Gavi allocates US$60 million for RBC GAM impact investment bond

· Gavi is investing in the RBC Global Asset Management’s RBC Impact Bond Strategy, which supports measurable social and environmental progress

· In recent years, Gavi has substantially expanded its embrace of sustainably focused investments

· “Our partnership with RBC GAM puts Gavi’s investment resources where its values and mission are,” said Stephen Zinser, the Chair of Gavi’s investment committee

Geneva 21 June 2021 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance today announced it is allocating US$ 60 million to support economic development efforts with an aim of reducing poverty, promoting economic prosperity for all and protecting the planet.

In partnership with RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM), Gavi is investing in the RBC Impact Bond Strategy, which is dedicated to supporting measurable social and environmental progress through investments in projects like clean water and sanitation, good health and well-being, affordable housing, clean energy, economic equality, and quality education. This investment aims to deliver both competitive risk-adjusted returns and positive social and environmental outcomes.

“Our partnership with RBC GAM puts Gavi’s investment resources where its values and mission are,” said Stephen Zinser, the Chair of Gavi’s investment committee and CEO of Roxbury Asset Management. “Since it launched in 2000, Gavi has been committed to closing global gaps in access to vaccines, which children everywhere need to build healthy, prosperous and productive lives. In recent years, Gavi has substantially expanded its embrace of sustainably focused investments. RBC GAM is providing yet another opportunity to apply Gavi’s investments to programmes that meet a broad range of social, environmental and economic needs.” 

The RBC Impact Bond Strategy is focused on creating measurable positive impacts across several themes, among them: solutions to climate change, affordable quality housing, health and well-being, education and career-promotion opportunities. The strategy finances environmental projects like clean water and solar energy infrastructure, along with socioeconomic projects like affordable rental housing properties, hospital systems and clinics, and small businesses, all within the liquid fixed income market.

“We are pleased to partner with Gavi on this initiative that combines an established fixed-income strategy with measurable positive social outcomes,” said Donald Sanya, Head of U.S. Institutional Sales, at RBC Global Asset Management. “RBC GAM is committed to helping clients thrive and communities prosper, and we are inspired by Gavi’s commitment to supporting the communities and the environment around them. We have already been impressed by Gavi’s work at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and look forward to helping them invest in areas that align with their mission of improving global health.”

Gavi maintains a US$ 1.2 billion, broadly diversified portfolio, whose proceeds contribute to its transformational immunisation programmes in lower-income countries around the globe, including the COVAX Facility, which is designed to ensure that all countries have access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Notes to editors

About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 822 million children – and prevented more than 14 million deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 73 lower-income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningitis and yellow fever vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation and reaching the unvaccinated children still being left behind, employing innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save millions more lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organizations that fund Gavi’s work here.

About RBC GAM

RBC GAM is the asset management division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and has over 350 investment professionals globally and 20 years of experience in impact investing in the United States.