Nothing in life comes close to the contentment to be derived from devoting one’s wealth towards rendering others beneficiaries simultaneously reaping enough returns.
The return accrues both in financial and psychological terms to the investors. Such a value-based investment that results from the confluence of financial venture and philanthropic gesture is referred impact investing. It is tantamount to killing two birds with one stone.
As trends worldwide show unless obsessed by stinginess, business persons heeding expertise could showcase the maximum impact and actualize the greatest philanthropic legacy.
As they are not profit-oriented entrepreneurs and as they have a cherished corner in their heart for social programs, impact investors aim at attaining the mutual benefit of society and themselves. Welfare foundations are also under their radars.
It is therefore beneficial for the country that impact investors do not fights shy from engaging in investment ventures that may not guarantee immediate returns. Nor must they backpedal from demanding intensive investments.
For instance a nation like Ethiopia in a transitional aspiration from agriculture-led economy to an industry-led one preferably needs investors who dare to engage in the manufacturing sector.
Focusing on labor intensive ventures also help in absorbing the unemployed youths of the country. Here there is a need to focus on agro industries. There is no gainsaying that unbeaten and nation-transforming ventures are preferably appreciated.
Needless to mention, the involvement of impact investors in path breaking thrust spearhead nation’s development that in turn warrants societal development. As such Impact investors are far from greed. Unfortunately, the country is a tad short of such investors.
Working on related fields of investment such as establishing water points round one’s plants is a viable venture.
Exemplary investors need to take the initiative to be impact investors taking into consideration social corporate responsibilities. Such a disposition could go a long way in rippling across the country.
On the other end of the scale, greedy investors are seen inflicting damage on the environment. They are the ones that release untreated wastes into nearby rivers or the backyards of their plants inconsiderate of the repercussions or attendant ills.
Even if some investors had built waste treatment facilities to receive license they are seen playacting using such facilities, while subtly releasing wastes into the environment.
There has to be backscratching between the government and impact investors. The former could tap the latter on the back via its policy packages that could entail incentives.
It could be possible to correlate tax deduction and benevolent gestures of investors.
Oblivious to the fact that society direly needs their supporting hands in return, Investors must not allow their vision clouded by solely amassing fortune.
For want of clarity on the significance of social corporate responsibility, remiss in impact investment, some investors are seen making the government a scapegoat to their closefisted behavior.
Investors must work to demonstrate tangible changes take shape in the country. The government on its part could use tax as an instrument for wealth distribution via social program that aims at ensuring the availability of health, education, water and sanitary services.
In nurturing such bent, among investors, it is possible to use the Chamber of Commerce as an entry point. It is expected to conduct continuous awareness -deepening programs.
The unethical bent of investors and their infringements on workers right scares away clients than attract them.
But for impact investors to go to rural parts of the country and invest maintaining the tranquility of the country is imperative. There is a need to work on that too. To sum up investors must learn to give back to society for mutual benefit
The Ethiopian Herald January 19/2020
