Giving Compass' Take:

• Impact investors are already starting to track the performance of their investments as they relate to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

• How can donors begin to measure impact based on the SDGs? How can investors and donors collaborate on this?

• Read about philanthropy's unique role in impact investing. 

Since the SDGs were formalized in 2015, we’ve seen impact investors reframe their thinking across both measurement and the development of new products. And the data supports this with the latest Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) Annual Survey reporting 26 percent of the investors surveyed already track performance of their investments to the SDGs. An additional 34 percent plan to do so in the future—this will represent more than half of the active respondents already engaged in Impact Investing.

Standardization around how we invest in—and measure—the SDGs will be critical to truly meeting the Goals.

Of the respondents who participated, many cited easier communication of impact (78 percent) and alignment with global development structures (75 percent) as key strengths of using SDG-aligned language.

Read the full article on impact investing for the SDGs by Rehana Nathoo at Case Foundation.