Actis awarded two Impact Investment awards by Environmental Finance
Actis, a leading global investor in sustainable infrastructure, has been awarded ‘Impact investment of the year 2022′ in two separate categories by Environmental Finance. Actis’ investment in Lekela won Renewables Impact Investment of the Year while Actis’ investments in BTE Renewables and Atlas Renewable Energy (Atlas) won Biodiversity and Ecosystems Impact Investment of the Year.
Environmental Finance is a leading publication providing information for responsible investors looking to support projects that mitigate climate change or make a positive impact. The annual awards seek to recognise and reward the work of impact investors, highlight best practice and thought leadership across all asset classes and all geographies.
The Biodiversity and Ecosystems Impact award is in recognition of Actis’ work with BTE Renewables and Atlas. BTE Renewables, which operates wind and solar projects in South Africa and Kenya, has implemented a vulture mitigation and conservation programme at a Kenyan wind farm that includes a squad of bird observers.
Vultures are one of the most endangered groups of birds in the world. The sustainability team behind a wind farm near Kipeto in Kenya, sought to conserve a colony of Rüppell’s vultures located 15 kilometres from the site. The Kipeto wind farm project employs two ornithologists to lead a team of 30 bird observers and implement a ‘shut down on demand’ mitigation programme.
With Atlas, before exiting the business in October this year, Actis engaged with communities to help meet local needs and to preserve surrounding environments. This included protecting biodiversity through community reforestation programs and wildlife conservation projects, as well as safeguarding ecosystems through initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations.
Actis was awarded Renewables Impact Investment of the Year for it’s work with Lekela, the judges noted the way Actis’ investments in clean energy on the African continent had delivered high impact in 2022 by providing important carbon savings, alongside social benefits. As one of Africa’s largest renewable energy independent power producers, with one gigawatt of fully operational assets, Lekela Power is focused on both powering – and empowering – communities across Africa.
Lekela runs community investment programmes, including one which is working to develop the technical skills of women in Egypt through an engineering apprenticeship programme. In 2021, the firm established 127 community investment initiatives across six communities, with over $3.8 million invested into community projects. Lekela was rated one of the highest performing companies globally by Sustainalytics.
Shami Nissan, Partner and Head of Sustainability at Actis said "We are thrilled to be recognised with two awards for our work creating sustainability leaders through three of our investments. Our raison d'etre is to invest in sustainable infrastructure. For us, this means infrastructure that supports the 'just transition' in the fullest sense – infrastructure which accelerates the world towards net zero, is resilient to climate shocks, inclusive and equitable, and which is nature positive."
Actis has been investing in sustainable infrastructure globally since 2004, creating sustainability leaders within their respected sectors – companies that lead the way and set the bar on global sustainability best practice, deliver measurable positive outcomes, are resilient and futureproofed and more valuable as a result.
Actis is a signatory to the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative which supports the goal of Net Zero emissions by 2050 and we recently announced our own portfolio-wide 2050 Net Zero target.
Environmental Finance Biodiversity and Ecosystems Impact Investment of the Year 2022
Environmental Finance Renewables Impact Investment of the Year 2022