Schroders is today celebrating the 20th anniversary of BlueOrchard, the pioneering microfinance and impact investing specialist which has generated lasting positive impact for communities and the environment across the globe, while providing attractive returns to investors since 2001.
Through BlueOrchard’s investments, millions of people with low income in emerging and frontier markets received access to financial and related services. Some of these are portrayed in BlueOrchard’s anniversary book “This Is My Story”.
BlueOrchard was the first commercial manager of microfinance and debt investments 20 years ago and has since evolved into a leading manager globally, having invested more than $8 billion across more than 90 countries. Over 215 million poor and vulnerable people in emerging and frontier markets have received access to financial and related services with the support of BlueOrchard.
The BlueOrchard Microfinance Fund is the world’s first and largest commercial microfinance fund with $2.5bn in assets under management. In 2019, Schroders completed the acquisition of a majority stake in BlueOrchard.
Peter Harrison, Group Chief Executive Officer, Schroders, commented:
“BlueOrchard is a wholly purpose driven organisation, and its work in microfinance and with development agencies has provided investors with robust financial returns but, most importantly, BlueOrchard has also demonstrably benefitted millions of people in emerging markets over the past two decades.
“Impact investing is now a mega trend but BlueOrchard has been pioneer in this field for 20 years. Schroders, a similar purpose driven organisation, is proud to work so closely with BlueOrchard and we are looking forward to collaborating as specialist impact-focused investors for another 20 years and beyond.”
Having also expanded into private equity and sustainable infrastructure, BlueOrchard offers impact investment solutions across asset classes, connecting millions of entrepreneurs in emerging and frontier markets with investors with the aim to make impact investment solutions accessible to all and to advance the conscious use of capital.
Peter Fanconi, Chairman of the Board of BlueOrchard, said:
“Since inception, BlueOrchard has successfully balanced generating lasting impact alongside attractive financial returns, proving that these can go hand in hand. It has been an incredible journey and we look forward to the next 20 years. We thank our partners globally for their continued trust in BlueOrchard.”
Philipp Mueller, CEO of BlueOrchard, said:
“For two decades it has been BlueOrchard’s mission and vision to make impact investment solutions accessible to all and to advance the conscious use of capital which benefits society and the environment. We will continue on this path and meet investors’ demand for innovative and truly impactful strategies.”
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, BlueOrchard, working together with National Geographic, has published the book “This Is My Story – Giving a Face to 20 Years of Impact Investing”, sharing some of the entrepreneurial stories, personal dreams and insights into the lives of families around the globe who are struggling and fighting against adversity every single day.