Investing for Impact

Economic growth across African countries is under half that of the South Asian economies, while Africa has double the portion of unemployed. If the continent is to achieve decent work for all, it needs more formal firms creating quality jobs for the millions of people entering the labour market every year. New research from the Africa Programme at Chatham House (available from 8 September) looks at how to grow larger businesses in sub-Saharan Africa that can create the jobs the continent needs. In this podcast, Alex Vines from the Africa Programme, Alex MacGillivray from CDC, and Chibamba Lopa from impact investor Grofin discuss why the work's important and what impact it'll have.

A decade or so of 'Africa rising' - a period of high growth for the majority of the largest economies on the continent - has given way to a more nuanced picture. A recent study from McKinsey Global Institute finds that some countries have continued to grow, while others have experienced a slowdown.In this podcast we look at this McKinsey report - called Lions on the Move II - and ask whether we can still be positive about the overall economic outlook in Africa, whether there is potential for further growth, and how investors can support businesses on the continent.First, we hear from Tenbite Ermias, a partner at McKinsey, before discussing what the findings mean for investors with CDC's Dalia Aga-Shaw.

Earlier this year, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency said improving building standards should be the world's number one priority when it comes to tackling climate change.The opportunity for introducing measures to improve buildings standards is particularly strong in developing countries, where the demand for construction is greater because populations are growing quickly and people are moving to cities.In this podcast, we look at the case for investing in green buildings in emerging markets. We hear from Prashant Kapoor from the IFC, who led the development of a green building standard called edge. We also speak to Inge Huijbrechts from the hotel group Carlson Rezidor and CDC's Joram Sengendo.

It's difficult to dispute that everyone working in supply chains - whether businesses or individuals - should get a fair deal for the work or service that they provide. But often it can be difficult to define what exactly that deal should look like.In this podcast we hear from the Ethical Trading Initiative's Peter McAllister about what makes a quality job, before looking at two different approaches to ensuring the people and small businesses working in supply chains are properly rewarded for their contribution. Ritu Kumar, CDC's Director of Environmental and Social Responsibility discusses the work she has done with manufacturing companies, while Pamela Cornes from SAB Miller talks about the company's approach to supporting small enterprises.

Having access to reliable and affordable electricity has a transformative effect on people's lives. It means families can light homes and businesses can grow and create jobs. It's an important issue and one that is covered in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. But, with around two billion people in the world without access to reliable power, achieving it comes with challenges.In this podcast, we hear from people working in various areas of the energy sector in developing countries to find out how these challenges can be navigated. From large scale energy generation and distribution, to off-grid renewable technology. We speak to:- Christine Eibs Singer from Power for All - a campaign to deliver universal energy access before 2030 through decentralised renewables. - Henry Aszklar, CEO of Globeleq - a large energy generation business in Africa- Selestino Babungi, Managing Director of Umeme - Uganda's national electricity distribution company

What does the future hold for investment in Africa?With 11 million people entering the labour market every year in Africa, investment is needed in order to provide jobs and opportunities for this expanding workforce. Added to that, the population is expected to continue to keep rising rapidly - with 2.2bn expected to live on the continent by 2030 - levels of investment need to be sustained now and into the future.In this podcast, we hear from Adrienne Klasa, the Editor of the Financial Times' This is Africa, and Clarisa De Franco, the Portfolio Director of Africa Funds at CDC. We speak to them about the opportunities the continent holds for investors, as well Five years ago, the Economist ran its now famous 'Africa Rising' cover story, which suggested the continent is destined for a future of strong economic growth - does this narrative still ring true?

Although progress is being made in supporting women's economic empowerment, there is still a great deal of work to be done.Initiatives like the United Nations panel, International Women's Day and improving access to financial services have made an impact but where can improvements be made?In this podcast we explore some of the barriers standing in the way of closing the gender gap and look at how they can be overcome. We speak to journalist Elizabeth Matsangou, CDC's Arpita Raksit and Yvonne Katamba, a woman in Uganda who successfully set up her own business with financial support from a bank.