The 'Project SAGE' series are benchmark reports released by the Wharton Social Impact Initiative, tracks venture capital, private equity, and private debt investments with a gender lens. The project's goal was to provide a “point in time” capture of the expanding gender lens investing opportunities globally.

The Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles (SLLP) were originally published in 2019 and provide a framework to what is recognised as an increasingly important area of finance. A sustainability-linked loan is one that incentivises borrowers to improve sustainability performance targets. This guidance note should be read alongside the SLLP.

The Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles (SLLP), originated in 2019 to provide a framework for this growing area of finance. This summary reviews the SLLP and its five core components. The SLLP have been developed by an experienced working party consisting of representatives from leading financial institutions.

This report examines the use of artificial intelligence technologies to analyse environmental, social and governance ("ESG") data for investments in emerging markets. It gives a detailed account of an experiment conducted to determine the effectiveness of such technologies in analysing the ESG performance of emerging markets issuers.

This report describes how a market for mainstream investments that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), could be created with enough liquidity, scale, and diversification, to attract a range of investors. It inspires and guides companies, governments, and cities, to benefit from better funding while implementing the Paris Goals.

The Global Governance Principles (GGPs) from the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) are corporate governance standards that act as a framework for well-governed companies to follow. The GGPs are widely applicable, irrespective of national legislative frameworks or listing rules.

Small and growing businesses (SGBs) have significant and positive impact on emerging and frontier markets. This report proposes a new segmentation framework to help service providers, enterprises, donors, limited partners (LPs) and field-building organisations understand and navigate the complex landscape of SGB investment in frontier and emerging markets.

The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) seeks to expand private sector contribution and collaboration in biodiversity conservation by developing this guide to assist their understanding of biodiversity and role of private capital in sustainability. This guide aims to assist the private sector in developing finance solutions for biodiversity conservation and finance.

This report presents a global review of nature-based solutions (NbS), identifying and analysing 88 existing NbS investments between 2002 to 2021. The report identifies common trends of existing investments, both opportunities and barriers to NbS investments and suggests recommendations to institutional investors and policymakers.

The report examines whether laws within eleven diverse jurisdictions support institutional investors in pursuing sustainability outcomes, while at the same time earning a financial return. It discusses options available to policymakers for legal reform in order to facilitate investing for sustainability impact.

This 2020 report presents the results from a survey that assesses whether a risk differential can be detected between green, non-green and brown financial assets (loans and bonds). Based on information obtained by 49 banks, it presents a snapshot of current practices among financial institutions in their asset allocation.

This report is a study of the enabling environment for financial inclusion in 55 low to middle income countries. It focuses on the role of financial inclusion in terms of how governments in those countries responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report uses quantitative and qualitative research to further our understanding of developments in digital financial inclusion driven by fintech, and their macroeconomic effects. It also details the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and discusses the future of fintech’s impacts on financial inclusion.

Banks continue to finance the global plastics chain, despite the significant risks of lender liability from the impacts of plastic waste. This report highlights the lack of development of any due diligence systems, contingent loan criteria, or financing exclusions at the banks when it comes to the plastic packaging industry.

This report explores the contribution of the banking sector to the biodiversity crisis and the destruction of nature as of 2019. The report ranks the 50 largest banks globally based on their financing of unethical operations, finding a large impact on deforestation, ecosystem destruction and overfishing.

There has been a gap between understanding climate change and the implications it has for finance and the broader economy. This paper provides insight into scenario analysis - using data and climate science to provide more transparency on their financial risks in the medium and long term.