Sustainable Investing works with international organizations, institutional investors and investment research houses to provide research and convening around new trends in sustainable finance. Since 2003, IFC has taken concrete steps to increase the amount of sustainable portfolio equity and private equity investment into and within emerging markets. The goal has been set out to almost double the stock of sustainable capital in emerging markets from US$2.7 billion in 2003 – less than 0.1% of emerging market stock market capitalization – to US$5 billion in 2008.

Recent Highlights

Sustainable Investment in China 2009 (added October 2009)
Over the past three decades, China has made remarkable strides in economic development, maintaining a GDP growth average of nine percent a year and lifting more than 400 million people out of poverty. China is determined to ensure the sustainability of its economic and social development as it enters the 21st century, which it envisions in terms of a "harmonious society." To this end, sustainable investment has an important role to play, not only as a means of risk mitigation for the financial system, but also as a powerful lever for influencing corporate behavior and helping to improve ESG performance. Although the potential of sustainable investment as a positive force for broader economic performance appears relatively underdeveloped, there are encouraging cases showing that a small number of market pioneers and innovators are exploring ways to integrate ESG factors into investment. These investors are inventing homegrown methodologies which align with material issues at the country level.

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