M&G Backs Launch of Sustainable Food-Focused Impact Investment Funds with £200 Million Commitment
International savings and investments business M&G plc announced today that it will invest £200 million in two new investment strategies targeting global food challenges being launched by its recently acquired impact investment business responsAbility.
The two new impact investment strategies, in Asia and Latin America, are aimed at improving the production and availability of healthy food worldwide, as well as rural livelihoods, and at building resilience to climate change in the agricultural value chain.
Jack Daniels, Chief Investment Officer, M&G plc, said:
“It’s essential that investors play a role in solving the biggest challenges we face. In this instance, investing in strategies that address feeding a growing population in a sustainable way, in economies where the tangible impact will be greater. This commitment demonstrates how we can use our investment firepower as an asset owner to provide scale to responsAbility’s specialist capabilities and their expertise to deliver financial returns while having a positive impact.”
Founded in 2003, Zurich-based responsAbility invests in private debt and private equity across emerging markets, focusing on companies in the financial inclusion, sustainable food and climate finance sectors whose business models directly support the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
M&G completed the acquisition of responsAbility in May 2022, in a deal aimed at enhancing its own impact investing capabilities, while also strengthening its international footprint and asset origination capabilities.
Rochus Mommartz, Chief Executive Officer of responsAbility, said:
“M&G’s investment is accelerating our growth by attracting more institutional investors to our pioneering range of strategies. Through these two strategies, which aim to generate above benchmark financial returns alongside creating tangible impact, we will utilise our 20 years of experience to positively contribute to the transformation of global agriculture and food value chains.”