Publications

April 2002 (Revised February 2003)
Background Note

An Economic Framework for Assessing Development Impact

By: Benjamin C. Esty, Frank J. Lysy and Carrie Ferman

Discusses the differences between private and social returns and describes an economic framework for assessing a project's social return [known as the economic rate of return (ERR)]. The framework begins by analyzing the impact of a new project on private financiers... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Microeconomics; Investment Return; Framework; Projects; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Valuation

01 Mar 2017
News

Students Forecast Climate Change’s Impact

Education. “While the corporation’s internal practices greatly impact the environment, H&M believes that 26% of the greenhouse gas emissions in a garment’s life cycle [occur] after the product is sold to the end consumer (the disposal and... View Details

Keywords: Dan Morrell

Web

Our Team - Social Impact Collaboratory

Our Team Our Team Principal Investigators Shawn Cole John G. McLean Professor of Business Administration Shawn Cole is a professor in the Finance Unit at Harvard Business School, where he teaches and conducts research on financial services, social enterprise, and View Details

August 2020
Background Note

US Private Equity Firms: ESG and Impact (A)

By: Lynn S. Paine and Holly Fetter

This Note has two parts. The first part (A) explores how U.S. private equity firms are incorporating ESG (Environmental, Social, & Governance) factors and impact objectives into their investment strategies and firm practices. It is based on publicly available... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Social Issues; Financial Services Industry; United States

11 Jan 2021
Working Paper Summaries

Accounting for Product Impact in the Airlines Industry

Keywords: by George Serafeim and Katie Trinh; Air Transportation; Transportation

2024
Working Paper

Measuring the Impact of Purpose

By: Ranjay Gulati, Franz Wohlgezogen and David Shin

Video

HBS Global Leaders Impact Video

28 Nov 2023
Video

Making An Impact through Collaboration

TeachingInterests

Investing: Risk, Return and Impact (MBA)

By: Shawn A. Cole

This is an investing/finance course, designed to build on skills introduced in the RC finance course, but with an emphasis on how and whether investors should incorporate what have traditionally been considered “non-financial” criteria in their decisions: for... View Details

Web

Case Studies - Social Impact Collaboratory

Engagement with a long-term horizon is a strategy that allows them to advocate for change and returns-driven shareholders. JANA Partners: Impact through Activism? (819073) by Vikram Gandhi and Caitlin Lindsay Reimers Brumme NOVEMBER 2018... View Details

February 2020
Teaching Note

Ariadne Labs: Building Impactful Partnerships

By: Ariel D. Stern and Sarah Mehta

Teaching Note for HBS No. 619-017. View Details

Keywords: Health; Health Care and Treatment; Innovation and Invention; Social Enterprise; Nonprofit Organizations; Health Industry; Boston

November 2018 (Revised June 2019)
Case

JANA Partners: Impact through Activism?

By: Vikram S. Gandhi and Caitlin Reimers Brumme

Jana Partners, a well-known “activist” hedge fund has announced the launch of a new fund Jana Impact. The basic premise is that the fund will be able to generate superior returns by using Jana’s activist approach with companies that are underperforming on ESG metrics.... View Details

Keywords: Hedge Fund; Hedge Funds; ETF; Activist Investing; Activism; Investment Activism; Investment Funds; Asset Management

June 2018 (Revised November 2020)
Course Overview Note

Investing: Risk, Return & Impact

By: Shawn Cole, Vikram S. Gandhi and Caitlin Reimers Brumme

17 Oct 1990 - 20 Oct 1990
Conference Presentation

Managing Design for Strategic Impact

By: R. H. Hayes

Keywords: Management; Strategy; Design