Social Impact Investing

Investing that makes a difference

The role of Social Impact Investing is on the rise, and rightly so! More and more investors are shifting their focus from pure financial returns to broader environmental and societal investments as a means of creating and protecting long term value - not only to support terrific social causes, but to create better returns.

Supporting clients and the market more broadly with the goal of ‘doing well and doing good’ under the broader umbrella of Responsible Business is a key area of focus for KWM. We have long supported clients across the spectrum of charitable driven investments to more mainstream investments.

KWM’s team has long been at the top of the market and the forefront of delivering innovation and novel solutions to clients, including fund creation and deployment of capital that makes a positive difference to people and to places that will benefit communities now and in the future.

KWM’s experience encompasses direct Social Impact Investing and experience in sectors where Impact Investing is prevalent. We have a strong track record supporting Impact Investments including social and disability housing, energy transformation and other climate change related investments.

Our experience

• AMP Life Limited: acquisition of further interests in trusts holding a large portfolio of Principal Healthcare nursing homes and other aged care facilities across Australian and New Zealand
• AustralianSuper: investment into the Assemble affordable housing platform which uses an innovative Build-to-Rent-to-Own model for affordable housing, with rights to invest in projects initiated and developed through the Assemble pipeline
• CEFC: $100m investment commitment in the Waratah Super Battery, one of the world’s largest committed batteries (located in NSW)
• Conscious Investment Management: establishment of a number of its impact funds
• Dexus: establishment of its unlisted healthcare fund and related assets with CEFC as a cornerstone investor
• Fraser Property: creation of a joint venture with Mitsui Fudosan, forward sale of affordable housing buildings to Mission Australia, and two innovative financing structures
• MIRA: establishment of various funds including in the social and affordable housing sectors
• New Forests Singapore: establishment of its Tropical Asia Forest Fund 2 (TAFF2) to invest in sustainable plantation forestry assets in Southeast Asia for end markets such as timber, rubber and carbon. The novel blended finance structure is designed to enable inclusion of investment in impact activities focused on climate action, community engagement and livelihoods, and biodiversity conservation.
• Palisade: establishment of Palisade Renewable Energy Fund
• QIC/Future Fund: establishment of Powering Australian Renewables Fund (PARF)/ Powering Australian Renewables (PowAR) with AGL
• Queensland Government: establishment of the government-owned A$500 million Land Restoration Fund, which aims to expand carbon farming in the state
• St Vincent de Paul Society: as a successful proponent in stage 1 of the NSW Social and Affordable Housing Fund