Publications
Publications
- November 2024 (Revised January 2025)
- HBS Case Collection
Balancing Impact: Modeling the Future at British International Investment
By: Shawn Cole and Jonah Zahnd
Abstract
In 2022, British International Investment (BII), the £8.1 billion development finance arm of the British government, implemented a new impact measurement system called the Impact Score to align its financial and impact objectives systematically. The tool was designed to measure and manage impact across three dimensions, including productivity, sustainability, and inclusion, and to guide portfolio-level decision-making. By integrating the Impact Score into its investment framework, BII aimed to achieve its dual mandate of achieving development impact while maintaining moderate financial returns. The case examines BII’s efforts to balance financial and impact trade-offs through portfolio construction and features a simulation exercise to explore the practical application of the Impact Score in optimizing impact and financial outcomes.
Keywords
Investment Portfolio; Measurement and Metrics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Alignment; United Kingdom
Citation
Cole, Shawn, and Jonah Zahnd. "Balancing Impact: Modeling the Future at British International Investment." Harvard Business School Case 225-047, November 2024. (Revised January 2025.)