Private Capital, Public Good
Impact Investment alongside the United Nations-sanctioned SDGs are set to target non-sustainable issues of the world by default. Traditional resources of finance and philanthropies no longer suffice to mitigate increasingly deteriorating social and environmental challenges. Impact Investment is a global movement to optimize private capital and contribute to solving social and environmental issues the world faces.
The tiia (Taiwan Impact Investment Association) is all set to
- Attract and mobilize market capital in the pursuit of returns while substantiating SDGs, and
- Align development efforts for a sound Impact Investment ecosystem in Taiwan that connects peers the world over.
Reversing defense to offense as the last piece of the sustainability puzzle.
We subscribe to the notion that there have been three inflection points of awakening with significant uptake in the history of world economies, with Impact Investment as the last puzzle piece.
The awakening of consumers (individuals)
The awakening of consumers (individuals) came first and we witness phenomena such as people always have their own water bottles on them, they ride bicycles and commute using public transport. Air conditioning is less in demand, and people go vegetarian and refrain from red meat, install solar panels on rooftops, and prefer recycled products.
The awakening on the part of the manufacturers (corporates)
Next came the awakening on the part of the manufacturers (corporates) that gave rise to EVs, circular economies, and green energy. It was a series of development from company governance to corporate transparency, fairness towards all stakeholders, to the consensus of ESG-based code of conduct. Moreover, wielding their procurement prowess, corporates persuaded suppliers and manufacturers to likewise arise to the occasion, thereby ultimately changing supply chain management. The change and improvement from carbon reduction to zero-emission is a case in point.
The awakening of the financial investors (institutions)
The awakening of the financial investors (institutions) came last as evidenced in Quaker Christians’ saying-No to investing in arms and slavery 200 years ago, then the British Methodists’abstination from ‘immoral businesses’of tobacco and alcohol a century ago. It gradually grew to become the currently prevailing ESG investment that demands transparency, less or even no harm to social and environmental issues.
Impact Investment, however, does not settle with less or no harm for an ultimate objective, but takes upon itself to solving social and environmental issues, while working for accountable profit-taking at the same time. Institutional investors are thus the latest awakening and it embodies the last piece of the sustainability puzzle with a manifestation of reversing defense to offense for strategy.
Our aspiration is for Taiwan to become a weighing contributor to international communities by excelling at Impact Investment.
We have reasons to believe that Taiwan, though a late arrival in Impact Investment, can and will quickly catch up in the domain and go the distance in contributing to the UN-sanctioned SDGs in concrete ways and alongside international peers. Put succinctly, Taiwan is set to transcend from a mere taker to a reliable giver by virtue of Impact Investment accelerated by collective efforts in both the public and the private sectors.
Taiwan, obviously, has what it takes to positively develop Impact Investment as the island republic is
Capital-rich
a financial abundance is at our disposal (including but not
Energetic and innovative
Taiwan vibrates with innovative startups.
Supportive policy-making
the government is pro-sustainability as evidenced in the consistency of its political decisions.
Internationally active
we are happy with, and capable of, international cooperation.
Empathy-filled
Taiwan never lacks in outreach programs of empathy.
Capital-rich
a financial abundance is at our disposal (including but not limited to all kinds of charitable and religious foundations) and a sound capital market.
Energetic and innovative
Taiwan vibrates with innovative startups.
Supportive policy-making
the government is pro-sustainability as evidenced in the consistency of its political decisions.
Internationally active
we are happy with, and capable of, international cooperation.
Empathy-filled
Taiwan never lacks in outreach programs of empathy.