“Impact investing has been making important differences in so many dimensions but is not yet part of the standard curriculum in many business schools. One reason is that there is not yet enough research, and the Harvard/Chicago/Wharton consortium represents an important undertaking to promote research in this area.”

—Nancy Pfund: Founder and Managing Partner of DBL Partners

“Something that has plagued the impact investing field to date has been access to reliable, consistent data about the financial and the social or environmental performance of funds and the companies that they invest in. The partnership among Wharton, Booth and Harvard promises to create a secure repository where fund managers can contribute confidential performance data that will help guide rigorous academic research and help make an evidence-based case for impact investing.”

—Brian L. Trelstad: Partner, Bridges Fund Management; Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School

“The necessary transition to impact economies will be boosted by rigorous academic research that sheds light on the important questions that have followed impact investing since its inception. I welcome this powerful partnership of three leading business schools. Their research will instruct and bring enhanced credibility to the fields of impact investing, impact businesses and impact economies.”

—Sir Ronald M. Cohen: Chairman of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment and The Portland Trust, Chair of Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative Advisory Council, co-founder director of Social Finance UK, USA, and Israel, and co-founder Chair of Bridges Fund Management and Big Society Capital

“For over a decade, impact investing has been steadily entering the mainstream. We see growth in demand from MBA students as well as investors, both institutional and retail; interest and concern from regulators; and of course, a rapidly evolving landscape in the launch of new ‘impact’ products covering multiple asset classes. The need for qualified, academic research on impact investing has never been more obvious than today. I highly endorse the IFRC as a missing piece in the current impact investing landscape that will complement our work as professional impact investors. I expect that the insights the IFRC generates will help to draw much-needed impact capital off the sidelines.”

—Matt Christensen: Global Head of Impact Strategy and Responsible Investment at AXA Investment Management

“Investor interest in contributing to positive environmental and social outcomes in developed and emerging economies continues to grow, so it is vital to generate more knowledge of the performance of funds managed to deliver both measured impact and financial returns. We welcome this collaboration by leading business schools to gather and analyze rigorous data and evidence on the performance of impact funds.”

—Neil Gregory: Chief Thought Leadership Officer at International Finance Corporation