IFC Report Estimates Investors Appetite for Impact Investing Could Be as High as $26 Trillion

Investors’ appetite for impact investing—in which they seek to generate positive impact for society alongside strong financial returns—could be as much as $26 trillion, according to a new report issued by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group.

The report, Creating Impact: The Promise of Impact Investing, is the most comprehensive assessment so far of the potential global market for impact investing. As much as $268 trillion—the financial assets held by institutions and households across the world—is potentially available for investment. The report notes that if just 10 percent of this were channeled toward investments focused on improving social and environmental outcomes, it would go a long way toward providing the funding necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals while also facilitating a shift to a low-carbon future.

“More and more investors – including younger people – are demanding that their investments are channeled into funds that have positive impact for communities and the environment,” said IFC CEO Philippe Le Houérou. “We have a historic opportunity to grow this market — and that’s good news for the planet and the communities around the world.”