Intellecap

On Wednesday, I joined my colleagues at a Kenya Bankers Association forum organised in partnership with Intellecap, themed Greening Finance: Accelerating Decarbonisation across the Banking Sector in Kenya. As climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives pick pace and as stakeholders increasingly demand that businesses pay due care to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues when pursuing profits, the banking sector is playing a pivotal role to catalyse the movement of capital towards sustainable projects aimed at preserving and creating value to enhance the quality of life of present and future generations. Global warming is a reality that corporate and political leaders are grappling with given the real and tangible effects of climate change. Here in Kenya, we have experienced the impact of drought on agriculture, the country’s largest GDP contributor on one end of the spectrum and that of floods on infrastructure on the other. Where, for a long time, climate issues have been viewed from a non-financial lens, recent events have shifted that perception and place ESG issues at the heart of the business strategy, with a tangible impact on an organisation’s bottom-line and ultimately, long term prospects. Similarly, advancements in renewable and efficient energy innovations such as clean energy/cooking/transport, climate smart agriculture solutions and carbon trading present unparalleled business opportunities with a potential positive impact on the bottom-line, environment and humanity. Guest speakers drawn from the The Rockefeller Foundation, Dutch Fund for Climate and Development, KBA, Intellecap and the banking sector shared insights on how they are leveraging sustainable finance opportunities including the emerging carbon markets industry and managing attendant risks. During the forum, I got to share Diamond Trust Bank's sustainability journey. DTB is presently implementing a business growth strategy anchored on: customer reach, digital transformation and sustainability excellence pillars. Underpinning the strategy is the Bank’s purpose to improve the quality of life of its stakeholders.  The blueprint guiding the implementation of the sustainability excellence pillar is the Sustainability and Citizenship Master Plan which is anchored on six pillars including climate action and net zero and sustainable finance. As a financial intermediary, responsible for directing capital towards initiatives with a marked and impactful social economic impact, the Bank is working with various partners to enhance its sustainable finance offering for its diverse clientele.

At Intellecap we are creating Impact@Scale for the People and the Planet.   Driving impact together with Breakthrough Trust from 2016-2021, as the 'Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning' partner in the project, we engaged in empowering approximately 150,000 adolescent girls and boys aged 11-19 years in the way that they demand & access gender equity in health and education in their homes and community across 6 districts of Eastern UP. The programme was supported by the IKEA Foundation. The programme worked on three broad components 👉 Division of household chores, 👉 Inter gender-communication 👉 Marriage The two significant impacts of the programme was -  👧 The age of marriage for girls 📈 by almost 2 years and  🏫 Adolescent school drop-out rates ↘ by 6%    At Intellecap, we support multiple initiatives to empower communities and engage with the youth. If you want to learn more about how we collaborate and enable ecosystems, write to [email protected] #ImpactatScale #IntellecapImpacts #ForPeopleandPlanet vineet rai Karnika Yadav Santosh K Singh Pramod Kasat

Maureen Mutanu is a Senior Associate, based out of #Nairobi, and develops and implements transformative solutions for clients in #public and #private sectors, driving positive change and fostering #inclusivegrowth. Her expertise has been in the areas of #sustainabledevelopment, #renewableenergy, and #climateadaptation projects.   Her academic background in #Agricultural and #Biosystems #Engineering, coupled with a specialized training in #Climate and #RenewableEnergy #Finance, has equipped her with a solid foundation. Her earlier working stints have been with GIZ Kenya, Ernst & Young Global Consulting Services, The World Bank and United Nations.   Today as part of the #Africa advisory practice, she has delivered on multiple consulting engagements ranging from fostering innovative uses of #AI to mitigate the impacts of #climatechange and/or to support climate adaptation efforts in the continents, enabling #entrepreneurship ecosystem #development and supporting enterprises to increase access to Good Food.   She enjoys working at Intellecap because it provides her with the opportunity to engage in research-driven projects that promote #sustainable #development and #economicgrowth.   If you are ready to build #ecosystem solutions with a market led approach, write to [email protected] Karnika Yadav Priti Ahuja Diana Opar   #WorkingatIntellecap

In the discussion "A Just Transition to Net-Zero: Decarbonizing Financed Emissions," happening at the, Greening Finance; Accelerating Decarbonization across the banking sector in Kenya event, banking leaders in Kenya shared vital insights on the financial sector's role in combating climate change. Elijah Isabu from Equity Bank Limited emphasized, "We are spearheading action on climate finance," highlighting the need to embed ESG principles across all operations. Ann Nderi, Head of Sustainability and Citizenship from DTB Bank agreed, stressing, "Driving the buy-in for ESG across all banking operations is critical." Santosh K Singh, Partner and Managing Director from Intellecap pointed out the complexity of engaging with global capital providers, stating, "Clear articulation of financial goals to mitigate climate risks, reduce emissions, and increase social impact is essential." Elijah Isabu also noted the impact on local ecosystems, "We engaged clients in biodiversity assessments for the mining sector," and emphasized the potential of carbon markets, adding, "When done right, it can have immense benefits for local communities." Ann Nderi highlighted the challenges of a green transition in a cost-sensitive economy, "It has to be realistic," and urged banks to view their data through an ESG lens. Elijah Isabu concluded with proactive steps, "We are pricing in ESG metrics in our risk pricing mechanism across all our products." This discussion underscores the critical role of banks in driving sustainable finance and the importance of integrating ESG principles to achieve a net-zero future. Stay Tuned for more insights! Sarah Njoroge Utsav Mulay Lynn Olendo Margaret Nakunza #ClimateFinance #Sustainability #ESG #NetZero

"The first role of banks is to protect against physical risk, which is not very well understood. One starting step is to ask your data team to collect the right kind of data to enable comprehensive physical risk assessment." - Santosh K Singh, Partner and Managing Director at Intellecap 📢 Speaking on "A Just Transition to Net-Zero: Decarbonizing Financed Emissions" at the Greening Finance: Accelerating Decarbonization across the Banking Sector event in Nairobi today. Karnika Yadav Sarah Njoroge Utsav Mulay Lynn Olendo Margaret Nakunza Ashay Abbhi Kenya Bankers Association #GreeningFinance #NetZero #Decarbonization #SustainableBanking #Intellecap #SantoshSingh #ClimateAction

🌿 Insights from our first panel at the "Greening Finance" event on "Focus Areas for Investment in Decarbonization by DFIs/Impact Funds"! 🌿 Panelists: 1. Karnika Yadav, Director & Partner, Intellecap-Africa 2. Vandana Thottoli, Business Development Advisor, Dutch Fund for Climate and Development 3. Juliet Mwendia, Director Operations, The Rockefeller Foundation Key takeaways: 🌍 "Part of our mission is to ensure sustainable energy access for nearly 1 billion people currently without it. We aim to spur economic activity through this access." - Juliet Mwendia, The Rockefeller Foundation 🤝 "To achieve meaningful impact, we must be strategic in our grant-making. We welcome strategic partnerships and are actively collaborating with AfDB on multiple projects." - Juliet Mwendia, The Rockefeller Foundation 💡 "Local partners are crucial for developing project pipelines and managing challenges effectively." - Vandana Thottoli, Dutch Fund for Climate and Development 📈 "ESG should not be a checkbox. We must build capacity and invest in systems that foster positive ESG impact." - Vandana Thottoli, Dutch Fund for Climate and Development Stay tuned for more insights! Roselyne Njino Kenya Bankers Association Utsav Mulay Santosh K Singh Sarah Njoroge Lynn Olendo #GreeningFinance #SustainableBanking #Decarbonization #ESG #ClimateAction #Intellecap #KenyaBankersAssociation #RockefellerFoundation #DFCD

🌿 Exciting Day at the "Greening Finance: Accelerating Decarbonization Across the Banking Sector in #Kenya" event in #Nairobi! 🌿 Organized by Intellecap and the Kenya Bankers Association, nearly 50 bankers have gathered to discuss crucial topics on #decarbonization. The day began with insightful opening remarks by Dr. Samuel Tiriongo (PhD), Director of Research and Policy at the Kenya Bankers Association, followed by an introduction from Karnika Yadav, Director and Partner at Intellecap-Africa. 🔍 Stay tuned for updates and outcomes from today's sessions, where we delve into #investment in #decarbonization, #ESG strategy, #climaterisk, and more! Utsav Mulay Santosh K Singh Sarah Njoroge Lynn Olendo Ashay Abbhi #GreeningFinance #SustainableBanking #Decarbonization #ESG #ClimateAction #Intellecap #KenyaBankersAssociation #RockefellerFoundation

In our latest #SolutionsInAction series, we highlight our research and evaluation of the microfinance sector in Myanmar from a gender perspective, supported by the IFC. This comprehensive evaluation considered women as leaders, entrepreneurs, employees, consumers, and community members within the microfinance sector. Mapping the entire microfinance landscape in Myanmar, we profiled and assessed 10 shortlisted MFIs through a gender lens, identifying development needs, risks, and opportunities in the sector. Our research also examined global gender-focused initiatives and product offerings within the microfinance sector, evaluating their feasibility and potential in Myanmar. Stay tuned for more #SolutionsInAction stories, where we continue to showcase our impactful work across various sectors. #GenderEquality #Microfinance #Myanmar #Intellecap #IFC #InclusiveDevelopment

📢 Exciting Opportunity for SMEs in Africa! 🌍 Phase 4 of the Good Food Innovation Fund (GFIF) is NOW LIVE! 🎉https://lnkd.in/dgVH6k_d If you're an SME in #Kenya, #Benin, #Burundi, #Ghana, #Nigeria, or #Rwanda, and you're accelerating the availability and affordability of 'Good Food,' this is your chance to access: ✅ Capital Facilitation Support ✅ Technical Assistance ✅ Monitoring & Evaluation Support ✅ Learning & Exchange Opportunities ✅ Financial support ranging from US$ 100,000 to US$ 200,000 📅 Last date to apply: July 31st, 2024 Don't miss out on this opportunity to grow your business and make a significant impact! 👉 Apply now at: https://lnkd.in/dgVH6k_d The Rockefeller Foundation Kagwiria Koome Betty Kibaara Maureen Njeri Michael Omega Jackline Njeri Nicole Moraa Mulehi William #GoodFoodInnovationFund #SMEs #Africa #FoodSecurity #Intellecap #RockefellerFoundation

Last week on July 18th, our Intellecap-Africa #Director and #Partner, Karnika Yadav, joined a distinguished panel at the Closing Plenary of the Africa Impact Summit 2024, alongside Muma Ng'ambi, Frank Aswani, and Amma Lartey. The session explored the future of venture #philanthropy and #impactinvesting in #Africa. Key discussion points included:  - Building a robust impact #investment ecosystem through collaboration and convergence.  - Enhancing knowledge awareness and shifting the risk narrative in Africa.  - Transforming the Africa Impact Summit into an ongoing engagement platform. Together, we're paving the way for impactful change in Africa!  #AfricaImpactSummit2024 #ImpactInvesting #VenturePhilanthropy #IntellecapAfrica