Overview

The Annual Africa ESG, Impact Investing & Sustainable Finance Forum

Climate change poses an existential threat to the planet as we know it and its impacts cut across all sectors and facets of humanity. The Annual Africa ESG, Impact Investing & Sustainable Finance Forums were launched in South Africa several years ago in cognisance of the impacts of climate related risks especially on the African continent -in key sectors like agriculture, energy, food security, water, and biodiversity leading to extreme weather conditions etc. The Africa forums have been hosted under different banners in several South African and African cities annually bringing together local, continental and global thought leaders, experts, policy makers, institutional investors, researchers, impact investors, financial institutions, philanthropists, DFI’s, governments and the private sector to address the promotion and incorporation of ESG considerations into investment decisions, mobilise and promote the deployment of capital into Impact Investing in the continent, champion sustainable finance initiatives, and create awareness on impacts of climate change with the objective to lead the way towards promoting climate adaptation and mitigation.

Some of the key objectives and desired outcomes of this summit include.

  • To address climate related risks
  • To promote sustainable finance
  • To provide thought leadership through discussions, case studies and expert insights
  • To explore investment opportunities within impact investing and sustainable finance in the region
  • To drive impact investing within key sectors such as renewable energy, conservation, sustainable agriculture, microfinance, housing, healthcare, and education
  • Promote Environmental, Social and governance uptake within investments decisions
  • Mobilise capital towards sustainable development initiatives
  • Promote the achievement of sustainable development goals

 

Day 1: ESG / Impact Investing

  • Impact Investing in Africa
  • Impact Investing Post Covid19
  • Impact measurement
  • Gender lens investing
  • Circularity / Circular economy
  • Impact Risk / Impact risk/return trade-offs
  • Diversity, equity & Inclusion-Plus Transformation and Justice
  • Policy, legal & regulatory guidelines for impact investing
  • Tech for Impact
  • Mission Investing
  • Impact/Green washing.
  • Millennials, shareholder Activism and Impact Investing
  • Social entrepreneurship, poverty alleviation and job security

Day 2: Sustainable Finance in East Africa

  • Sustainable / Green Finance in East Africa- A regional overview
  • Developing Policy and regulatory Frameworks and taxonomies for green Finance
  • The role of capital Markets in green Finance
  • Blended Finance
  • Investment opportunities
  • Developing green project pipelines
  • Incentives for sustainable finance
  • Developing sustainable finance products withing the financial sector
  • How the financial sector can accelerate and implement green finance initiatives
  • Green bonds

Target Sectors

 

The summit will focus on Impact investments and ESG in key sectors such as;

  • Climate Change
  • Healthcare
  • Education
  • Agriculture & Food Security
  • Energy
  • Water & Sanitation
  • Sustainable Infrastructure
  • Financial Services
  • Housing
  • Mining & Manufacturing
  • Technology etc