Posted by : The Caspian Debt Team Caspian’s India Financial Inclusion Fund is a “Best for the World Fund” for the second consecutive year
We are thrilled to share that our equity fund, India Financial Inclusion Fund (IFIF), has been recognized as a “Best for the World Fund” for 2017.
This year, 28 funds have been chosen for their impact performance, as measured by their annual GIIRS Impact Rating. This is IFIF’s second consecutive year on this list.
IFIF, established in 2008, focuses on financial inclusion investments in India including Microfinance, Affordable Housing and Financial Inclusion Enablers and has made 12 investments in these sectors.
GIIRS Impact Ratings are rigorous, comprehensive and comparable ratings of a fund’s social and environmental impact.
The funds chosen in 2017 represent the growing global opportunity for investors to align purpose and profits, accounting for more than $1.3 billion in committed capital and with investments in companies across 40 countries and over 70 industries around the world.
GIIRS Impact Ratings funds receive a rating with two components: They are ranked bronze, silver, gold or platinum based on whether their portfolio companies’ purpose and mission inherently create social or environmental good. This is called the Impact Business Model (IBM) Rating. The second component of the rating is an Operations Rating, which is based on the companies’ governance structure, employee treatment and policies, community involvement, and environmental footprint. The Operations Rating is displayed as a star rating-ranging from Rated, 3-star, 4-star, or 5-star.
IFIF ranked #2 among Emerging Market funds on the Operations Rating.
This year also marks the first year honorees are recognized by the category of impact – Governance, Environment, Community, Workers, Customers – in which they are leaders. Caspian/IFIF made the 2017 lists for Governance, Workers, Community and Customers. For B Lab’s feature on IFIF as a top performer in Governance, please click here.
We appreciate the incredible work of our portfolio companies and for the shared commitment to measuring their impact using a holistic, third-party set of standards via GIIRS, which allows for benchmarking, progress tracking, and comparison with other funds.
Click here for the full list of honorees, here for the Best for the World criteria, and here for more information on GIIRS