Impact Themes i-Centric Admin

I M P A C T   T H E M E S

Our Approach

The impact statement of Norsad is encapsulated in the organisational purpose of “building a better Africa”. Building a better Africa is in recognition that Africans are connected as regions, economies, communities, and families, and our daily actions to be impactful contribute to reshaping our future. Our investments are also aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

Our impact focus and themes are as follows:

 

We will contribute to job creation and boost people’s capacity to provide for themselves by funding well-managed, mid-sized firms, and high-impact small and medium enterprises. This impact theme aligns with SDGs 1, 2, 8 and 13
We will extend credit to companies that provide access to useful and affordable financial services – savings, transactions, payments, credit and insurance. Access to financial services can contribute to eliminating poverty, creating jobs, reducing gender inequality, and accessing education and healthcare. This impact theme aligns with SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8.
We have adopted the 2X Challenge criteria – we fund not only companies that are majority owned by women and embrace female representation at all levels in the workplace, but also offer products and services aimed specifically at improving the lives of women and girls. This impact theme is an SDG on its own – SDG 5.
We will support the green transition, including providing sustainable infrastructure finance to develop renewable energy, water and sanitation, and green buildings. This impact theme has strong alignment with SDGs 6, 7, 9 and 13.

Key impact achievements include:

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Million Lives Impacted
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Female Employees Supported
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Youth Employees Supported
0
%
of managerial positions are occupied by women
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%
of partner companies are party to economic, environmental or social charters
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%
of partner companies have a Board of Directors
0
%
of partner companies have implemented some form of sustainability initiative

B E S T   P R A C T I C E S

ESG

At Norsad, Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) considerations are central to our investment thesis. We believe that subscribing to best Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) practices creates sustainable brands, increases productivity and enables companies to unlock further funding. We assist partner investee companies to formulate and implement adequate internal Social and Environmental policies.

We recognise that achieving our intended Impact objectives, and effectively embedding Impact considerations into our work requires an intentional and focused approach.

F A Q S    O N

Impact Investment

What is impact investing and why is it important?
Impact investing is the allocation capital to enterprises with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. It is important because of the value creation considerations of the investment to society beyond financial returns. Norsad’s investment strategy is centered on generating financial returns while also creating positive social and environmental change – a very important and worthy endeavour for those investing in Africa. Our impact investment stretches beyond Southern Africa, such as this inspiring story of investing in education in Kenya.

What are the three components of impact investing?
At Norsad Capital, we believe that impact investing must be defined by intentionality (setting out with a strategy towards positive impact), return (a sound investment based on sustainability) and measurability (the transparent monitoring of benefits).

How impact investing can make a difference in Africa?
The themes we focus on in our investment strategy are highlighted above – sustainable livelihoods, financial inclusion, gender equality, climate and clean energy. Investing in these areas can drastically improve people’s lives and the places they call home. Have a look at this story of economic impact and other case studies in our News Updates section.

What is an impact investment company?
An impact-investing company considers both positive causes and profits. Norsad Capital is characterised by its focus on impact investing and intention to generate profit with purpose. In fact, our award-winning strategies score an A+ from global leading proponents of responsible investments. Read an article about that here.