Greater change and impact

The Sustainable Development Goals is the world´s shared roadmap to end poverty and tackle climate change. To enable Grieg Foundation to make an even larger impact and contribute to greater, more long-term positive changes for people and communities, we recognize that impact investing in some instances can contribute to more radical changes for people and communities in addition to classic philanthropic gifts. Impact investments are recognized as a necessary tool in the global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Impact investment is defined as investments with the aim of creating positive social or environmental impact with explicit expectations of measurable social as well as financial returns.

Our explicit goal is that within the next five to ten years, our impact investing portfolio become self-financing and thereby provide more funds for Grieg Foundation to fulfill our mission. 

We do not accept applications for impact investments.

Strategic goals

Our impact investments shall contribute to economic, social and environmental sustainability. 

• We will choose investments demonstrating a clear contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.

• In particular, we will invest within themes that are aligned with our main targets such as employment, inclusive growth and poverty reduction; health; education; gender equality; and climate mitigation and adaptation.

• Grieg Foundation will seek partnerships with like-minded foundations and investors.

• Grieg Foundation will be transparent and open and share our experiences with others in order to help move the impact investing field forward.

Thematic and geographic focus

Acknowledging that we are at an early stage of our impact investing journey, that the impact investing market is still young, and that gaining access to relevant investment opportunities may pose challenges, we wish to maintain an open approach to potential impact themes within our purpose. The following selected themes are at the core of our purpose:

• Employment, inclusive growth and poverty reduction (SDG 1)

• Health (SDG 3)

• Education (SDG 4)

• Gender equality / Gender lens investing (SDG 5)

• Climate change mitigation and adaptation (SDG 13)

• Life below water (SDG 14)

With regards to geographic focus, we will maintain an open approach. Anchored in our purpose, we recognize that in order to have impact, we need to consider both developed and developing markets as relevant. Some impact themes (e.g. SDG 13 and 14) may be more investable in high-income markets, whilst others (e.g. SDG 1) may offer a broader range of opportunities in low- and middle income countries. We believe that impact per dollar invested, will be higher in low- and middle-income countries. Over time, our portfolio should seek to tilt in favor of low- and middle-income countries.