MICROFINANCE EVENT: Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI), Luxembourg Fund Labelling Agency (LUXFLAG), European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) to Co-host “Impact Investing Conference,” May 12, 2016, Luxembourg

Event Name: Impact Investing Conference

Event Dates: May 12, 2016

Event Location: Namur Premises, Luxembourg-Hamm

Summary of Event: The topics to be discussed include the impact of the Paris Cop 21 Agreement, which was an outgrowth of the United Nations climate change conference that took place in December 2015 in Paris on impact investors; ways in which the impact finance industry can reach sufficient scale to attract institutional investors; and how investors can distinguish between industry “players” versus “pretenders.” GIIN defines impact investing as “investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.”

Cost: The standard registration fee is EUR 350 (USD 395). The rate for members of ALFI, LuxFLAG, GIIN or e-MFP is EUR 300 (USD 339).

Background on Organizers

The Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI), created in 1988, is a nonprofit membership organization representing 1,400 Luxembourg-domiciled investment funds, asset management companies and other service providers. ALFI’s main objectives are to help its members capitalize on industry trends; shape regulation; promote the Luxembourg investment fund industry; and encourage professionalism, integrity and performance quality.

The Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency (LuxFLAG) was established in 2006 to evaluate the activities of microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs), regarding standards such as whether they invest at least 50 percent of their total assets in microfinance. In 2011, it expanded its mission to include environment-related investment vehicles (EIVs). LuxFLAG’s aim is to “promote the raising of capital for Microfinance and Environment related sectors by awarding a recognizable label to eligible microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs) and environment-related investment vehicles (EIVs).” As of April 2016, 27 microfinance investment vehicles hold the LuxFLAG Microfinance Label, representing assets of approximately USD 11.6 billion; nine funds hold its Environment Label representing assets of approximately USD 2.8 billion; and nine funds hold its environmental, social and governance (ESG) label representing assets of approximately USD 2.9 billion.

The European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), founded in 2006, is a network of approximately 125 microfinance organizations and individuals that aims to promote information exchange and other forms of cooperation among European microfinance actors working in developing countries. Based in Luxembourg, it hosts nine action groups that work in areas such as youth services, university liaisons and investors investing in small microfinance institutions. It also organizes the European Microfinance Week conference each November.

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) is a nonprofit organization based in the US city of New York that is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of impact investing, which it defines as for-profit investment intended to solve social and environmental problems. GIIN’s Investor Council consists of approximately 60 impact investors as of 2016.

Event Website: http://www.alfi.lu/Impact-Inve sting-conference

For additional information, you may call Irene Schultz-Gerstein or Siobhan Roche at +352 223026.1 or email events[at]alfi.lu.

By Imke Herholdt, Research Associate

Additional Sources and Resources

[1] The Association of Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI)

[2] The Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency (LuxFLAG)

[3] European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP)

[4] Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)

[5] MicroCapital Universe Profile: The Association of Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI)

[6] MicroCapital Universe Profile: The Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency (LuxFLAG)

[7] MicroCapital Universe Profile: European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP)

[8] MicroCapital Universe Profile: Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)

Do you know that MicroCapital publishes the MicroCapital Monitor newspaper each month? Find out more at http://www.microcapital.org/pr oducts-page/

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