Latest news with #impactinvestment
Finextra
04-07-2025
- Business
- Finextra
UBS SDG fund reaches $100m, gaining commitment from EU
UBS Optimus Foundation and Bridges Outcomes Partnerships today announced the successful final closing of the SDG Outcomes Fund at the 4th UN International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Sevilla. 0 This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author. Through the new anchor commitment from the European Union, the fund reached its subscription target of USD 100 million. This Luxembourg-based SFDR Article 9 fund is a pioneering blended finance initiative designed to accelerate progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by supporting outcomes-focused programs in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and Asia. European Union joins fund with new anchor commitment The fund was created as a partnership between UBS Optimus Foundation, which provides first-loss capital, and Bridges Outcomes Partnerships (BOP), a not-for-profit impact specialist which acts as a portfolio and delivery manager. Mezzanine and senior capital have been committed by the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and British International Investment (BII), alongside private investors including Legatum, family offices such as the Tsao Family Office, Ferd, and high net worth individuals. The European Investment Bank recently completed a USD 18 million commitment to the fund through funding from the European Commission via the ACP Trust Fund, enabling it to reach its USD 100 million target. This investment will contribute to the Africa-EU Global Gateway Investment Package objectives. This operation is fully in line with the European Commission's priority to promote impact investments and find innovative ways to finance programs in low- and middle-income countries, including in fragile countries. A transformational way of achieving better outcomes for underserved people SDG Outcomes is the first fund specifically designed to support outcomes-based programs in low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on health, education, women's economic empowerment, and the environment. For each program, BOP brings together like-minded partners to find innovative solutions that can achieve measurable impact. Expert local partners are identified to deliver the program, with the SDG Outcomes Fund covering the up-front costs. Funders – typically local or national governments, donors, foundations, corporates, NGOs, or even individuals themselves – only pay if successful, verifiable outcomes are achieved. The focus on outcomes, instead of on the traditional approach of paying for activities or inputs, allows delivery consortia to adjust and tailor their programs as they go along, learning from real-time impact data about how to achieve the best possible results in each context. As a result, nearly USD 13.5 million of outcome payments have already been achieved. Proven track record of impact The SDG Outcomes Fund aims to have a broader systemic impact by developing completely new delivery models, building the capacity of high-impact local organizations, and transforming the way local governments and donors fund services for underserved populations. This collaborative and flexible approach to delivering critical programs is already helping hundreds of thousands of people to improve their lives, including: Supporting 50,000+ schools in India and 100,000+ children in Sierra Leone and Ghana. Delivering 1.5+ million sexual and reproductive health services to 700,000+ girls aged 15-19 in Kenya. Collecting 3,000 tons of plastic waste for recycling in Nigeria. Providing IT upskilling and employment opportunities for 800+ long term unemployed young adults in Türkiye. Tom Hall, Global Head of Social Impact and Philanthropy and CEO, UBS Optimus Foundation Network, says: 'The SDG Outcomes Fund is a ground-breaking initiative that shows how different forms of capital can come together to deliver outcomes for people who need it most. Reaching the USD 100 million milestone demonstrates the powerful potential of outcomes-based funding programs and their role in shaping future impact investment models.' Mila Lukic OBE, CEO of Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, says: 'The results achieved by the SDG Outcomes Fund already show that by bringing together a range of partners, and critically, by learning from the data about what works best and adjusting our programs accordingly, we can achieve better outcomes for individuals and better value for our funders. This more flexible, more collaborative approach has already helped to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, and we are hugely grateful to all our investors for supporting this fund, which will ensure impact-seeking capital catalyzes high-impact programs in some of the areas of greatest need.' Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, says: 'Our commitment is more than just financing – it's investing in a future where every investment delivers tangible, measured impact. This fund is already bringing advancements in health, education, and climate action to vulnerable communities around the world, with a strong focus on Africa and emerging markets.' European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela says: 'New opportunities — better education, impactful training, quality jobs. That is one of the core goals of the Global Gateway. That's why I appreciate the ACP Trust Fund, which enables us to invest in high-impact programs across Africa. It will help us deliver on our goals. Improve education, create jobs, or build stronger health systems.' Leslie Maasdorp, CEO, British International Investment, says: 'BII is proud to support the SDG Outcomes Fund which is dedicated to achieving better outcomes for underserved communities. This initiative exemplifies the power of mobilizing like-minded partners to unlock innovative solutions that deliver significant and tangible results, and we are grateful for EIB's support to get this impactful fund to the target size. We look forward to the fund's continued success in improving livelihoods and supporting high-impact projects.'
Associated Press
03-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Mondelēz International Expands Sustainable Futures Portfolio Aiming To Accelerate Scalable Climate and Community Initiatives
CHICAGO, July 2, 2025 /3BL/ - Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) announced a new wave of impact-first investments from its Sustainable Futures Impact Investment platform, aiming to further advance scalable, high-impact solutions at the nexus of climate, community, and circularity. These efforts reflect the company's sharpened focus on catalyzing innovation aligned with its Snacking Made Right sustainability strategy and Vision 2030 ambitions. The company continues to employ a three-pronged investment approach: direct investments, fund investments, and technical assistance, all designed to help scale promising solutions that we believe can generate measurable impact. Direct Investments New additions to the Sustainable Futures portfolio include: Fund Investments Mondelēz International continues to support impact funds that align with the company's goal to catalyze positive change at scale and across geographies: Technical Assistance MDLZ also provides capacity-building support to early-stage ventures with Sustainable Futures investments aiming to validate their novel technologies through larger-scale pilots and rigorous scientific approaches. With SAM-DIMENSION GmbH the company built out a multi-year pilot that demonstrated the value of the innovative technology in a real large-scale situation and follows clear protocols and methods that help to quantify the positive impact. 'Sustainability is embedded as the fourth strategic pillar of Mondelēz International's growth strategy,' said Christine Montenegro McGrath, Chief Impact & Sustainability Officer. 'These Sustainable Futures investments are part of our company's investments in new, scalable solutions that we believe can help address key challenges and in turn help create long-term business resilience while contributing to a thriving future for people and planet.' About Mondelēz InternationalMondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2024 net revenues of approximately $36.4 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as Oreo, Ritz, LU, Clif Bar and Tate's Bake Shop biscuits and baked snacks, as well as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Dow Jones Best-in-Class North America and World Indices, formerly Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. Visit or follow the company on X at Contacts:Maggie McKerr1-847-943-5678 [email protected]
Zawya
23-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt: Beltone Leasing gets $20mln financing from Germany's Finance in Motion funds
Arab Finance: Beltone Holding's Beltone Leasing and Factoring has secured $20 million in funding from two leading impact investment funds managed by Germany-based Finance in Motion GmbH: the SANAD Fund for MSME and the Green for Growth Fund (GGF), according to a press release. Each fund provided $10 million, each, with a repayment tenor of five years. SANAD's funding will support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and low-income households across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Meanwhile, GGF's contribution will finance renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable resources in MENA as well as neighboring regions. This transaction backs Beltone Leasing's objectives in offering innovative non-bank financial solutions that boost economic empowerment and environmental sustainability, aligned with Egypt Vision 2030. Amir Ghannam, Deputy Head of NBFIs for Leasing, Factoring, and Consumer Finance, said: 'This funding will enable us to strengthen our support for MSMEs while accelerating green projects that contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future.' Sherif Hassan, Group Treasurer and Managing Director of Debt Capital Markets, highlighted that the funding reflects a commitment to channeling strategic capital to grow Beltone Leasing and Factoring. 'It also highlights our focus on ESG-driven financing, in line with the broader Beltone's mission to support sustainable and impactful growth,' Hassan added. In May, Beltone Leasing completed its second securitization issuance in less than a year, with a total value of EGP 2 billion. © 2020-2023 Arab Finance For Information Technology. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
