Navigating Impact Investing – a practitioners’ guide

• Understand what impact investing is, its principles, and the main actors in this ecosystem 
• Learn how to use the key internationally recognised frameworks for impact management (Operating Principles for Impact Management, Impact Management Project, IRIS+) through case studies and worked examples
• Learn how to leverage impact management frameworks in the context of the EU Sustainable Finance regulations (e.g. SFDR, CRSD EU Green Taxonomy) 
• Hone the skills to deploy a broad range of impact investing products in the space of green finance, investing for innovation (VC), and green/sustainable bonds.

• Impact and ESG professionals in public and private investment firms, corporates investment offices and public development banks in the EU or developing countries.  
• Policy professionals operating in the space of Sustainable finance. 
• Nonprofit and philanthropic organisation leaders who are considering expanding their offer to include innovative financial mechanisms to deploy philanthropic capital. 

17 November – Introduction to Impact investing

12:00 – 13:00 Lunch

13:00 – 14:00 Session 0 – Presentation of the School, participants and outline of the course, followed by an ice-breaking activity and Tour the table

14:00 – 15:30 Session 1 – The building blocks of impact investing 

• What is impact investing, how is different from ESG investing, and how to navigate the Impact–return-risk spectrum
• SDG objectives: a common language around social and environmental objectives for investors and enterprises
• Standards: what are the broad guidelines that provide a common basis for evaluating investor practices and processes. E.g. The Operating Principles for Impact Management
• Frameworks: tools to facilitate the due diligence, assessment, monitoring, and reporting of impact. E.g., Impact Frontier
• Metrics: Standardized data definitions for measuring impact and comparing investments. E.g. IRIS+, HIPSO

15:30 – 16:00 Coffee break

16:00 – 18:00 Session 2 – Building an impact management framework

• Provide an overview of the Operating Principles for Impact Management and illustrate how they can be used as a framework-neutral tool to build an impact management approach that fits with an organization’s mandate

18:00 – 19:00 Cocktail

18 November – Impact products and management (1/2)

9:15 – 11:15 Session 3 – Impact Investing Meets Sustainable Finance Regulation: Aligning Objectives, Managing Divergences 

• Overview of regulatory requirements (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Corporate sustainability Due Diligence Directive)
• Mapping the Overlap and the Gap: How sustainable finance regulations (e.g. SFDR Articles 8/9, EU Taxonomy, CSRD) and impact investing principles relate — where they reinforce each other, and where fundamental differences remain.
• One Toolbox, Two Goals: How core elements from the impact investing ecosystem – such as the Impact Management Project (IMP), Operating Principles for Impact Management (OPIM), and IRIS+ – can be used to support both regulatory compliance and authentic impact practice.
• Strategic Integration: Practical approaches for impact fund managers to structure internal processes, data collection and systems, and engagement strategies that meet regulatory expectations and uphold impact integrity

11:15 – 11:30 Coffee break

11:30: – 12:45 Session 4 – Impact investing into climate finance – Tools for impact due diligence and overview of investable assets 

12:45 – 14:00 Session 5 – Impact DD exercise on climate finance 

• Complete an impact due diligence at the point of investment, managing for impact after investing, and at investment exit

14:00 – 15:00 Lunch

15:00 – 16:00 Session 6 – Impact investing in venture capital and innovation in emerging markets – Tools for impact due diligence and overview of investable assets

16:00 – 17:15 Session 7 – Impact DD exercise on VC and innovation driven assets 

• Complete an impact due diligence at the point of investment, managing for impact after investing, and at investment exit

17:15 – 17:45 Coffee break

17:45 – 18:30 Session 8 – Structuring compensation incentives for impact in VC and PE 

• Practical example of a methodology to integrate impact accountability in the calculation of the carried interest for VC/PE GPs, based on the Impact Accountability in Venture Capital handbook.

18:30 – 20:30 Aperitif and Dinner

19 November – Impact products and management (2/2)

9:30: – 10:45 Session 9 – Impact investing into social impact – Tools for impact due diligence and overview of investment strategies

• Financial instruments to mobilise private capital toward social innovation and public policy goals, including Green and Social Bonds and Pay by Result instruments

10:45 – 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 – 12:00 Session 10 – Impact DD Exercise on social investments

• Complete an impact due diligence at the point of investment, managing for impact after investing, and at investment exit

12:00 – 12:30 Session 11 – Conclusions and wrap up

12:30 – 13-45 Lunch

FULL FEES applicable from 28 July onwards*:

€ 950 – Academics
€ 1900 – Public sector
€ 2100 – Private sector

*Please note that the payment must be settled one week before the start of the course.

The fee includes tuition, access to all course materials and pedagogic activities, coffee and lunch breaks and social activities, as well as a certificate of attendance after the course has been completed. The fee does not include travel and accommodation expenses or other local transportation costs (taxis, private cars).

Please submit a certificate attesting your status of Professor, PhD Student or Research Associate to fbf@eui.eu before registering. FBF secretariat will provide you with a code to register. Seats for academics are limited.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT (-10%), applicable until 27 July COB:

Participants are eligible for the below early bird discount if they register and pay by 27 July 2025. Please note that those who wish to pay a reduced fee for academics must send proof of academic status to fbf@eui.eu in order to verify their eligibility.

€ 855 – Early bird academic*/ € 950 full fee (from 28 July)
€ 1710 – Early bird public sector / € 1900 full fee (from 28 July)
€ 1890 – Early bird private sector / € 2100 full fee (from 28 July)

GROUP DISCOUNT (-15%) for minimum 3 participants from the same institution:

A group discount is available for institutions registering three or more participants. To qualify, the names of all participants must be submitted together in a single email to FBF. Please note that this offer cannot be applied retroactively to individual registrations completed at different times. Those wishing to take advantage of the group discount must write an email to fbf@eui.eu, stating the full names of the proposed participants.

€ 807,5 – Group discount academic
€ 1615 – Group discount public sector
€ 1785 – Group discount private sector

CANCELLATION POLICY

Paid registration fee is non-refundable. However, registrant substitution may be made up to 15 days before the start date of the course by contacting fbf@eui.eu.

You can find all relevant information about the course venue at this link, including logistical details, the venue address, and a range of accommodation options to suit different needs.

Practical Information

For any questions, please contact us at fbf@eui.eu and/or noemi.epote@eui.eu.