In a context shaped by interconnected crises - it is becoming increasingly clear that business management models based solely on financial indicators fail to adequately reflect the real costs and benefits borne by society. Stakeholders, are increasingly demanding information that enables them to understand the social and environmental value they create or destroy across their operations and value chains. It is within this context that the Impact Accounting Pilot in Colombia was developed, as an applied, decision-oriented exercise designed to generate practical evidence on the feasibility and strategic usefulness of these methodologies within the Colombian business context.

This guide aims to demystify the process of designing and structuring impact vehicles. It provides practical, replicable guidance for organisations seeking to catalyse capital flows into local impact economies. Drawing on lessons from across the GSG Impact Partnership and wider impact investing ecosystem, it presents a structured six-step roadmap to support practitioners throughout the vehicle design process, complemented by a library of case studies sharing practical lessons and real-world structuring experience.

Since the establishment of the Impact Taskforce (ITF) in 2021, under the auspices of the UK G7 Presidency, in our landmark Time to Deliver report we called for systemic change in investment decision-making to ensure that impact is taken into account in every business and investment decision as a “third lens” alongside risk and return, to accelerate 
the volume and effectiveness of private capital seeking to have a positive social and environmental impact.