With the Pre-G8 Meeting behind us (check out this recap!), the PCV InSight team is gearing up for the 3rd annual Impact Investing Policy Collaborative (IIPC) Conference in the UK! Sarah Ritter, the PCVer temporarily working inside the UK Cabinet Office to help with the event, shared an interesting question that she keeps being asked: “So, Sarah, do you work for the IIPC, or do you work for PCV?”
We think the bigger question is “What relationship does PCV have with the IIPC, and what role do you play within that relationship?”
Let’s start with what the IIPC is.
To put it simply, the Impact Investing Policy Collaborative (IIPC) is a network of people from all over the world, focused on policies that direct capital to underserved communities. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, PCV has had the chance to partner with The Initiative for Responsible Investment (IRI) at Harvard University to convene a network of interested and engaged organizations in the hopes of growing the impact investing market.
Hold up, what is the impact investing economy?
The impact investing economy is a marketplace where enterprises generate revenue in support of a social or environmental purpose; investors seek intentional social or environmental impacts in addition to financial return; and the related market infrastructure exists that makes these activities possible.
Okay, now let’s talk about what the IIPC’s mission is.
With the intention to grow the impact investing market, the IIPC helps investors, public officials, advocates, researchers and other related communities better identify and support policies that lead to a more effective impact economy.
Where does PCV fit into the IIPC?
PCV, along with the IRI at Harvard University, is a convener for the IIPC. Together, we organize and support a community of likeminded individuals, organizations and corporations from across the globe (over 30 countries participating!) that continues to grow and influence impact investing through the contribution of research and reports. In short, PCV’s connection with the IIPC is, in fact, the network connections that we foster.
What kind of work does the IIPC do, specifically?
The IIPC achieves their mission to grow interest and activity in investments that have social impact along with a financial impact through the following activities:
- Providing research and fellowship awards for projects that will advance the understanding of the impact investing economy around the world.
- Offering an online portal that serves as a central hub for IIPC members, which includes a comprehensive library and resource center on these topics.
- Hosting an annual conference held at rotating international locations, intended to foster and develop the IIPC network. In 2011 the conference was in Italy and last year it was in Brazil – this year the IIPC will host it in the UK!
All of this takes us back to our original question…
Who does Sarah work for? The answer is that she works for PCV! That’s the short answer, at least. The longer answer is that as a convener for the IIPC, PCV sent Sarah to the UK Cabinet Office to assist with the IIPC Conference, which will take place in early July.
To learn even more about the IIPC, or to join the network, please check out its website.