TUES 5 DEC: Actis and the Just Transition

As a leading global investor in sustainable infrastructure, Actis recognises that the concept of a Just Transition is incredibly important. A Just Transition is one that is inclusive, leaves no one behind and is to the benefit of communities and people. This is essential to successfully advancing the climate transition – we need buy-in from people and this can only happen by bringing people on board and ensuring they benefit from the transition. This means proactively prioritising social impact and focusing on the “S” of ESG.

For Actis this takes the shape of operating with local communities front of mind, in particular regarding their upskilling, retraining and economic empowerment, to make sure that they are not left behind as economies transition from a fossil-fuel to a decarbonised energy system. Actis also goes beyond this to support healthcare provision, water security and security for the local communities in which our portfolio companies operate.

Our work collaborating on the creation of INSPIRE (Initiative for Social Performance in Renewable Energy) in South Africa, backed by both BTE and Lekela, is an excellent example of this, helping to advance social performance in the renewable energy sector.

We export our most successful initiatives across funds and portfolio companies to leverage our experience and deliver positive impacts rapidly and at scale. Learn more about Actis’ work on the Just Transition in our Sustainability case studies here and watch Shami Nissan and Lucy Heintz discuss a Just Transition in the video above.