Sustainable finance

Gender Lens Investing

Meaning statusEstablishedSource recordDirect document linkedWhy these are different

Definition

Gender lens investing is the intentional integration of gender analysis into financial analysis to make better investment decisions and to achieve gender-equitable social change that benefits women and girls. It cuts across asset classes rather than being one, and typically targets women-owned or women-led enterprises, companies with strong gender diversity and equity practices, and products or services that improve women's lives.

References

2X GlobalWhat is gender lens investing? (the integration of gender analysis into a new or existing investment process for better social and financial outcomes)

definition

KIT InstituteGender Lens Impact Investing working paper (USAID 2015 definition; cuts across asset classes)

formal definition and scope

Overview

What it means

GLI treats gender as investment-relevant information: diversity in leadership, pay equity, workplace safety, and the gendered impact of products all affect risk, performance, and impact. Strategies range from public-equity funds screening for women in leadership to private debt for women entrepreneurs and gender bonds in fixed income.

How it is used

Asset managers offer GLI funds and indexes; development finance institutions apply gender criteria through initiatives such as 2X Global; and investors report gender metrics alongside ESG data, aligned with SDG 5.

Why it matters

Capital allocation shapes who gets to build businesses and hold power; GLI makes the gendered patterns of that allocation visible and investable.