ABOUT
ICO-impact

Who are we?

Valens Emerging Markets (VEM) is an investment fund based in London. VEM looks to invest in companies which we create positive social impact on their communities. VEM is predominantly interested in agriculture, education, energy and infrastructure projects as these sectors provide key services that help communities to prosper.

VEM believes that inclusive access to these services can help achieve stability and thus reduce the likelihood of conflict. They use our expertise in financial analysis and impact measuring to fund investment projects backed by research, local communities and key stakeholders.

International Communities Organisation (ICO) is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation based in London.

ICO engages with groups, civil society and states through five key streams of activity, 1. Research & Knowledge sharing, 2. Facilitating Dialogue, 3. Policy advocacy 4. Supporting Capacity Building initiatives and 5. Enabling private sector solutions in the aim to achieve a more peace and inclusive world.

ICO works to give people who believe they do not have the opportunity to express their cultural rights, political and economic rights, a platform to express their self-development claims peacefully.

Our Rationale

ICO has developed the ICO-IMPACT Programme by combining human rights principles with developmental strategies for empowerment, development and better governance. The strategy seeks to give people access to the rights set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) by enabling city and regional development.

For what purpose?

Through impact investment ICO contributes the implementation of internationally recognised human rights principles by combining developmental strategies for empowerment and better governance. As the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals indicates, we all hold responsibility to take an action for sustainable cities and communities.

Impact Investment

The terminological occupation of “impact investing” can mean different implications for each organisation. For ICOimpact, the impact investing is ipso facto differs from traditionalinvestment thesis. ICOimpact acknowledges that impact investing consists of strategies defining and implementing a viable portfolio across multiple asset classes.

In other words it is a methodological approach for Investment intention that can potentially produce both financial profits and sustainable, focused, assessable, and positive social or environmental value. It is not a non-Impact investment framework which is only proceed the purpose of financial return, without any direct consideration given to the impact thesis.

ICO-Impact Investment Involves:

1. Social Value,

2. Sustainability,

3. Inclusion,

4. Human Rights.

Our Team

James

Holmes

Programme Director

Kubra

Kalkandelen

Kenza

Camara

Programme Support

Global Project Coordinator

Julia

Rigney

Global Project Coordinator

Bilal

Al Ayoubi

Omar

Assaf

Lebanon Regional Representative

Allisar

el Sayed