Seeking a double bottom line

ONE of the hottest buzzwords in philanthropy is impact investing, a form of investment that seeks both financial and social returns. The Rockefeller Foundation coined the term in 2008, and the excited chatter over this concept has started to translate into concrete action around the world.

In Asia, impact investing is still a new concept, and outside of Australia it has yet to take off in a big way.

"Impact investing has indeed become a vogue, frequently discussed in forums like this, but we know there is still much more room for better understanding," said Francesco de Ferrari, Credit Suisse's head of private banking in the Asia-Pacific region, at the bank's annual philanthropy forum in Singapore.