Equation 2030 – Capital that achieves the goals

To Swedfund, Agenda 2030 is a global equation. Our role in the equation is to finance and develop sustainable businesses in the world’s poorest countries. In Swedfund’s Integrated Report 2017 we report our results and our work towards the Global Goals.

This is Swedfund’s fifth fully integrated annual report where both the company’s as well as our portfolio companies’ results presented according to our three pillars; Impact on society, Sustainability and Financial viability.

We look upon Agenda 2030 as an equation. The result of aid, private and public investments must jointly correspond to the enormous needs which exist in the world today. An inclusive growth needs to take place without negative impact on eco-systems and climate, without increasing gaps and without supporting anti-democratic tendencies.

Swedfund’s role is to finance and develop sustainable business in the world’s poorest countries. Decent jobs in growing and sustainable businesses is crucial to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2017 our portfolio companies held a total of 133 353 jobs, and an average job growth of 3.6 per cent.

Women’s financial empowerment is an important part of the equation, and for the third time consecutively we measure and report the percentage of women employees in our portfolio companies. In 2016 44.2 per cent of all employees were women. The proportion of women on the boards of the companies which reported both male and female board members amounted to 20.2 per cent. The goal is that the proportion of men and women shall have a positive trend/ratio equality over a five-year period.

The lack of access to electricity is an obstacle to development in many poor countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa, over 600 million people live without electricity. Together with the other Development Finance Institutions, we are currently responsible for a third of all investment in renewable energy in Africa. During 2017, Swedfund invested SEK 290 million in renewable energy projects. For the first time, we are reporting climate impact from our portfolio companies at an aggregated level.

The entire report is subject to verification with a reasonable level of reliability, i.e. auditing. The auditing has been performed by EY.

The integrated report has been produced in collaboration with Futerra.