United Nations

KPMG family office and private client team partner Jo Bateson talks about the philanthropic structures needed to support ad-hoc giving alongside longer-term goals.

Many of us will make regular and often sizable charitable donations supporting causes that are close to our hearts. It is part of what makes us human. But when does charity become philanthropy? The distinction is not always clear.

Families generally agree with new Campden Wealth research which reveals impact investments delivered “solid financial returns” in 2020, despite Covid-19 disruption, but say more progress is needed in making robust the measurement of positive social change.

Wealthy families, foundations and individuals with an estimated total net worth of $328 billion are accelerating their interests in sustainable and impact investing to an unprecedented level, propelled by the Covid-19 pandemic and climate crisis.

An overwhelming majority surveyed by Campden Wealth in 2021 said the transition to net-zero emission was the “greatest commercial opportunity of our age”. Investors were aligning their portfolios with their climate-conscious commitments and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Families aligning their charitable giving with their business plans and the rise of the next generation of family leaders are among the trends explored in a new book which aims to guide families on their ventures in philanthropy.

Family Philanthropy Navigator, published this month, delves into case studies and offers advice and practical tools for experienced and aspiring families in the philanthropy sector.