Categories

For more information on submitting your entry and to access our full entry guidelines, download our Submission Guide here.

Companies

Asset manager of the year: large

(For investors with total impact investments of $500 million and above)

This award recognises asset managers that have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of impact investing — driving measurable, positive change for people and the planet through capital deployment at scale. The winner will demonstrate a deep commitment to embedding impact into investment strategy, governance, and outcomes across their portfolio.

Asset manager of the year: mid-size

(Investors with total impact investments of $100m to $500m).

Asset manager of the year: small

(Investors with total impact investments of below $100m). This award is for asset managers

Consultant/advisor of the year

This award recognises the consultancy or advisory firm that has made a significant contribution to the development and success of impact investment strategies, frameworks, transactions, or institutions. This may include work with asset managers, asset owners, financial institutions, corporates, or governments to design, structure, or implement impact-focused financial solutions.

Endowment/Foundation of the year

This award recognises an endowment or foundation that has demonstrated leadership, innovation, and measurable results in impact investing. The winner will be an institution that has effectively aligned its capital with its mission — deploying investments that generate positive social and/or environmental outcomes alongside financial returns.

Faith-based organisation of the year

This award recognises a faith-based institution or network that has demonstrated exceptional leadership in aligning its investments with its moral, ethical, and spiritual values to generate measurable, positive social and environmental outcomes. The winning organisation will have used its capital not only as a financial tool but as a vehicle for mission-driven change.

Investment bank of the year

This award recognises an investment bank that has played a leading role in structuring, facilitating, or promoting impact investments that deliver measurable positive outcomes for people and the planet. The winner will demonstrate not only deal-making excellence but a strategic commitment to sustainability and market development.

Law firm of the year

This award recognises a law firm that has demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and commitment to supporting the growth of impact investing. The winner will have played a pivotal role in enabling transactions, shaping legal frameworks, or advancing sustainability-related legal innovation.

Lender of the year

This award recognises a bank or lending institution that has demonstrated outstanding leadership in deploying debt capital to achieve measurable positive social and/or environmental outcomes. The winner will have used lending to drive sustainable development, financial inclusion, and climate resilience.

NGO/charity/non-profit of the year

This award recognises a mission-driven organisation that has made a significant contribution to advancing impact investing or unlocking capital for social and environmental good. The winner will have demonstrated innovation, influence, and measurable outcomes in enabling systemic change.

Pension fund of the year

This award recognises a pension fund that has demonstrated leadership in deploying capital toward investments that deliver measurable social and/or environmental benefits, while meeting fiduciary responsibilities. The winner will showcase how long-term capital can drive meaningful, mission-aligned impact.

Private debt provider of the year

This award recognises a private debt provider that has delivered measurable positive environmental and/or social outcomes through its lending and credit strategies. The winner will demonstrate how private debt can be a powerful tool for sustainable development and impact.

Re/insurer of the year

This award recognises a re/insurance company that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to advancing impact investing and sustainability through its investment portfolio. The winner will have successfully deployed capital to generate measurable social and environmental benefits while managing long-term risk.

Family office of the year (single or multi-family offices)

This award recognises a family office that has demonstrated a strategic, mission-aligned approach to impact investing — using capital to support long-term environmental and social transformation. The winner will show leadership in deploying capital that creates measurable, meaningful change.

Sovereign wealth fund of the year

This award recognises a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) that has shown exceptional leadership in integrating impact into its investment strategy — delivering measurable environmental and/or social outcomes while stewarding long-term national wealth. The winner will demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and global best practices.

Award for impact research

This award recognises a research institution, think tank, consultancy, academic team, or individual that has produced outstanding research advancing the field of impact investing. The winner will have contributed actionable insights, data, or methodologies that have informed decision-making, improved practice, or shaped policy in the impact finance space.

Venture capital firm of the year

This award recognises a venture capital firm that has demonstrated excellence in backing early-stage companies that deliver measurable environmental or social impact alongside financial returns. The winner will show how innovation and capital have been combined to drive scalable, high-impact solutions.

Wealth manager of the year

This award recognises a wealth management firm or private bank that has demonstrated excellence in delivering impact investing solutions to high-net-worth individuals, families, and foundations. The winner will have enabled clients to align capital with purpose and generated measurable environmental and/or social outcomes.

Award for impact measurement and metrics

This award recognises an organisation or initiative that has made a significant contribution to the advancement of robust, transparent, and decision-useful impact management, measurement, and reporting. The winner will have developed or implemented tools, frameworks, or methodologies that improve how impact is assessed, compared, and communicated across the investment lifecycle.

Award for impact reporting

This award recognises an organisation that has demonstrated excellence in communicating the outcomes of its impact investments in a transparent, credible, and decision-useful way. The winner will have produced high-quality reporting that drives accountability, informs stakeholders, and advances best practices in impact disclosure.

Individuals and teams

Personality of the year

This award honours an individual who has shown exceptional leadership, vision, and influence in the field of impact investing over the past 12–18 months. The winner will be someone who has made a demonstrable contribution to advancing the impact investment market — through innovation, advocacy, institution-building, or direct investment outcomes.

Young professional of the year/rising star (under age 40)

This award recognises an outstanding individual under the age of 40 who has demonstrated exceptional talent, leadership potential, and commitment to advancing the impact investing field. The winner will be someone whose work has already delivered meaningful outcomes and who is seen as a future leader of the industry.

Investment team of the year – asset owner

This award recognises an outstanding investment team at an asset owner (e.g. pension fund, endowment, foundation, insurance company, sovereign wealth fund) that has demonstrated exceptional collaboration, innovation, and results in advancing impact investing. The team will have made significant contributions to integrating environmental and social outcomes into their investment strategy.

Investment team of the year – asset manager

This award recognises an investment team at an asset management firm that has demonstrated outstanding collaboration, innovation, and effectiveness in delivering measurable environmental and social impact through their investment strategy. The team will have played a key role in advancing impact investing within their firm and across the wider market.

Funds/Investments/Projects

Fund of the year – private equity

This award recognises a private equity fund that has demonstrated excellence in generating measurable positive environmental and/or social outcomes alongside strong financial performance. The winning fund will have clearly defined impact objectives, robust measurement practices, and a track record of delivering real-world results.

Fund of the year – listed equity

This award recognises a public equity fund that has delivered measurable environmental and/or social impact through its investment strategy, engagement practices, and stewardship efforts. The fund should demonstrate a clear commitment to impact investing — not only in its holdings, but in how it influences listed companies to drive sustainable outcomes.

Fund of the year – private debt

This award recognises a private debt fund that has delivered strong, measurable environmental and/or social outcomes through its lending activities. The fund should demonstrate how its capital has supported impactful borrowers, enabled underserved markets, and contributed to real-world positive change — alongside sound financial performance.

Fund of the year – fixed income

This award recognises a fixed income fund that has delivered measurable positive environmental and/or social outcomes through its investments in impact bonds or other thematic credit instruments. Eligible funds may include those focused on green, social, sustainability, or sustainability-linked bonds, as well as those with a broader impact or ESG-integrated fixed income mandate.

Fund of the year – multi-asset/other

This award recognises a multi-asset or non-traditional impact fund that has demonstrated strong, measurable outcomes across environmental and/or social dimensions through a diversified investment strategy. Eligible funds may span public and private markets, real assets, alternatives, blended finance, or thematic allocations that don't fall under a single asset class.

Impact project/investment of the year: agriculture and sustainable land use

This award recognises an outstanding project or investment that has significantly advanced sustainable agriculture, regenerative practices, or responsible land use, delivering tangible benefits for people, planet, and climate. The winner will demonstrate both measurable impact and innovation in addressing systemic environmental or social challenges in the land use sector.

Impact project/investment of the year: air quality

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a significant, measurable contribution to improving air quality and reducing pollution-related harm to human health and the environment. Submissions should showcase both technical or financial innovation and demonstrable outcomes over the past 12-18 months.

Impact project/investment of the year: arts and culture

This award recognises a project or investment that has delivered meaningful and measurable social or environmental impact through arts and culture. Eligible submissions may include initiatives in visual or performing arts, heritage preservation, creative industries, or community-based cultural programming that address equity, sustainability, or collective well-being.

Impact project/investment of the year: biodiversity and ecosystem

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a measurable contribution to the conservation, restoration, or sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems. Submissions should highlight both the ecological significance of the intervention and the impact delivered over the past 12-18 months.

Impact project/investment of the year: climate

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a measurable and transformative contribution to climate mitigation and/or adaptation. Submissions should highlight climate-positive outcomes achieved, particularly over the past 12-18 months, and demonstrate how financial innovation and impact measurement have played a role.

Impact project/investment of the year: social inclusion & community development

(including diversity and inclusion, employment, and place-based impact)

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a demonstrable contribution to advancing social inclusion, equity, and community development. Submissions should highlight how the initiative empowered underserved populations, reduced inequality, or delivered meaningful local impact — especially over the past 12-18 months.

Impact project/investment of the year: education

This award recognises a project or investment that has significantly expanded access to quality education, improved learning outcomes, or strengthened education systems through a socially and financially sustainable model. The submission should highlight both measurable educational impact and why the past 12-18 months were pivotal for the project's development.

Impact project/investment of the year: energy

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a transformative contribution to advancing sustainable, reliable, and inclusive energy access or transition. The submission should clearly outline measurable environmental and/or social outcomes and why the past 12-18 months were instrumental to the project's progress.

Impact project/investment of the year: financial Services (including fintech)

This award recognises a project or investment that has significantly advanced financial inclusion, economic empowerment, or the integration of sustainability in financial systems. This may include innovations in fintech, inclusive banking, microfinance, or sustainable financial infrastructure. Submissions should highlight measurable impact and why the past 12-18 months were pivotal to the project's development.

Impact project/investment of the year: health

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a measurable contribution to improving health outcomes, strengthening healthcare systems, or expanding access to affordable, quality care. This includes initiatives across primary care, medical innovation, mental health, pandemic resilience, and health-related infrastructure. Submissions should clearly demonstrate impact and explain why the past 12-18 months were pivotal.

Impact project/investment of the year: infrastructure (excluding renewables)

This award recognises a transformative infrastructure project or investment—outside of renewable energy—that has delivered significant, measurable social and/or environmental benefits. Eligible sectors may include transport, water and sanitation, waste management, digital infrastructure, climate adaptation, or social infrastructure (e.g. schools, hospitals, housing). Submissions should clearly demonstrate the project's impact and highlight why the past 12-18 months were pivotal to its development or success.

Impact project/investment of the year: renewables

This award recognises a renewable energy project or investment that has delivered measurable, scalable, and inclusive environmental and/or social benefits. Eligible initiatives may span solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass, or renewable energy storage and integration. Submissions should clearly demonstrate the project's impact and explain why the past 12-18 months were particularly important for its progress or success.

Impact project/investment of the year: oceans and coastal zones

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a measurable contribution to the protection, restoration, or sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems. Eligible initiatives may include marine conservation, sustainable fisheries, blue carbon projects, coastal resilience infrastructure, ocean-based renewable energy, or community-based coastal livelihoods. Submissions should clearly demonstrate how the initiative has delivered environmental and/or social impact and explain why the last 12-18 months were particularly important to its development or success.

Impact project/investment of the year: pollution and waste management

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a measurable, innovative, and sustainable contribution to reducing pollution or improving waste management systems. Eligible initiatives may span circular economy models, recycling infrastructure, hazardous waste mitigation, plastic waste reduction, industrial process reform, or air/water/soil pollution abatement. Submissions should clearly demonstrate the environmental and/or social impact achieved and explain why the past 12-18 months were especially critical to the project's development or success.

Impact project/investment of the year: real estate

This award recognises a real estate project or investment that has delivered significant positive social and/or environmental outcomes through design, construction, retrofitting, or operations. Eligible initiatives may include affordable housing, green buildings, net-zero developments, community infrastructure, or regeneration of underserved urban areas. Submissions should provide clear evidence of the impact achieved and explain why the last 12-18 months were especially important to the project's progress or success.

Impact project/investment of the year: water

This award recognises a project or investment that has made a demonstrable positive impact on water access, quality, conservation, or infrastructure. Eligible initiatives may include water supply and sanitation systems, watershed restoration, water reuse and efficiency technologies, pollution reduction, or climate-resilient infrastructure. Submissions should clearly outline the positive outcomes achieved and explain why the past 12-18 months have been critical to the project's development or success.

Initiatives

Naturetech investment/initiative of the year

This award recognises a pioneering initiative or investment that uses technology to support the protection, restoration, or sustainable management of nature. Eligible projects may include innovations in biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem restoration, conservation finance, natural capital accounting, or tools that enable nature-positive decision-making.

Impact investing platform of the year

This award recognises a digital or technology-enabled platform that has significantly advanced access to, participation in, or effectiveness of impact investing over the past year. Platforms may serve individual or institutional investors and span a range of asset classes, from listed instruments to private market solutions.

Innovation/invention of the year

This award recognises a breakthrough product, service, tool, framework, or methodology introduced in the past 12–18 months that significantly advances the practice or outcomes of impact investing. The innovation may relate to finance, technology, measurement, data, or process design, and must demonstrate both originality and potential for positive environmental and/or social impact.

Impact initiative of the year: global

This award recognises a high-impact initiative that has made a significant contribution to solving pressing environmental and/or social challenges through innovative, scalable, and measurable approaches in the category region. The initiative may span sectors, or stakeholders, and must demonstrate alignment with the principles of impact investing.

IMPACT Investment Awards 2025