Impact Investing Library

A curated collection of research, frameworks, and tools — organized by topic and mapped to The Impact Thesis Blueprint.

Topic
Impact Thesis Theory of Change Measurement Returns Due Diligence Fund Design Sectors Policy Reporting Market
Blueprint Section
M1: Overview M2: Strategy M3: Understand M4: Invest M5: Project M6: Finalize
Type
Annual Report Article Blended Finance Book Case Study Climate Crowdfunding Employee Ownership Framework Guide Index Platform Report Toolkit Video Working Paper
All Topics Impact Thesis Theory of Change Measurement Returns Due Diligence Fund Design Sectors Policy Reporting Market

Impact Due Diligence

Impact due diligence extends traditional investment analysis to include an assessment of whether an investment can deliver on its stated impact objectives. It asks not only "will this generate acceptable financial returns?" but also "will this produce the societal outcomes it claims to pursue?"

The practice involves screening, exclusion, governance assessment, and evaluation of the investee's capacity to deliver impact. A critical distinction is the difference between ESG integration and impact investing. ESG screens for risk mitigation — identifying factors that could affect financial performance. Impact investing goes further: it requires intentionality, additionality, and measurability.

The resources in this collection address these distinctions and provide practical frameworks for conducting impact due diligence. You will find guidance on screening methodologies, governance frameworks, and the emerging academic literature on the relationship between investor engagement and corporate behavior.

The Blueprint's Invest component encompasses due diligence as a critical step in defining the opportunity. Before projecting returns, you must first establish that the investment vehicle can credibly deliver the intended impact.

A Theory of Socially Responsible Investment
Oehmke & Opp / Review of Economic Studies
Academic paper proposing a theoretical framework for how socially responsible investors influence corporate behavior.
ArticleM4: Invest
Closing the Trust Gap in Impact Investing
Stanford GSB
Stanford research on building trust and transparency in impact investing.
ArticleM1: Overview
Exit vs. Voice
Broccardo, Hart & Zingales / ECGI
Analyzes the effectiveness of divestment (exit) versus shareholder engagement (voice) in corporate governance.
Working PaperM4: Invest
Intentional Governance Guides
The Governance Institute
Guidelines for developing intentional governance structures to support impact goals.
GuideM4: Invest
Screenings and Exclusions
Principles for Responsible Investment
Explains how negative screenings and exclusions are used to align portfolios with values.
GuideM4: Invest
Socially Responsible Disinvestment
Edmans, Levit & Schneemeier / ECGI
Analyzes the effectiveness of socially responsible divestment in driving corporate change.
Working PaperM4: Invest

No resources match your filters.

Accessibility Tools