Going Beyond Capital: How Impact Investing Can Become More Accessible and Inclusive

While attending the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs’ 2018 conference, I was taken aback by the results of an audience poll. Among the attendees at that session — most of whom were impact investors themselves — only about 38% said they had their personal investments in impact strategies. To me, this indicates a trend I’ve long observed in the sector: Despite their awareness of the need for more socially conscious investing, a majority of impact investors don’t know how to get started. And they often don’t realize that their time and their money are separate assets that can both generate impact.

If this is the case even among the most impact-oriented investors, imagine how it is among the general investing public.

In my new book, “The Good Your Money Can Do,” I introduce the idea of taking impact investing one step further and adopting the mindset of a “conscious investor.” I’ve found that this approach complements the ideals of the impact investing world and helps maximize the positive impact of the work that we do. It’s a more inclusive approach that lowers the barrier to entry to impact investing and makes the field more accessible, even to people who do not currently invest in the stock market. And despite the industry’s growth, it’s clear that more accessibility and inclusivity are needed.