Details added (first version posted on 15:11)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 26
Trend:
The conference entitled "Impact investing: opportunities and challenges for institutional investors", which is organized by the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), through the partnership of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, is being held in Baku within the 20th anniversary of the establishment of SOFAZ, Trend reports on Sept. 26 referring to the Fund.
The latest innovations in the impact investment market for institutional investors, the investment environment, opportunities and challenges in this sphere are being discussed at the event.
The interest in impact investing has been growing rapidly among institutional investors for the past 10 years. Along with getting big profit through the ability to manage risks, institutional investors also receive the opportunity to have a positive impact on the social sphere and environment through these investments.
The conference consists of six sessions covering such topics as the essence of impact investing, its impact on financial markets and instruments, strategic integration and making of these investments by institutional investors, measuring and reporting of impact investments, existing rules and policy for this type of investments, investments in climate change.
While speaking at the conference, SOFAZ Executive Director Shahmar Movsumov emphasized the importance of impact investments.
“As long-term investors, we believe that value creation and sustainability must form the basis of our investment strategy and impact investments have great potential to achieve these goals,” he said.
The executive director stressed that he is convinced that the SOFAZ conference will be an important step in raising awareness among long-term institutional investors in this area.
"For over 60 years, IFC has been an impressive investor. Together with our partners in the areas where we work, we manage the efforts undertaken to increase confidence and transparency in investing in the name of social and environmental benefits. At present, we are pleased to see the intentions of a growing number of investors and companies to harmonize their business models and investment strategies in achieving positive results for society," IFC Vice President of Economics and Private Sector Development Hans Peter Lankes said.
"The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan is the first investor from developing economies to invest in assets managed by Asset Management Company (IFC). We would like to thank SOFAZ for its commitment to our common mission," he added.
The conference is attended by about 200 participants including representatives of leading sovereign funds, pension funds, international financial organizations, government agencies, the private sector, a number of universities as well as international experts.