Submitted by:Morgan Stanley

Categories:Socially Responsible Investing,Finance

Posted:Apr 26, 2012 – 01:30 PM EST

NEW YORK, Apr. 26 /CSRwire/ – Morgan Stanley Smith Barney today announced the launch of a new investment platform designed to help clients align their financial goals and their personal values. The Investing with Impact Platform offers clients and Financial Advisors a broad range of investment options.

The concept of integrating social and environmental impact into investment decisions is not new, but its growing importance has led to a greater opportunity set for investors. Nearly one in eight dollars under professional management in the U.S. or about $3.07 trillion follows investment strategies that consider corporate responsibility and societal concerns.¹

“This is an important initiative for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney,” said Andy Saperstein, Head of Wealth Management, U.S., at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.”We hear frequently from clients and Financial Advisors about the importance of integrating sustainability themes into their investment portfolios. Now through the Investing with Impact Platform, MSSB is able to offer our clients an action-oriented approach to combine financial returns and their personal values.”

At launch, the Investing with Impact Platform will offer clients access to many opportunities spanning public and private market products through their Financial Advisors. This is the first phase in Morgan Stanley Smith Barney’s focused effort to meet investors’ desire for investment opportunities that center on positive social and environmental impact, without sacrificing financial performance potential. The launch of the Investing with Impact Platform will provide a substantial base on which to expand our offerings over time.

“Our goal is to build this into a robust offering to meet our clients’ needs, regardless of their impact priorities or what their portfolio fit might require,” said Paul Hatch, Head of Investment Strategy & Client Solutions at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. “With over four million clients who have more than $1.7 trillion of investable assets, we are in a unique position to extend the reach of an ‘investing with impact’ program to one of the largest sets of investors in the world. Even a fraction of this total represents a substantial amount that could be invested in support of the common good.”

“At Morgan Stanley and MSSB, sustainability is at the core of our business and now, with the launch of the Investing with Impact Platform, we are able to help our wealth management clients align their investments with their desire to positively impact their communities,” commented Audrey Choi, Head of Global Sustainable Finance at Morgan Stanley. “We believe investments targeting positive environmental and social impact should be available to all investors from individuals to large scale institutions, and we look forward to continuing to broaden the reach.”

To find out more about the Investing with Impact Platform at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, please contact your Financial Advisor or email InvestingwithImpact@mssb.com.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, a global leader in wealth management, provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, credit and lending, cash management, annuities and insurance, retirement and trust services.

For further information about Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, please visitwww.morganstanleysmithbarney.com.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals from more than 1,300 offices in 43 countries. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

©2012 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 493016 / 04/12

¹ U.S. SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, Report on Socially Responsible Investing Trends in the United States, 2010

According to a statement attributed to chief executive officer Mr Alok Prasad of Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN), a trade association of 46 Indian microfinance lenders, the microfinance sector in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is expected to experience reduced growth for the financial year ending on March 31. Financial information has not yet been released, but unnamed experts cited by Mr Prasad say growth in the state could slow to zero. This will be the second year- since a repayment downturn hit Andhra Pradesh in 2010- that the sector has experienced slower growth.

On the other hand, the microfinance sector in other Indian states reportedly is experiencing approximately ten-percent to 15-percent growth. According to a statement attributed to chief financial officer Mr S. Dilli Raj of SKS Microfinance (SKS), an Indian microfinance institution (MFI), SKS had more disbursals in non-Andhra Pradesh states in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year than it did in 2011. Grameen Koota, a Bangalore-based MFI, reportedly experienced portfolio growth of INR 100 million (USD 1.9 million) this year. In 2010, Grameen Koota reported a gross loan portfolio of USD 56.4 million.

By Charlotte Newman, Research Associate

About Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN)
The Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) is a trade association of 46 Indian microlenders that operate as non-banking finance companies and together reportedly account for approximately 80 percent of the Indian market. MFIN is supported by the Omidyar Network, a US-based philanthropic investment firm, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

About SKS Microfinance
SKS Microfinance is a microfinance institution (MFI) that was launched in 1998. It delivers microfinance products through a group-lending model to impoverished women in India as a for-profit, non-banking finance company. They have recently diversified into providing gold loans, funeral assistance and loans to small retailers. SKS converted into a public limited company in May 2009 and launched an initial public offering on July 28, 2010. Its equity investors include Quantum Hedge Fund, Sequoia Capital, Vinod Khosla, Small Industries Development Bank of India, Bajaj Allianz, Yatish Trading, Kismet Capital, Sandstone Capital, Silicon Valley Bank and Unitus. SKS currently trades on the Bombay Stock Exchange. As of December 31, 2011, SKS reports total assets of USD 389,370,524, a gross loan portfolio of USD 341 million, approximately 4,303,000 borrowers, return on assets (ROA) of -66.10 percent and return on equity (ROE) of -152.48 percent. SKS has raised approximately INR 918 crore (USD 181 million) through securitization deals since January 2012.

About Grameen Financial Services Private Limited
Grameen Financial Services Private Limited (GFSPL), popularly known as Grameen Koota, was founded in India in 1999 as a project under the nongovernmental organization T Muniswamappa Trust and today is an independent non-banking financial company (NBFC). GFSPL operates in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states and offers products and services such as housing microfinance, vocational training loans, workshops and educational centers. As of year-end 2010, GFSPL reports total assets of USD 65 million, a gross loan portfolio of USD 56.4 million and 321,161 active borrowers.

Microfinance Focus, April 15, 2012:  Micro insurance schemes worldwide have catapulted over the past five years. It now reaches an estimated 500 million worldwide, according to the Micro insurance Innovation Facility of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Munich Re Foundation. Not only does micro insurance aim to protect the poor against risks, but is also tailored to their preferences and capacity to pay.

The number of people covered by micro insurance rose from 78 million in 2007 to 135 million in 2009, reaching nearly 500 million today, as published in the second volume of the “Micro insurance Compendium, Protecting the poor”.

Craig Churchill, Team Leader of the ILO’s Micro insurance Innovation Facility and Chair of the Micro insurance Network said, “Since 2008, we have seen numerous innovations emerging to overcome the challenges of providing viable insurance services to more low-income people.”

“Efforts now should focus on increasing effectiveness so that insurance products can successfully reduce their vulnerability. The Compendium comes at the right time to help insurers, delivery channels, donors and other stakeholders understand what it means to provide valuable risk-management services to the working poor,” Churchill adds.

China and India, which is referred as the micro insurance powerhouses is spearheading the trend, covering roughly 80 per cent of the market. It is estimated that 60 per cent of people around the world who are covered by micro insurance live in India. Latin America accounts for 15 per cent of the market and Africa 5 per cent.

Reasons for Asia being ahead is this game are  large and dense populations, interest from public and private insurers, proper distribution channels and active government support, are some examples, the report says.

Dirk Reinhard, Vice Chairman of the Munich Re Foundation noted, “Indeed, what the developed world took several hundred years to accomplish cannot be replicated within a decade in the developing world, even given all the new technology and knowledge that is now available. Providing micro insurance effectively requires the involvement of many stakeholders from both the public and private sector who are not used to working together and who often have very different objectives and operating systems. What matters now is the process of getting key stakeholders to work together effectively.”

New products covering a variety of risks have been piloted and distributed to poor households through an increasing diversity of channels (e.g., banks, retailers or cell phone companies). Commercial insurers have also entered the low-income market, creating significant capacity for scale. At least 33 of the 50 largest commercial insurance companies in the world now offer micro insurance, up from only seven in 2005.

With 26 chapters the Micro Insurance Compendium covers wide range of topics from  sector’s trends, contribution of micro insurance to social protection and resilience building, health, life and agriculture insurance and their distribution to the business case and client value of micro insurance.

Micro insurance is unlikely to break the cycle of poverty by itself, but it is a valuable tool in the poverty alleviation toolkit. When coupled with social protection, risk prevention and mitigation, and supplemented by other risk-managing financial services such as savings and emergency loans, micro insurance can play a critical role at multiple levels to efficiently manage risks, reduce vulnerability and contribute to poverty alleviation.

NEW YORK, April 4, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen America and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, was recognized by Fortune Magazine for his innovative efforts to spur a global movement toward microlending. Considered one of “The 12 Greatest Entrepreneurs of Our Time,” Professor Yunus is credited for his unrelenting efforts to alleviate poverty around the world.

“The global microfinance movement that Professor Yunus has spearheaded is nothing short of revolutionary,” said Stephen A. Vogel, CEO of Grameen America. “As the only social entrepreneur on Fortune’s list, his efforts have made a profound impact on society and those who need help the most. Professor Yunus’ vision for the United States has enabled Grameen America to continue to grow and empower low-income entrepreneurs to lift themselves out of poverty.”

Included with Professor Yunus on Fortune’s list of the greatest entrepreneurs were business luminaries such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Fred Smith, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Howard Schultz, Mark Zuckerberg, John Mackey, Herb Kelleher, Narayana Murthy and Sam Walton.

Proving that microfinance can work in developed countries, Grameen America is helping thousands of borrowers in the United States living below the poverty line start and run sustainable businesses through microloans. Similar to Yunus’ efforts in Bangladesh, Grameen America creates jobs by providing poor borrowers with access to capital to help them launch and grow their businesses, gain financial independence, and start to build savings accounts.

Fortune’s list of “The Greatest Entrepreneurs of Our Time” was based largely on social and economic impact; the world changing vision of the founder who has inspired employees and other entrepreneurs alike; record of innovation; and the actual performance of their organizations over time. Fortune notes that Professor Yunus’ idea ‘inspired countless numbers of young people to devote themselves to social causes all over the world.’

About Grameen America Grameen America, a not-for-profit microfinance organization, has a mission to provide affordable microloans to financially empower low-income entrepreneurs. Founded in 2008 by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus, Grameen America has disbursed nearly $40 million in microloans to over 9,000 borrowers. Started in Jackson Heights, Queens, Grameen America has expanded to Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx, Indianapolis, Indiana, Omaha, Nebraska and the Bay Area, California. Our vision is to help create a world free of poverty. We create a community where any individual with a dream can receive affordable financial products regardless of income, previous credit history, education, or business experience. We envision a world where burgeoning entrepreneurs are empowered to lift themselves out of poverty through hard work and determination to forge better lives for their families and future generations. www.grameenamerica.org .

Media Contact:Amy FathersCJP Communications for Grameen America212.279.3115 ext. 209afathers@cjpcom.com

SOURCE Grameen America

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

London — CDC, the UK’s development finance arm, has announced a £50m investment in a private equity fund backed by former rock star Bob Geldof that focuses on Africa.

8 Miles – named after the shortest distance between Europe and Africa – has been promoted by Geldof, Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary general, and sponsored by CLSA, the Asian brokerage and investment group.

Africa’s strong economic growth in recent years – real GDP in sub-Saharan Africa has increased at an average rate of 5.7% a year between 2003 and 2010 – has attracted increasing interest from private investors.

Besides 8 Miles, Carlyle Group in Washington and Helios Investment Partners in London are raising funds to invest in Africa, with its growing middle class, at a time when western markets are moribund.

While parts of Africa have performed well in terms of GDP growth, the continent has been hit by the 2008 financial crisis. Capital flight caused local stock markets to plunge and the shortage of risk capital to help enterprises remains very real, said CDC.

“If Africa is to deliver on its economic potential, then it’s vital that entrepreneurs have access to patient risk capital,” said Rod Evison, CDC managing director, Africa.

8 Miles expects to focus on agribusiness, consumer and retail, health, telecoms and financial services, seeking partnerships with leading entrepreneurs and management teams. CDC said 8 Miles will place a strong emphasis on “hands-on ownership”.

8 Miles has raised $200m to invest in Africa after revising down its initial target of $1bn. It has pledges to invest from the World Bank, the African Development Bank and CDC as well as institutional and private investors. The firm is seeking a total of about $450m. The company says it typically places between $15m and $45m in each investment that it makes.

CDC uses its own balance sheet to invest in the developing countries of south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. With net assets of £2.8bn, CDC last year announced a new strategy to focus on low-income and lower-middle income countries in those two regions.

As well as acting as a fund-of-funds investor, CDC will now also provides debt and direct investment to businesses.

In February, CDC made a $30m commitment to the Africa Capitalisation Fund (ACF) to help commercial banks across the continent increase their support for businesses and reach more customers.

CDC also invested $10m in the Progression Eastern African Microfinance Equity Fund, which backs microfinance institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia and Uganda.

It was CDC’s first investment in a specialist African microfinance fund, which aims to reach as many as half a million customers across east Africa.

» Posted by Amira Berrada in Category: Asia,Microinsurance at 11:12 am

According to a report attributed to the Insurance Commission of the Philippines, a government body regulating the country’s insurance industry, the microinsurance program launched in 2010 has contributed to 3.1 million Filipinos having acquired insurance coverage. The basic unified microinsurance product for health, accident, house and livelihood doesn’t charge more than 5 percent of an individual’s earnings and can provide coverage between PHP 10,000 (USD 233) and PHP 200,000 (USD 4,460). The Asian Development Bank has provided USD 1 million in funding for the microinsurance program.

The Chairman of the Insurance Commission, Emmanual F Dooc, reportedly said the goal was to cover all households below the poverty level, which includes 27 percent of the population [1]. A recent addition to the program is the new product of property and livelihood coverage in case of disaster, a service that the government will be promoting through road shows within the country.

In a recent article in Positive, an online platform for investing in microfinance and small enterprises, several factors were cited as contributing to growth potential for the microfinance market in the Philippines. These include a strong regulatory framework and commercial establishments partaking in the microfinance arena, as opposed to only cooperatives and rural banks.

The Philippines was ranked as the second best market for microfinance business environment in a recent study based on 2010 data was conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit of London that compared 55 countries. The Filipino National Credit Council Director, Joselito Almario, reportedly argued that the Philippines would have ranked first had it not been for a low ranking in the “investment climate” category.

By Amira Berrada, Research Associate

About the Insurance Commission of the Philippines: The Insurance Commission (IC) of the Philippines was created in 1949 and is mandated by law to regulate and supervise the country’s insurance industry. Its mission is to “protect the interest and welfare of the insuring public and to develop and strengthen the insurance industry.” Specifically, its objectives are to promote the growth and financial stability of insurance companies; to maintain a minimum standard of performance for insurance companies; to educate the public about insurance; to establish a sound insurance market; and to safeguard the rights and interests of the insured. IC’s vision is that by 2020, every Filipino will have the opportunity to be covered by insurance.

About the Asian Development Bank (ADB): Established in 1966 and headquartered in Manila, the Philippines, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a development finance institution that consists of sixty-seven members, of which forty-eight are located in the region. ADB has three strategic priorities: to foster inclusive growth, to facilitate regional integration and to ensure environmentally sustainable growth. To accomplish these objectives, ADB uses loans, technical assistance programs, grants, equity investments and guarantees to private companies in member countries. ADB reported a total capitalization of USD 64 billion as of December 31, 2010.