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CAFIID and UNDP Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance Sustainable Finance

Infolettre CAFIID Newsletter

Mai/ May 2025

Message de la présidente

Chers collègues,

  • Our interns have hit the ground running, contributing across our programs, and we’re grateful to the new voices who’ve joined our committees and Communities of Practice. Your energy and ideas are what keep this community vibrant and future-focused.

    A few things to look forward to:

    • June 13: CAFIID’s Annual General Meeting for members

    • June 16: CAFIIDConnects Toronto

    • September 26: We’re planning a Virtual Open House —stay tuned for details!

    In this edition of our newsletter, you’ll find community highlights, upcoming events, and opportunities to engage.

    If you’re not yet a member, we’d love to welcome you—now is a great time to join.

    Lindsay Wallace, 
    Board Chair

Chair’s Message

Dear Colleagues,

  • Nos stagiaires sont déjà bien lancé·e·s et contribuent activement à nos programmes. Nous sommes également reconnaissant·e·s envers les nouvelles voix qui se sont jointes à nos comités et à nos communautés de pratique. Votre énergie et vos idées sont ce qui rend notre communauté aussi vivante et tournée vers l’avenir.

    Quelques événements à venir à ne pas manquer :

    • 13 juin : Assemblée générale annuelle de CAFIID (pour les membres)

    • 16 juin : CAFIIDConnects Toronto

    • 26 septembre : Une porte ouverte virtuelle est en préparation — restez à l’affût des détails !

    Dans cette édition de notre infolettre, vous trouverez des faits saillants de la communauté, des événements à venir et des occasions de vous impliquer.

    Si vous n’êtes pas encore membre, c’est le moment idéal pour vous joindre à nous — nous serions ravi·e·s de vous accueillir.

    Lindsay Wallace,
    Présidente du conseil

Meet a member:
Climate Finance Advisors

Building Impact Leaders:
Kristina Kuznetsova
Senior Impact Associate at Sarona Asset Management

News

CAFIID and UNDP Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance Sustainable Finance

June 2025 – Toronto, Canada / Geneva, Switzerland — The Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate collaboration and mobilize private capital for sustainable development.

This partnership marks a significant step toward strengthening sustainable finance ecosystems in Canada and globally. The MoU formalizes an evolving relationship between CAFIID and UNDP and lays the groundwork for joint initiatives that foster inclusive finance and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Together, the two organizations will:

  • Facilitate dialogue and knowledge exchange among global sustainable finance communities.

  • Co-create and co-deliver events and initiatives that promote inclusive and impactful finance.

  • Strengthen connections between Canadian stakeholders and global partners, especially in emerging and frontier markets.

“This partnership reinforces CAFIID’s commitment to fostering a connected and capable impact investing community,” said Lindsay Wallace, Chair of CAFIID. “We are pleased to collaborate with UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub to advance learning, innovation, and cross-border cooperation in support of the SDGs.”

“The SDG financing gap remains one of the greatest challenges—and opportunities—of our time,” said Şebnem Şener, Head of Private Finance for the SDGs at UNDP. “By linking Canadian impact investors with global sustainable finance ecosystems, this partnership will help unlock private capital and scale solutions that deliver measurable outcomes for people and the planet.”

UNDP works with governments, the private sector and civil society to mobilize, leverage and align capital with the SDGs. Through platforms such as the SDG Investor Platform and the SDG Impact Standards, UNDP equips stakeholders with practical tools to align financial flows with sustainable development outcomes.

CAFIID brings together a dynamic network of Canadian impact investors, development finance professionals and institutions committed to financing inclusive growth, particularly in emerging and frontier markets.

About CAFIID

The Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID) is a membership-based network of Canadian professionals and organizations working to mobilize capital for sustainable development in emerging and frontier markets. CAFIID facilitates peer learning, collaboration and influence to strengthen Canada’s impact investing ecosystem.

About the UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s lead development agency, working in 170 countries to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. The UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub helps countries align public and private financial flows with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using UNDP’s global presence and policy expertise to support systems-level change in how finance supports climate, nature, and human development.

OP-ED: More impact investments to emerging markets needed to address the climate crisis and create good jobs

A major report released last December by the Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID) shows significant growth in impact investing in emerging markets over the past two years. However,  there is a need for even greater flows of responsible and impact investment capital to emerging markets to address the growing climate crisis and grow sustainable employment opportunities for the billions of people affected by the dual climate and COVID crises. 

Éditorial: Davantage d’investissements d’impact sont nécessaires pour faire face à la crise climatique et créer des emplois décents dans les pays émergents

Un important rapport publié en décembre dernier par le Forum canadien sur l’investissement d’impact et le développement (CAFIID) révèle une croissance importante de l’investissement d’impact dans les marchés émergents au cours des deux dernières années. Cependant, il est nécessaire d’accroître encore les flux de capitaux d’investissement responsables et d’impact vers les marchés émergents pour faire face à la crise climatique croissante et créer des opportunités d’emploi durables pour les milliards de personnes touchées par la double crise du climat et de la COVID.

“The SDG financing gap remains one of the greatest challenges—and opportunities—of our time,” said Şebnem Şener, Head of Private Finance for the SDGs at UNDP. “By linking Canadian impact investors with global sustainable finance ecosystems, this partnership will help unlock private capital and scale solutions that deliver measurable outcomes for people and the planet.”

Press Release: A major Report confirms Canadian Global Impact Investing assets under management reached $3.5 billion in 2021

Toronto/Montreal, December 1, 2021 – A major Report released by the Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID) highlights the critical importance of impact investing as a tool to leverage entrepreneurial resilience and build back better post-pandemic in emerging markets and developing economies.

CAFIID’s 2021 Report confirms an overall positive trend for Canadian impact investors with a 70 percent increase since 2019 in assets under management to $3.5 billion despite the pandemic. As in CAFIID’s inaugural 2019 Report, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean remain the top regions for Canadian impact investments.

Communiqué de presse: Un rapport majeur confirme les fonds d'investissement d'impact canadien à l’étranger atteignent 3,5 milliards de dollars en 2021

Toronto /Montréal, 1er décembre 2021 – Un rapport majeur publié par le Forum canadien pour l'investissement d’impact et le développement (CAFIID) souligne l'importance cruciale de l'investissement d'impact en tant qu'outil pour tirer parti de la résilience entrepreneuriale et reconstruire un meilleur avenir dans les pays émergents et en développement.

Le rapport 2021 de CAFIID confirme une tendance globale positive pour les investisseurs d'impact canadiens avec une augmentation de 70 % depuis 2019 des fonds sous gestion à 3,5 milliards de dollars, malgré la pandémie. Comme dans le premier rapport 2019 de CAFIID, l'Afrique subsaharienne, l'Amérique latine et les Caraïbes restent les principales régions pour les investissements d'impact canadiens.

Press Release: TIIP and CAFIID collaborating to reignite Canadian National Advisory Board on Impact Investing

Toronto, October 7, 2021 - Canada’s two leading impact investing umbrella organizations will collaborate to reignite a National Advisory Board on Impact Investing for Canada. Thanks to the work of the Table of Impact Investment Practitioners (TIIP) and the Canadian Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID), and others across the country including the MaRS Discovery District, which formerly convened the NAB, impact investing is growing in Canada. Building on the growing diversity and vitality of the sector, the re-launched National Advisory Board (NAB) will collaborate to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and in alignment with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The NAB will also enhance the presence of Canadian impact investing internationally, through its participation in the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment.

“This partnership reinforces CAFIID’s commitment to fostering a connected and capable impact investing community,” said Lindsay Wallace, Chair of CAFIID. “We are pleased to collaborate with UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub to advance learning, innovation, and cross-border cooperation in support of the SDGs.”

background paper image.png

CAFIID Background Paper: The Nexus of Private Investment and International Development

Around 3,400 organizations with USD 103 trillion of Assets Under Management globally have signed up to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment.  This signatories now represents around 30% of global financial assets. Amongst the 170 Canada-based signatories, 103 are investment managers and 54 are asset owners.
By: Chris Clubb, member of the Board of Directors of CAFIID and Managing Director of Convergence

Dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond is a defining imperative of our time. This thought leadership piece includes a survey of CAFIID members on the impact of the pandemic and the priorities for recovering and rebuilding to achieve sustainable and equitable growth.

Photo credit: Delaney Turney

Canadian Impact Investing in EFM

Landscape & Recommendations for Growth

CAFIID’s first Report on Canadian Impact Investing in Emerging and Frontier Markets.

A ground-breaking review of the Canadian impact investing landscape for international development; the volume of assets under management, the players, their strategies and the products.

The report also offers prescriptions for much-needed change to advance Canada’s corporate and financial market contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.