Case studies
Best practice examples of integrating a gender lens across the investment cycle, in various asset classes, geographies and sectors.
uPlanner is a Chilean edtech company offering innovative technological solutions that leverage artificial intelligence and big data to help public and private higher education institutions in Latin America optimise their internal processes and resources, to increase coverage, improve students’ educational experience, and reduce dropout rates. More broadly, uPlanner supports the transition of universities to online delivery, by providing them with the tools needed to improve their process and optimise their resources while ensuring a high quality student educational experience.
The Women-Adapt project, supported by the Green Climate Fund and implemented by the World Food Programme, aims to empower women in the Poro Region in Cote d'Ivoire by integrating a gender lens into climate adaptation actions.
The project is centred around the understanding that women are key agents of change and holders of knowledge and skills that can contribute to climate resilience efforts while proactively promoting activities intended to address the gender disparities due to existing patriarchal structures and gender-discriminatory policies, practices, and norms.
Asili is an integrated food security platform in East Africa, which helps farmers sustainably increase their agricultural outputs and incomes by providing improved seeds, financial and marketing services and training in good agronomic practices and conservation agriculture. Asili’s farms comprise over 8,000 hectares of land under management with a network of approximately 15,000 smallholder farmers. Through their regional hubs, they provide a vital link between small-scale and large-scale producers, agricultural commodity buyers and service providers.
Upaya Social Ventures was founded in 2011 on the premise that creating sustainable, dignified jobs for those in the poorest communities can lift millions out of extreme poverty while supporting the transition to a green economy. To help create these jobs, Upaya invests in early-stage entrepreneurs dedicated to employing at least 50% of their workforce from local communities living in extreme poverty, where fair-wage jobs with predictable income are needed most.
Global Endowment Management (GEM) is a leading outsourced Chief Investment Office (OCIO) that provides institutional investment capabilities for endowments, foundations and other long-term investors. Through its impact investment approach, GEM partners with its clients to ensure investments are aligned with their values. This drives positive outcomes across the investment value chain, often at the intersection of climate, justice, and gender equity. Its integrated approach enables GEM to leverage its position in the investment value chain to serve its clients, and to drive more just, sustainable outcomes for communities and the planet.
Good Nature Agro (GNA) is a for-profit social enterprise that works with rural, small-scale farmers in Zambia and Malawi to supply the region with high-quality legume seed and commodities. GNA’s model provides farmers with certified seeds and inputs on credit, in-depth technical assistance (TA), farmer-friendly financing, and guaranteed off-taking contracts.
Juhudi Kilimo was founded in 2004 as a simple agriculture microlending initiative to serve rural Kenyan farmers who could not access formal financing due to a number of economic, social and environmental barriers, including their remoteness (lack of infrastructure), limited market access, poor climatic conditions, lack of agronomic data, low literacy, lack of collateral or borrowing history, and poor or no financial records.
The collaboration between EBRD and Tbilisi is an example of how a gender lens can be brought to green investments, and in particular how women’s employment and skills development and gender-responsive considerations can be integrated into green infrastructure investment approaches and processes.
Symplifica facilitates the creation, signing, and contract management between a domestic worker and their employer, including registration of the domestic worker in social security programs. Through the platform, Symplifica has formalised more than 11,000 domestic workers throughout Colombia, +95% of which are women from low-income communities.
Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) is a non-profit certified community development financial institution (CDFI), with a mission to rebuild and empower underserved communities by providing access to affordable, innovative financing for sustainable property improvements.
The KL Felicitas Foundation (KLF) is a family foundation founded by Lisa and Charly Kleissner, global pioneers in impact investing for the past 20 years. In 2015, the Foundation transitioned its portfolio allocation to 100% impact while simultaneously seeking index-competitive, risk adjusted returns.
The first social impact integrated capital investment fund led and managed by and for Indigenous women across the United States.
For-profit green manufacturing and design-build firm.
Cultivated alternative protein.
Systemic change for the fashion industry
Closing food loops for climate resilience.
Climate and gender justice through affordable housing.
Renewable, biodegradable plastic alternatives.
Women‑founded, Zurich‑based impact investing firm uses an integrated gender and climate impact methodology.
South Korean VC uncovers deep tech opportunities with an internal gender lens.
Enhancing smallholder adaptation across sub-Saharan Africa.
Understanding and quantifying the benefits to women of owning a refrigerator in East Africa.
Enhancing women’s skills under the Serbian Climate Resilience and Irrigation Project.
Promoting women’s access to reliable and cheap electricity in remote villages across Uganda under an off-grid solar scheme.
Enhancing women’s opportunities under the Ford Otosan EV Syndicated Loan project in Turkey.
Supporting women by investing in the drinking water supply system of Antananarivo.
Building climate resilience for women in Tajikistan.
Integrating women’s needs in climate-resilient urban planning in Ulaanbaatar.
Increasing women’s use of quality public transport in Karachi.
Supporting women’s entrepreneurial ventures investments in coastal Kenya by investing in community conservancies.