Impact investing involves making intentional investments with a positive social impact and being transparent about the metrics to avoid impact-washing.
The parable of talents teaches the importance of stewarding our resources, seeking God's guidance, and taking risks in investing for His glory.
Deep dives
Examples of Impact Investments
One example of an impact investment is a company that almost failed but was saved through a shareholder disagreement resolution. They were able to raise funds and launch a new line of business that employs formerly trafficked youth. Another example is a franchise fresh food store in Nicaragua, providing access to fresh food and employment opportunities for women in remote areas. Additionally, there's a group of investors buying middle market companies and working with the exiting owners to improve conditions for employees and vendors. These are just a few examples of impact investments with varying returns and social impact.
The Importance of Truth-Telling and Impact-Washing
In impact investing, truth-telling is crucial to ensure investments align with the goals of making a positive impact. It involves being intentional, measuring impact, and considering the negative consequences of investments. Impact-washing is the danger of misleading investors by presenting false or exaggerated claims of impact. Transparency and authentic reporting of metrics are essential to avoid impact-washing and uphold the integrity of impact investing.
Lessons from the Parable of Talents
The parable of talents teaches the importance of stewarding the resources entrusted to us and taking action with them. It reminds us that God's definition of success may differ from ours, and His timing is different too. It challenges us to seek the Lord's guidance, to be obedient, and to take risks in investing our resources for His glory. This parable also highlights the significance of truth-telling, where inaction or neglecting our responsibilities can be seen as a failure to honor God.
Growing in Humility and Worship
Amy Minnick shares her journey of seeking humility and finding ways to worship the Lord throughout her busy life. She emphasizes the need to focus on God, worship Him for who He is, and overcome pride by becoming less self-centered. Amy's desire to prioritize worship and cultivate humility deepens her faith and aligns her actions with her beliefs.
Impact Investing is a buzzword in the faith driven investing world. But there are dozens of definitions out there for what it actually means. On today’s episode, we’re moving toward setting the record straight. Aimee Minnich has been around since the beginning of the Faith Driven Investor movement and through her work with the National Christian Foundation and the Impact Foundation she’s proven herself an expert on what it means to invest with impact in mind.
When you listen to her episode, you’ll hear the history of impact investing. While the term has been around since 2006, Aimee makes it clear that this idea has been around for much longer. And in addition to looking back, she also gives us an idea of where impact investing is trending next. She also discusses the value of truth-telling and how that relates not only to the way we interact with others, but to how we approach investing.
We’re so glad to have people like Aimee Minnich involved in this movement, and after you hear this episode, we think you’ll be excited to hear more from her in the future.