GSG’s Japan National Advisory Board plays key role in pushing impact investment as key solution to funding the SDGs .
1 July 2019 (London, UK) – The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG) welcomes Japan’s commitment to impact investment as the leading solution to some of the world’s most pressing issues, such as poverty and the climate emergency.
At the weekend G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, Prime Minister Shinzō Abe declared that the world’s third largest economy will accelerate innovative financing mechanisms, including impact investment, to fund the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In what was the first official statement on the world stage by Japan on impact investment, Mr Abe declared at the G20 Summit: “Japan will lead the international discussion by examining ways to employ innovative financing schemes such as social impact investing and dormant bank accounts.”
GSG Chair Sir Ronald Cohen said: “GSG applauds Japan’s commitment to the impact movement as part of its Presidency of the G20. We are particularly encouraged by the G20’s inclusion of ‘social impact investment’ as a key part of the innovative financing mechanisms that will be deployed to finance the SDGs.”
In the G20 leaders’ declaration, innovative financing mechanisms were mentioned as part of Realizing an Inclusive and Sustainable World: “We recognize that international public and private finance for development as well as other innovative financing mechanisms, including blended finance, can play an important role in upscaling our collective efforts.”
Ahead of the G20 Summit, GSG and its international network of 23 National Advisory Boards (NABS) lobbied respective G20 nations to include the value of impact investment under SDGs agenda on the leaders’ declaration paper.
Attention now turns to the G7 meeting in August, presided over this year by France.
GSG is playing an integral role in catalysing impact investment to benefit people and planet through its growing internatiional network of NABs and global board of trustees.
As part of its global leadership, GSG announced today two new trustees: María Laura Tinelli, Director and Founder of Acrux Partners and Chair of the Argentina National Advisory Board; and Elias Masilela, Executive Chair of DNA Economics, Commissioner of the 1st & 2nd National Planning Commission and the Chair of the South Africa National Advisory Board. (Full details of GSG Trustees can be found here).