June 19th, 2008

E+Co Wins Sustainable Investor of the Year

I am proud to announce that a small nonprofit client of mine won a prestigious award this month. E+Co, a non-profit investment company that tackles climate change and poverty by investing in clean energy businesses in Africa, Asia and Latin America, has been awarded the Financial Times’ Sustainable Investor of the Year. The Sustainable Investor of the Year award highlights groundbreaking achievement in the area of sustainable investment, recognizing programs with outstanding triple bottom-line impact.

“You hear talk about boutique investing, about SME investing, about technology investing; E+Co brings all three together. An inspiration.” states the 2008 Judging Panel of the Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards. I thought so too, when I had a chance to work with E+Co — I love the elegance of their solutions to address multiple issues in the environment and society. And they’re really nice people to boot!

E+Co invests in individual energy enterprises and has built a portfolio of companies in developing countries that provide clean energy products and services. Success is measured across a triple bottom line of positive financial, social and environmental impacts. To date, E+Co has brought energy to more than 4 million people, offsetting 3.3 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and mobilizing $172 million of co-financing. With more than 100 active energy investments, E+Co’s portfolio encompasses solar, wind, hydro, biogas, LPG and energy efficient businesses.