some view as risky because it is possible that people can take a test, receive a negative result and then contract the virus later.

 

Are all coronavirus tests the same?

No. There are two categories of coronavirus test: virus test, which help determine if you have the coronavirus, and antibody tests, which detect if you have an immune response because of past exposure to the virus. If you want to find out if you currently have the coronavirus, you should plan on taking a virus test like a polymerase chain reaction or P.C.R., test. P.C.R. tests are currently considered the gold standard for tests because of their accuracy and reliability. These tests can detect an active infection and require a swab in the nose or back of the throat. Some tests use saliva. The test is highly sensitive and looks for the virus’s genetic material.

Another type of diagnostic test is an antigen test, which detects the presence of a specific viral antigen or bits of coronavirus proteins, implying current viral infection. For antigen tests, a sample is collected by nasal swabbing with hopes that there are some virus proteins in the sample. You’ve probably heard of antibody tests, too, but those aren’t what you need in order to travel. An antibody test checks for antibodies, which may tell you if you had a past infection with the virus that causes Covid-10.

 

Are rapid tests reliable?

Many companies have released rapid tests, which are mostly antigen tests and take minutes to return results. These tests tend to be less accurate, and false negatives could lead people to be reckless and unwittingly spread the virus, but they are fast and affordable. You can check if your airline and destination accept results from rapid antigen tests.

 

How do I know which test to take?

Most airlines and destinations will accept P.C.R. tests, although others might also be allowed. If you’re taking a test specifically because you are about to travel, you should first see if your destination has a list of tests that it will accept. Many places including Hawaii, Washington, D.C., New York, and a number of Caribbean countries specify which tests they will accept. If you get a test that isn’t approved, you could be forced to quarantine upon arrival, or the airline could prevent you from boarding the flight.

 

Where do I get a test?

Many places are offering coronavirus tests, including some hospitals, urgent care clinics, pharmacies, and doctors’ offices. Some churches and fire stations are offering testing, too. Airlines like Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, and American Airlines are offering testing at the airport or at nearby drive-through sites for passengers heading to certain destinations. Some airports have clinics in terminals. Companies including CareCube and Pixel by LabCorp will mail a test to you; after you send back a sample, they promise to send your results within 12 to 34 hours and 36 hours, respectively. JetBlue has a partnership with Vault Health for mail-in tests. It’s a good idea to start by reaching out to your doctor’s office to see what all the available options for testing are and how long it will take to get results. If you don’t have a primary care provider, a good place to start is on city and state health department websites, which outline the various testing options and locations.

 

I have a trip coming up. When should I take my test?

You should get a coronavirus test before you travel. Figuring out the exact time can be tricky, but you can’t wait too long to take the test because you might not get the results back in time to go on your trip. For those reason, many destinations, including France, Aruba, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii require that the test be taken within 72 hours of departure. Abu Dhabi and Croatia require test results within 48 hours of departure. Some airlines, like Egypt Air, allow travelers to use results from a test taken up to 96 hours before travelling, depending on where they are travelling from and to. You can walt into a testing site, but it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment and to not wait until the last minute to get the test.

 

How long does it take to get test results back?

It depends. If you’re taking a test because you’re getting ready to go on a trip, you should look for test providers who will get results back to you with 36 hours so that you have your results by the time you leave for your trip. Keep in mind that different tests will come with different wait times for results. Rapid tests typically return results in less than an hour, and results from P.C.R. tests tend to take a few days because samples have to be sent to a lab. There’s always a chance that your results won’t arrive in time, so try to be flexible with your travel plans.

 

Does insurance cover coronavirus tests?

Not all tests are covered by insurance, but since the passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in March, many people should have coverage for coronavirus testing. Under the act, public and private insurance, including self-funded plans, have to cover F.D.A. -approved coronavirus tests and costs associated with diagnostic testing. Rapid tests like the ones offered at the airport on the day of travel might not be covered by many insurance companies.

 

What should I do if I test positive for the virus?

Stay home and isolate. Don’t travel with the virus.


DISCLAIMER

The statements and opinions expressed in this article are those of the New York Times. The information contained in this article is distributed for informational purposes only. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. TriLinc cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any statements or data. The information contained in this article is accurate as of the date submitted but is subject to change.

2019 TGSIF Sustainability & Impact Report

The TriLinc Global Sustainable Income Fund 2019 Sustainability & Impact Report provides an overview of investment activity from September 2017 to December 2019 (the “Reporting Period”), and offers evidence through numerous case studies as to how TGSIF’s small and medium enterprise (“SME”) borrower companies are helping to contribute to the economic, social, and environmental well-being of their communities.

 

To download a copy of the report, please click here.

2019 TGIF Sustainability & Impact Report

The TriLinc Global Impact Fund 2019 Sustainability & Impact Report provides an overview of investment activity from June 2013 to December 2019 (the “Reporting Period”), and offers evidence through numerous case studies as to how TGIF’s small and medium enterprise (“SME”) borrower companies are helping to contribute to the economic, social, and environmental well-being of their communities.

 

To download a copy of the report, please click here.

GIIN Releases New Report: The State of Impact Measurement and Management Practice

The Global Impact Investing Network has just published the Second Edition of The State of Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) Practice. Based on data from 278 impact investors, it provides the most comprehensive view of how impact investors measure their social and environmental impact. It also analyzes trends and changes in IMM practice over the past two years, looking at data from 109 two-year repeat respondents. The report indicates that impact investors universally agree on the importance of measuring and managing their impact as an industry imperative and are growing increasingly sophisticated at IMM, shifting their focus towards driving greater impact results.

Learn about the state of IMM practice here.

 

About the GIIN

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) is the global champion of impact investing, dedicated to increasing its scale and effectiveness around the world. Impact investments are investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets and target a range of returns from below market to market rate, depending upon the circumstances. The GIIN builds critical infrastructure and supports activities, education, and research that help accelerate the development of a coherent impact investing industry. For more information, please visit https://thegiin.org/.


DISCLAIMER

The information contained in this report is distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. TriLinc cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any statements or data. The information contained in this report is accurate as of the data submitted but is subject to change.

How To Invest In Companies That Pay Employees Well, Clean Up The Environment, And Care About The Future

The following article was originally published by Dustin Clendenen on the Business Insider website. Click here to view.


  • The impact investing market has grown to over $500 billion, making it a mainstream way to diversify your investment portfolio.
  • Many companies have sprouted up in the past decade focusing solely on impact investing, such as TriLinc Global, CleanFund, and SustainVC.
  • However, mainstream legacy brokers like E*TRADE, Charles Schwab, and even BlackRock have taken up the torch to offer their own impact investing solutions.
  • Wealthsimple and Ellevest are two robo-advisers that can help you get started in impact investing »

Money is speech. On some level you know this. It’s why the meme, “Shut up and take my money” resonates with so many people. The phrase is a way of saying you love something — and you eagerly relinquish your cash in reverence.

Wall Street makes a statement about its values every time it invests in companies that focus more on the bottom line than they do on human rights or sustainability.

But consumers are becoming more and more interested in socially conscious businesses — businesses that pay employees well, don’t pollute and even actively clean up the environment, and that operate with a sustainable future in mind. And more and more, the financial sector is starting to care as well.

 

What is impact investing?

Donating to charity isn’t the only way your money can make the world a better place. According to the Global Impact Investing Networkimpact investments are “investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.” By the end of 2018, the global market for impact investing had grown to over $500 billion.

When you invest for impact, it means you buy shares in a company that’s designed to have a positive effect on society.

These companies have a “double bottom line,” focused both on turning a financial profit and making a measurable, positive impact on a social need in the process. This could be through generating renewable energy, making only eco-friendly and sustainably produced products, or financially empowering workers in emerging economies.

Social impact companies are incredibly diverse. Thrive Market, an e-commerce site focused entirely on organic and sustainable groceries, falls into the social impact category, but so does Watsi, an app for crowdfunding healthcare, and The Ocean Cleanup, an enterprise dedicated to developing techniques and technology that can rid the ocean of plastic waste.

Impact investing is still an emerging field with kinks being worked out by the industry, but so far, the majority of returns (both financially and socially) on these investments meet or exceed investor expectations. In other words, it’s safe and profitable for you to invest in social impact.

 

How to get started with impact investing

If you’re even researching how to get involved in impact investing, you probably already know what causes you want to fight for and what social issues you want to see solved.

Whatever your cause is, there are companies out there doing amazing work, and many of them are publicly traded.

If you hear about a new social enterprise in the news that catches your attention, chances are the reason it’s making headlines is because it’s doing a round of funding. Do some digging and see if would be possible for you to contribute.

If you don’t have the time or confidence to vet companies that are both genuinely making a difference and worthy of your investment, there are also more managed and robo funds than ever to utilize, many with options to invest your dollars directly into the causes you cherish.

 

Where to put your money

A number of companies have been established in the last decade that focus solely on impact and socially conscious investing.

Based in California, CleanFund has become a leader in providing long-term financing for residential and commercial property improvements that increase energy efficiency, water conservation, and renewable energy compatibility.

TriLinc Global has provided a vehicle for investors to fund social enterprises in markets all around the world, in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Bamboo Capital Partners offers an incredibly diverse array of companies in its portfolio that span energy, healthcare, housing, financial inclusion, and education.

Sustain VC invests seed money in early-stage, high-impact companies and continues to actively engage with them throughout their growth and development, almost like an incubator.

The $500 billion impact-investing market has grown so influential that even the major legacy funds and financial institutions have gotten involved.

E*TRADE prominently features options for socially conscious investments in every one of its portfolio options.

Charles Schwab offers clients a list of socially conscious ESG funds available from third-party providers, which allow them to invest in companies based on causes such as environmental sustainability, social justice, and ethical governance (avoiding problematic lobbying and concerns of that nature).

Wealthsimple provides hands-on tools for conscious investors to build their own socially responsible indexes, focusing on issues like reducing carbon and supporting clean tech, plus areas like local initiatives and endeavors to provide affordable housing.

Ellevest offers an impact investing portfolio that focuses on companies that actually advance women: as business owners, as community leaders, and as social entrepreneurs on the frontline of the fight against climate change.

TD Ameritrade now offers a range of “socially aware portfolios” that allow users to custom-tailor their investments to their values.

Even BlackRock has joined in on the action, creating funds and investment vehicles that align with well-recognized social impact goals, such as advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and reducing carbon footprint.

Options for impact investing are now so prolific that you don’t even have to have a cause you support to justify social responsibility — it’s now a mainstream way to diversify your portfolio.


Disclosure from Business Insider: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. What you decide to do with your money is up to you. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.

Disclosure from TriLinc Global: This article contains the current, good faith opinions of the author but not necessarily those of TriLinc Global, LLC and its subsidiaries (“TriLinc”). The information contained in this article is distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed.

Impact Investing: Can Funds Achieve Both Social Impact And Returns At Scale?

The following article was published by the London School of Economics and Political Science online in the LSE Business Review. Click here to view.


Helping the common good while making money is difficult but possible, with robust methodologies to identify and seize such opportunities, write Feng Li, Gianandrea Giochetta and Luigi Mosca

Popular opinion has it that ‘investing for the common good’ has gone mainstream. Yet our research finds that only a small proportion of funds has consistently generated market rate return and measurable social and environmental impact at large scale – especially in capital-starved emerging markets’ small and medium enterprises (SMEs), often deemed as risky and unattractive by mainstream investors. With investing for return and impact, known as impact investing, only selected opportunities exist. And it takes particular leadership skills, professional expertise and organisational setup to tackle them.

 

What is impact investing?

The need for impact investing has arisen from the persistence of societal challenges and the inability of existing institutions to eradicate them. Yet despite growing enthusiasm for such goals, there is still no consensus on what impact investing is. This is reflected in the huge variations in the estimated size of assets under management, from $502 billion by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), to $30.4 trillion by the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance. Such lack of conceptual clarity and rigour causes confusion and dampens investor expectations. GIIN defines impact investing as“investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return”.

Unlike socially responsible investment (SRI) or environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, impact investing is not just about avoiding “sin stocks”or “do-no-harm”, but also actively deploying capital to address social and environmental objectives while generating financial returns for investors. It requires intentionality: portfolio companies must proactively track, measure and report on their social and environmental impact. If successful, impact investing can unlock substantial capital from mainstream investors.

 

Challenges and opportunities for impact investing

We conducted extensive research of institutional investors and their portfolio companies. The result, however, has been disappointing. Most funds can deliver return or impact, but very few deliver both consistently at large scale. ‘Impact washing’ (particularly ‘green washing’) is rampant. According to Confucius, “he who chases two rabbits catches neither.” The challenge for impact investing is first to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to catch two rabbits at the same time, and then develop robust methodologies to identify and seize such opportunities.

For impact investing to scale, products must be capable of addressing a range of institutional needs, including the ability to absorb large pools of capital, adequate liquidity and robust risk management practices while generating measurable return and impact. These have traditionally been met through investment strategies targeting blue chip securities. Such an approach, however, results in channelling funds where it is harder to proactively generate impact, as bondholders and minority shareholders have limited opportunities to directly influence senior management teams of large corporations. Furthermore, blue chip securities are concentrated in mature markets, while the greatest need for impact capital is elsewhere. The IMF estimates a $700 billion unmet credit demand globally in terms of debt financing to emerging markets SMEs, a niche where every $1 invested contributes a further $13 to the local economy.

From a financial perspective, a supply-demand mismatch of this magnitude represents a significant opportunity, while from an impact point of view, it highlights the imperative of channelling more capital to where it matters the most. Nevertheless, institutional appetite for emerging market SME financing, particularly fixed income, remains marginal, associated with its reputation for high risk and low return.

“The highest calling of impact investing is to increase the amount of capital being invested in places, companies, products, and services that have significant social benefits”. However, the momentum has been gained predominantly in listed security markets through strategies such as exclusionary screening, positive screening, or active ownership. Since investors in listed securities can only achieve impact by, at best, influencing responsible behaviour through proxy voting, active ownership and shareholder activism, impact investing should focus more on private capital markets, through means such as venture capital, private equity and private debt. This is where investors encounter most challenges. Managerial guidance is urgently needed.

 

Is it possible to achieve return and impact at large scale?

Our research has found that successful examples of impact investing remain rare, particularly those consistently generating market-rate return and measurable impact at large scale. Over the last ten years, we engaged with a large number of institutional investors and their portfolio companies purported to deliver return and impact. Within the niche of SME lending in emerging markets, we have found only a handful of institutional players operating in the segment, and TriLinc Advisors LLC (TriLinc) stood out as an exemplar. Its flagship fund, TriLinc Global Impact Fund (“TGIF”), has made over $1 billion in loans to 82 businesses in 36 countries since 2013, delivering a consistent unlevered net annual return of seven to nine per cent to investors and measurable impact using established international standards. The experience of this case study illustrates that impact investing is indeed possible, but very difficult to do. It requires special leadership skills, professional expertise and organisational setup to identify suitable opportunities and seize them. Importantly, the success of TriLinc can be replicated.

 

Managerial implications

Our research shows that specialising in fixed income – which is the largest capital market – rather than other asset classes, brings a huge potential for scaling up impact investments. The case is also unique in that it focuses on emerging markets, servicing primarily undercapitalised SMEs in developing countries. The TriLinc success stems from its ability to distil a simple yet actionable strategy, structure an investment product matching institutional expectations, and execute it through an effectively configured operation. A series of managerial considerations also mattered, an area little explored in the context of impact investing.

The case demonstrated that it pays to focus on less efficient markets where greater arbitrage opportunities may be found. The specific niche covered by TriLinc is vast and there are opportunities for other players to enter this segment. A similar approach may be applied to other market niches demonstrating such characteristics.

From an impact perspective, the challenge is to identify targets that are both realistic and measurable using established international standards. Rather than pursuing complex objectives, it may be preferable to aim for goals with a high probability of success and that may be achieved over a relatively short time span.


CASE STUDY

TriLinc Global Impact Fund (TGIF): impact investing in an unloved market niche

TriLinc Global Impact Fund, LLC (TGIF) is an impact-investing fund managed by California-based TriLinc Advisors, LLC (TriLinc). It was ranked 9th in the Global Banking and Finance Review’s top 100 impact companies in 2019. As of December 2018, its portfolio companies created over 18,500 jobs, achieved 100 per cent compliance with local environmental, labour, health, safety and business laws, standards and regulations, and all have committed to working towards implementing international environmental and health and safety best practices. Seventy-seven per cent of portfolio companies also demonstrated positive impact on their local communities through services or donations; and 91 per cent implemented environmentally sustainable practices (Figure 1).

Figure 1. The investment approach by TriLinc Global Impact Fund (TGIF)

We conducted extensive research on TriLinc, including multiple interviews with key members of the senior management team and exclusive access to a confidential dataset on some of its portfolio companies. Our research identified four critical factors for its success.

 

1. Veterans with track record in commercial investing and motivation for impact

After a long career on Wall Street, founder and CEO Gloria Nelund assembled an experienced team at TriLinc – who often described themselves as “reformed Wall Streeters”. The team are united by the vision that impact investing represents a realistic alternative only if it delivers financial return in line with or superior to traditional products. By building on their commercial experiences, they strive to align social and environmental motives with financial objectives.

 

2. Investment strategy engineered to maximise both return and impact

TriLinc’s strategy was engineered from the ground up to maximize both financial and impact objectives. The global impact fund focuses on short term financing to SMEs in selected emerging economies for their expansion projects. Most investments seek to generate employment growth and support local communities and sustainable growth that can be directly aligned with the business objectives. TGIF focuses on private, US dollar-denominated short-term notes such as trade finance or term loans. This allows the adoption of company-specific ESG targets based on IRIS* standard, and enhanced risk management through ad-hoc structuring and collateralisation. Short-term loans may be held to maturity, pragmatically addressing the fund’s liquidity requirements.

 

3. Local partner networks for opportunity identification and monitoring

TriLinc selects target countries using a proprietary macroeconomic analysis platform that takes into consideration a number of variables, including growth, stability and access. For each target country, TriLinc teams up with an institutional-class investment partner supporting through local knowledge and presence on the ground throughout the entire life cycle. No investment is made without a local partner. This approach is seen as an efficient and cost-effective way to build a global presence. TriLinc remains involved in all key decisions and activities.

 

4. Investment process attributing equal weighting to impact and financial considerations

All deals are appraised through an intertwined process assessing the merits from both financial and impact perspectives. A loan is only made when both sets of conditions are met. TriLinc has identified five core impact metrics, tracked by every investment across the portfolio on job creation, wage increase, increased revenue, profitability improvement and increased company taxes paid. Additionally, each portfolio company selects, and–through KPIs–is held accountable for, its own impact objectives. TriLinc can influence its portfolio companies through both “positives” and “proactive prevention of negatives”, using IRIS standard to track and report impact activities at both the fund and borrower levels.

* IRIS (Impact Reporting and Investment Standards) is an initiative of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), a nonprofit organisation dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing.


Notes:


Feng Li is chair of information management at Cass Business School, City, University of London. His research investigates how digital technologies facilitate strategic innovation and organisational transformation in the digital economy. He has led a series of multi-million pounds (dollars) research programmes aimed at addressing grand societal challenges via financially sustainable and scalable approaches. He advises senior business leaders and policymakers on how to manage the transition to new technologies, new business models, and new organisational forms. He is a fellow of the British Academy of Management (FBAM) and the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS). E-mail: feng.li.1@city.ac.uk

 

Gianandrea Giochetta is a senior research fellow at Cass Business School, where he focuses on impact investing and socially responsible projects. He has over 20 years of experience in corporate strategy and international capital markets, both in mature and emerging economies. He previously worked for JPMorgan, McKinsey and Booz Allen & Hamilton.

 

Luigi Mosca is a research fellow at Imperial College London. His research interests lie at the intersection of organisation theory and strategy. He received his Ph.D. in economics and management from the University of Padova (Italy). Prior to joining Imperial, Luigi was a research fellow at Cass Business School.

2018 TGIF Sustainability & Impact Report

Click to view the 2018 TGIF Sustainability & Impact Report.

Weekly Impact Investment Market Update: February 22, 2019

Impact Investing & ESG

Impact Investing Gains Traction in Canada
The 2018 Canadian Impact Investment Trends Report says total assets under management (AUM) in impact investments — companies, organizations, or funds that aim to create a positive social or environmental impact in addition to a financial return — rose to $14.75 billion as of Dec. 31, 2017, from $8.15 billion at Dec. 31, 2015.

How Socially Conscious Young Investors are Putting Their Money Where Their Ideals Are
An influx of young investors are leading a charge of socially responsible and sustainable investing, experts say, funneling their money into investments and projects that serve the greater good.

Most Managers See Sustainable Investing as Essential to Thrive – Survey
Most U.S. money managers view sustainable investing as a strategic business imperative and have adopted such investment practices, said results of a new survey from the Morgan Stanley (MS) Institute for Sustainable Investing and Bloomberg.

‘Increasing Maturity’: PwC Highlights Growth of ESG and Sustainable Investing
Global survey of 145 private equity houses finds environmental, climate and sustainability issues increasingly key for investors

Behind the Numbers: Retail Investors a Growing Force of Sustainable Funds
Ethical funds have been growing in popularity, with managers starting to address the demand. Once a niche area, sustainable investing has become one of the hottest topics in the investment world.

High Net Worths Believe in ESG but yet to Proactively Invest
Around 76% of UK high net worth individuals (HNWIs) believe the idea of environmental, social and governance investing is important, according to research.

Pushing the Boundaries to Make Impact Investing Available to Everyone
One of the challenges of impact investing is the perception that there is a lack of opportunities. This is happening across investors, financial advisors and even pension fund managers.

ESG Investing Does Not Cost More, Research Shows
Pension funds performing well on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors don’t incur higher asset management costs, according to research.

 

Developing Economies

What to Expect from Sub-Saharan Africa Economy in 2019
The IMF economic outlook presents a picture of what to expect from each economy or region annually. For Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 2019, a GDP growth rate of 3.4% is projected at the aggregate level; a slight improvement over the 2.9% actual growth rate of 2018.

Ghana Meets Most IMF Targets as Reforms Advance, Says Lender
Ghana met most of the targets under its program with the International Monetary Fund and is continuing to advance reforms that will promote economic stability, according to the lender.

Zambia, Botswana, Sign AfCFTA
Zambia and Botswana have signed the agreement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) mean to create one African market. The two countries signed the agreement at the just-ended African Union Summit.

Politics Loom Over Thai Economy as Election Stirs Tension
Political tension has emerged as a threat to the domestic economic drivers Thailand is relying on amid a global slowdown. A push to disband a political party over a failed bid to make a princess its prime ministerial candidate lays bare deep splits ahead of a March general election, the first since a coup in 2014.

Vietnam’s Booming Economy Offers Investment Opportunities
Vietnam’s economy is growing and Asian fund managers are bullish on the country’s prospects. We assess the opportunities and how you can gain access.

2017 TriLinc Global Sustainability & Impact Report

Click to View: 2017 TriLinc Global Sustainability & Impact Report

What millennial investors want

The Millennial generation is set to receive the reins as the US undertakes the greatest generation-to-generation wealth transfer to date. The Millennial generation- those born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s- has a different take on the primary role of business compared to previous generations. As presented in the WEF report From the Margins to the Mainstream, “in a recent study of 5,000 Millennials across 18 countries, respondents ranked ‘to improve society’ as the number one priority of business [36% of survey respondents]. This does not imply that the next generation of investors will not seek market returns [35% of survey respondents]. However, the emerging generation of investors is likely to seek achievement of social objectives in addition to financial returns.”

The Millennial generation also has a larger propensity to donate time, money and work than previous generations. Here are some figures from the Millennial Impact Report conducted by Achieve:


The 75 million Millennials are positioned to become the wealthiest generation ever.


The research is clear: Millennials are generous but also very conscientious of whom and where their money is going. Millennials are understandably skeptical of the investments they make. In “Leading Generation Y,” Lieutenant Colonel Jill M. Newman of the United States Army argues, “The [Millennials] have witnessed more scamming, cheating lying and exploiting than ever before from major figures especially in finance in recent years.” The skeptical nature of this generation requires greater transparency on the part of financial sector organizations to attract this demographic.

Deloitte states that the 75 million Millennials are positioned to become the wealthiest generation ever, surpassing the 80 million Baby Boomers. “From the Margins to the Mainstreams” projects “over the next 40 years, an estimated US$ 41 trillion will be transferred” from Baby Boomers to their heirs, resulting in a powerful Millennial generation. The Millennials’ beliefs and values will be the drivers behind the world’s political, social, environmental and economic changes.

Impact Investing is turning out to be an appealing investment approach for Millennials due to its differing outcomes and operations than those of traditional investing. Impact Investing provides a new way of tackling the world’s most pressing issues while still providing an acceptable financial return. It also enables investors to place their money according to their values without having to forgo financial opportunities. While impact investments may currently represent a small portion of many adults’ portfolios, JP Morgan forecasts a drastic increase in these types of investments as money changes hands on a generational scale. They estimate that impact investing may expand from about $9 billion today to $1 trillion by 2020.

Many companies have sought out to democratize impact investing, in anticipation of the growing popularity. No longer are accredited investors the only investors offered a slice of the impact investing pie. With the introduction of new retail offerings, non-accredited investors, like many Millennials, have been given the opportunity to invest in corporations and businesses that share their values through impact investing.

This generous, yet monetarily wise generation will find ways to advocate for social and environmental missions, while still maintaining financial responsibility. Of course it’s only speculation, but it would seem that impact investing is an investment approach that is in line with Millennials. Demand creates supply. With this evidence the future for impact investing looks promising. Impact investing and Millennials go hand in hand.