Impact Investing Australia was incorporated in early 2014 to provide the operating entity for the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing (AAB) and drive strategy and implementation for the AAB mandate of catalysing a market. Conceived as public good platform, its clear focus is to stimulate the change and infrastructure all participants will need to realise the potential of impact investment.
Rosemary Addis co-founded Impact Investing Australia and served as Executive Chair from its incorporation until July 2019 when she transitioned to Non-Executive Chair. Impact Strategist provided the start-up capital and contributed significant financial and professional support to shaping and leading Impact Investing Australia.
Impact Investing Australia quickly became a driving force to develop the field’s potential to enable more and different approaches to the way we tackle issues affecting society, including some of the most pressing social issues. The organisation provides the go to place for businesses, governments and communities to connect with impact investment and one another. It was awarded Market Builder of the Year in the inaugural Australian Impact Investment Awards in 2018 and received the award for a second time in 2020.
Impact Investing Australia’s focus has mirrored the AAB strategic framework of Leadership, Action and Policy. Flagship Initiatives include: Impact Capital Australia, Impact Investment Ready Growth Grants, design of Australia’s first investor survey and benchmarking of impact investment activity and performance. Impact Investing Australia has led significant engagement with governments at all levels and in 2018 the Australian Government announced a partnership with the organisation to drive impact investment to scale for the benefit of Australian families and communities.
In 2022, a refresh of the market builder combined forces with leadership from the Prime Ministers Social Impact Investment Taskforce to continue to advocate for infrastructure and engagement to scale impact investment in and from Australia.