Increasing Impact and Enhancing Returns: Integrating Publicly Traded Water and Agri-Business Equities in Impact Portfolios

Impact investors have filled an important niche, providing capital to entrepreneurs and projects that might not other-wise receive financing. While impact investing is frequently associated with direct private equity and debt investing, the reality is that impact and financial returns may be enhanced by also investing in publicly traded companies providing solutions at scale. Investing in publicly traded companies addresses two of the biggest challenges impact investing has faced in its nascent stage– creating impact at scale
and providing new sources of attractive opportunities for impact investor capital. The provision of water and food are central sustainability challenges that provide good examples of the complementary nature of private equity investments that provide focused solutions and publicly traded solution providers impacting the challenges at scale.

We believe Impact investors structuring their investments in private and public equities in an integrated, holistic manner will increase overall impact and enhance total returns.