Setting the Standard in Impact Investing
In recent years, impact investing has grown from a niche concept to a mainstream strategy for generating measurable social and environmental outcomes alongside financial returns. As the field has matured, global standards have emerged to guide investors in evaluating impact with the same rigor applied to financial performance.
One of the most widely adopted frameworks is the Impact Management Project (IMP), which established a consensus on the five dimensions of impact: what, who, how much, contribution, and risk. Similarly, the Operating Principles for Impact Management, launched by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), provide a structured approach to embedding impact considerations throughout the investment lifecycle. Another cornerstone is the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)’s IRIS+ system, which offers standardized metrics to compare performance across portfolios and geographies.
At Soul Capital, we believe that best-in-class impact investing requires aligning with these recognized benchmarks while tailoring them to the unique needs of our stakeholders. Our process integrates IRIS+ indicators into due diligence and portfolio monitoring, ensuring that measurement is not an afterthought but a driver of strategy. We also embrace the IFC principles by embedding impact objectives into governance structures and investment decision-making. By adopting the IMP’s five dimensions, we can clearly articulate the scale and depth of the change our capital enables.
This disciplined approach ensures that our investors can be confident in both the credibility and the transparency of reported outcomes. Just as importantly, it allows us to remain accountable to the communities and ecosystems where we deploy capital.
Impact investing is at an inflection point: investors are no longer asking whether impact can be measured, but how well. At Soul Capital, our commitment is to exceed baseline expectations, combining financial expertise with a rigorous measurement framework to deliver lasting, positive outcomes.
References
Soul Capital team and Investment Committee