Standard setting organization Gold Standard has opened applications for investment funds to join the two-year pilot phase of its new Impact Fund Certification requirements, which have been developed to support serious sustainable funds in measuring, managing and maximizing the sustainable development impact of their investments.       

Gold Standard requirements ensure best practice impact investing that builds on International Finance Corporation safeguards, UN Development Programme equity standards, and the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development’s blended finance approaches and best practice in the market – providing support from initial strategy design, through project screening and feasibility, to implementation and exit.

Impact Fund Certification certifies that a fund will deliver on its sustainable strategy, going beyond the more traditional environmental, social and governance model, which is focused on risk avoidance, and providing evidence of real contributions to climate and sustainable goals.

Application of the fund requirements minimizes non-delivery risks through the measurement of the actual outcomes at the level of the investee.

The new requirements focus on process delivery and are part of Gold Standard’s growth in the sustainable finance arena. The organization works with investors and national governments supporting sustainable project development to create optimal enabling conditions to attract climate finance, and with impact investors to de-risk funds through robust measurement and reporting of impacts.

With up to five places for participating in the piloting of the fund requirements, the organization points out, this is an opportunity for fund managers to become recognized leaders. The fund and impact management team will gain insights into best practice impact management, measurement and maximization, using the full suite of the organization’s tools at subsidized costs.

“The world urgently needs trillions of dollars to achieve the sustainable development goals, and the majority of the capital must come from the private sector, including impact funds,” says Margret Kim, the organization’s CEO. “The new fund requirements bring best practice in impact measurement, management and maximization to support fund managers in delivering credible contributions to the goals.”