As of December 2021, BlueOrchard a leading global impact investment manager and member of the Schroders Group whose aim is to provide attractive returns to investors, provided access to financial services for nearly 230 million people in growth markets.
With record investments of more than USD 1.4 billion in over 260 private debt transactions, the firm continued to expand its investment platform across regions amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
In addition, BlueOrchard’s Covid-19 support strategy exceeded USD 200 million, evolving into a leading blended finance solution that protects jobs and supports small businesses in hard-hit markets.
Blue Orchard announced this through a press release highlighting a successful 20th year anniversary in which the firm further expanded its leadership position with innovative initiatives and enlarged its investor base.
In addition, BlueOrchard received several awards, including the prestigious peers-judged Institutional Asset Manager Award in the category “Best Impact Investing Asset Management Firm”.
Blue Orchard, also announced plans to strengtthen their investment platform for Climate and Financial Inclusion this year & continue to expand its impact investment solutions across public and private markets.
Furthermore, the firm will focus on responding to both the climate crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic through its bond and private infrastructure strategies and financial inclusion offerings.
Last year Blue Orchard launched UCITS emerging markets climate bond fund in collaboration with Schroders and the successful closing of a sustainable infrastructure debt strategy. Through this the company was able to respond to the climate crisis as well as the strong investor demand for a climate impact strategy focused on positive environmental change.
Highlighting the success of BlueOrchard in the last 20 years, Philipp Mueller, BlueOrchard’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “In our 20th anniversary year we could further strengthen our position as a leading impact investment manager. We look back at a successful 2021, in which we could considerably expand our investment platform and leverage our local expertise.
He added, “We launched new climate action strategies, increased our impact outreach, and delivered strong performance across portfolios in a challenging environment. We will continue to advance our mission to generate lasting positive impact for communities and the environment and drive impact at scale in regions that need it most.”
Thought Leader in Impact Measurement & Management
To systematically assess the impact of each current and prospective investee and identify potential for improvement, BlueOrchard has developed its proprietary B.Impact framework, the latest generation of BlueOrchard’s industry-standard impact measurement framework. In 2021, B.Impact has been expanded to new asset classes such as listed debt and sustainable infrastructure.
20 Years of Impact
In 2021, BlueOrchard celebrated 20 years of lasting positive impact for communities and the environment, while proving the concept of double/triple bottom line investments. Through BlueOrchard’s investments, millions of people with low incomes in emerging and frontier markets received access to financial services. Some of them are portrayed in BlueOrchard’s anniversary book “This Is My Story”.
About Blue Orchard
BlueOrchard is a leading global impact investment manager and member of the Schroders Group. As a pioneering impact investor, the firm is dedicated to generating lasting positive impact for communities and the environment, while aiming at providing attractive returns to investors.
BlueOrchard was founded in 2001, by initiative of the UN, as the first commercial manager of microfinance debt investments worldwide. In Kenya the company operates from Nairobi Garage Kilimani. Today, the firm offers impact investment solutions across asset classes, connecting millions of entrepreneurs in emerging and frontier markets with investors with the aim to make impact investment solutions accessible to all and to advance the conscious use of capital.
Being a professional investment manager and expert in innovative blended finance mandates, BlueOrchard has a sophisticated international investor base and is a trusted partner of leading global development finance institutions. To date, BlueOrchard has invested over USD 9bn across more than 90 countries.
About 230 million poor and vulnerable people in emerging and frontier markets received access to financial and related services with the support of BlueOrchard as of December 2021.
