BlueMark

NEW: In our fifth edition of Making the Mark—Making the Mark V—we dive deep into the "how" of impact investing. Inside, you'll find: ▷ Data and insights from 111 verifications for clients managing $234 billion in combined impact assets  ▶ The 2024 Practice Leaderboard, welcoming four new investors with best-in- class impact management systems and practices  ▷ A new series of analyses on unique market segments (i.e.; investor types and asset classes), focusing on their adoption of key impact practices ▶ A preview of a new benchmarking service from BlueMark called the Fund ID, currently in its pilot phase, designed to address the growing demand for evaluating fund-level impact performance We hope these data and insights not only advance a greater understanding of market expectations for investors, but also offer a way for our community to assess whether these expectations are being met. While we know many impact investors are just getting started, we see signals of an industry that is rapidly maturing. Please enjoy Making the Mark V, available for download here: https://lnkd.in/gyfWVpGB

Q: What is your favorite finding from this year's Making the Mark? Swipe to discover what Matt Donovan, one of BlueMark's insightful impact analysts, shared after completing his analysis ➡️ Don't forget to download the full, free, and findings-packed Making the Mark V report here: https://lnkd.in/gyfWVpGB

💡 Looking to stay ahead in impact measurement and management? Join BlueMark’s very own Paige Nicol in AVPN's inaugural Impact Investing Musings Webinar Series with Vikas Arora, Chief Impact Investing Officer at AVPN, and Upasana Mukherjee, SCR, Head of Sustainability and Business Advisory at Sattva Consulting. Explore the latest trends, best practices, and methodologies in impact measurement and management. Plus, dive into exclusive insights from BlueMark’s flagship report, Making the Mark V, released last month. Register today: https://bit.ly/4buzaYE #impactinvesting #sustainablefinance #impactmeasurement

Our Making the Mark reports are created by some of the industry's most dedicated and insightful impact experts. We asked this year's authors to share their 'Favorite Findings’ from Making the Mark V, offering us a glimpse into their unique perspectives and biggest takeaways. First up is Anna Nikolova, our Research and Development Senior Associate. Swipe to see what Anna's found most compelling in this year's Making the Mark and stay tuned for more! ➡️ And read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gyfWVpGB #makingthemarkV #impactinvesting #impactinsights

For the past 25 years, DWM, a founding signatory to the Impact Principles, has blended institutional investor experience with mission-driven passion, leading to pioneering solutions that address both investor's financial goals and the needs of the developing world. Earlier this year, they engaged BlueMark to assess the firm’s alignment with impact investing's best practices. Their final ratings landed them on BlueMark’s 2024 Practice Leaderboard – designed to spotlight impact investors with best-in-class impact management systems. Read more about DWM's innovative approach below.

Building on last week's post and Making the Mark V, we take an even deeper dive into the power of re-verification in this latest BlueMark blog. TLDR; We have a strong conviction that impact verification will become an annual exercise, regarded as essential for institutional investors as financial audits are today. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject of re-verification. Should impact performance be audited annually, akin to the rigorous scrutiny applied to financial performance? Be sure to read the article and then let us know where you stand in the comments below! https://lnkd.in/gC3wd2WY #impactinvesting #sustainableinvesting #reverification #mtmV

One of the biggest takeaways from Making the Mark V? 💡 Verification fuels growth, refinement, and progress – proven from insights from comparing verification results of repeat BlueMark clients. Dig into the key findings on the power of re-verification as a tool for continuous learning and improvement below ⬇️ and download Making the Mark V here: https://lnkd.in/gyfWVpGB

BlueMark’s fifth edition of Making the Mark, which features S2G Ventures, was released last week! This flagship report is dedicated to unpacking the evolving practices of sustainable and impact investing. Making the Mark V features our recent engagement with BlueMark as pilot participants in their Fund ID verification service. We were excited to have our Fund’s impact approach assessed across four key pillars: strategy, governance, management, and reporting, and to contribute our experience and feedback to inform the market’s broader adoption of the Fund ID verification service. Read more about the Fund ID pilot and our experience with BlueMark in Making the Mark V here: https://bit.ly/43X0pc9 #impactinvesting #sustainablefinance #makingthemarkV #S2GVentures Heather McPherson

Our incredible team of BlueMarkers recently gathered in Hudson, NY for our annual retreat. We focused on strategizing, relaxing, and bonding with our local and global colleagues (as well as with our forever-friends over at Tideline). We are feeling invigorated by this productive week together, and look forward to a year of continued growth, innovation, and field-building. 📸 Gemini Sun Creative

In order for impact investing to scale with integrity, the market must adopt more rigorous and consist methods for evaluating managers’ commitment and capacity to achieve impact. But, what can GPs do to signal to investors that they have what it takes to achieve their desired outcomes? How can they demonstrate their accountability to LPs in a way that fosters trust and, ultimately, secures investment? This 101-style piece outlines the four definitive pillars of impact accountability. Read on to discover what they are and explore critical questions that will help you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your own approach. #sustainableinvesting #impactinvesting #impactaccountability https://lnkd.in/gicSMbM2