IndiaCSR News Network
Sophie Durey (SD), Investment Analyst & Impact Measurement Specialist at Quadia talks about how Quadia perceive CSR and much more with Deputy Editor, IndiaCSR, Bilal Hussain (BH)
For Sophie Durey, impact investing seeks the maximization of social and environmental impact via the efficient allocation of private capital alongside the accurate provision of technical assistance to the companies.
By targeting strategic markets and industries, impact investing leverages sustainable trends and social innovations to scale up return and impact for people who need it.
Sophie Durey is convinced that Sustainability is not a cost of doing business but an investment opportunity. That is what Quadia is all about and this is why she believes impact investing is a pertinent financing solution to some of the most pressing global challenges facing our planet.
At Quadia, Sophie is in charge of the impact measurement of the portfolio, as well as the impact assessment of new business opportunities. She works in collaboration with the investment team to integrate the elements of impact into the due diligence process, the post-investment phase and the exit.
Before integrating Quadia, Sophie spent 5 months with IGNIA, a pioneering impact investing fund in Mexico. Her job was to assist the investment team and has conducted market analysis for potential portfolio companies in numerous sectors such as access to telecommunications, access to health, tertiary education system, organic nutrition and agriculture… all in the context of the BoP in Mexico.
BH: How does Sophie Durey at Quadia see Corporate Social Responsibility?
SD: At Quadia, it is the impact that drives our business. As an investment adviser and manager, we believe that a company has the potential to change positively the society and the environment with its operations and that is into these companies that we think we should invest (See our news section to read more interviews on our philosophy – www.quadia.ch)
BH: How do you do implementation and monitoring?
SD: We have today a portfolio of +25 companies and we evaluate and monitor the impact they create once a year and compile the results in our Impact Performance Report.
BH: What are the benefits of having good CSR for corporate?
SD: We believe that having good CSR and implementing the measurement of the ESG criteria of a business allows a company to more sustainable and more successful on the long run. By understanding what are the main risks and challenges surrounding its activities, a business will be able to turn these into opportunities. With the change in paradigm in the global economy, with consumers asking for more transparency and accountability and regulation going towards more and more discipline on the topic of impact, a company that is already measuring its impact by placing it at the core of its business will certainly show more sustainability than the companies that do not.
BH: What is the difference between CSR and Sustainability?
SD: For Quadia, good CSR is the proof that a company has accepted to integrate the creation into its core business to create sustainable value.
BH: What is the business case for CSR? Is it the same in developing countries as that of India?
SD: In Europe where Quadia has most of its contacts, CSR is growing quickly. In developing countries, where Quadia operates, CSR is not only accepted and understood but already put in place via great innovations and products delivered by sustainable businesses.
BH: How can Quadia help corporates?
SD: Quadia has been active in Impact Investing for several years and is able to advice HNWIs, Institutional investors and big corporations on how to develop a sustainable portfolio of investments. We can also design specific products for investors that are looking to create more impact. We offer our expertise in impact measurement, either by adapting our bespoke tool or by creating a tailor made framework adapted to the specificities of your business. We can also evaluate the global challenges that your business is facing by developing the risks and opportunities matrix of your operations (shows your dependencies on society and environment as well as how you could turn them into opportunities of business on the short and long term). We offer several other services that are tailor made to companies that are looking to create more impact via their business.
About Quadia: Quadia is a regulated investment manager specialized in social and environmental finance. With more than CHF 70 million invested in over 20 companies, Quadia is a leading and pioneering impact investor.
Core investment thesis centers on sustainability as a pillar of risk management and economic valuation. It targets significantly impactful companies which have positioned their products and services to meet a growing demand which is influenced by an irreversible paradigm shift. This paradigm shift is driven by worldwide interdependent social, environmental and economic stakes.
