The following chapter is from Microfinance for Bankers and Investors. Written in a non-academic, direct style, it is enhanced with detailed case studies that showcase innovative and entrepreneurial ventures into microfinance by some of the world's best-known corporations such as Citibank, Visa Inc. and Wal-Mart. The company-cases help bring microfinance to life, recounting the motivations that led these companies into inclusive finance, the opportunities, and the obstacles they saw and the results they have experienced so far.

"This book offers investors an in-depth guide to understanding the microfinance investment value chain and its benefits. It aims to increase the awareness of this growing asset class among traditional investors by providing a detailed review of the current state of the industry. The book focuses on the two key intermediaries linking investors and small enterprises: financial institutions and investment funds, covering their respective markets, models, risks, performance and impact. By describing their dynamics, strengths and weaknesses, it helps the investor to better grasp the elements of choice when deciding to add microfinance in his portfolio."--Preface.

The purpose of the 'Microfinance Handbook' is to bring together in a single source guiding principles and tools that will promote sustainable microfinance and create viable institutions.

Investments in microfinance by institutional investors are growing. The investors benefit from a dual return investment opportunity by balancing financial and social returns. Yet, commercial microfinance institutions tend to focus on their financial performance. Reaching out to wealthier clients while crowding out poorer clients enhances their profitability - a phenomenon called mission drift.Pim Engels has analysed the data of 600 microfinance institutions operating in 84 countries and presents now new insights to the phenomenon of mission drift. Based on his findings investors can recognise and prevent mission drift taking place amongst the microfinance institutions in their portfolio.

Following the recent global financial crisis there is a growing interest in alternative finance – and microfinance in particular – as new instruments for providing financial services in a socially responsible way or as an alternative to traditional banking. Nonetheless, correspondingly there is also a lack of clarity about how to regulate alternative financial methods particularly in light of the financial crisis’ lessons on regulatory failure and shadow banking’s risks. This book considers microfinance from a legal and regulatory perspective. Microfinance is the provision of a wide range of financial services, particularly credit but also remittances, savings, to low-income people or financially excluded people. It combines a business structure with social inspiration, often resorts to technological innovations to lower costs (Fintech: e.g. crowdfunding and mobile banking) and merges with traditional local experiences (e.g. financial cooperatives and Islamic finance), this further complicating the regulatory picture. The book describes some of the unique dimensions of microfinance and the difficulties that this can cause for regulators, through a comparative analysis of selected European Union (EU) countries’ regimes. The focus is in fact on the EU legal framework, with some references to certain developing world experiences where relevant. The book assesses the impact and validity of current financial regulation principles and rules, in light of the most recent developments and trends in financial regulation in the wake of the financial crisis and compares microfinance with traditional banking. The book puts forward policy recommendations for regulators and policy makers to help address the challenges and opportunities offered by microfinance.

The microfinance sector has witnessed various controversies and criticisms recently as a consequence of its commercialization and the related involvement of international investors. Against this background, the qualitative case study reported on examines the perceptions of stakeholders from the Swiss microfinance investment network. How do the various investor-related stakeholder groups perceive the motivation to become engaged in microfinance, the mission drift issue and the current state and potentials of mutual value creation? The findings suggest that common ground on fundamental questions facilitates superior mutual value creation among the investigated stakeholders. Implications include the need for enhanced coordination between private and public stakeholders.

A detailed look at the role of social responsibility in finance and investing The concept of socially responsible finance and investing continues to grow, especially in the wake of one of the most devastating financial crises in history. This includes responsibility from the corporate side (corporate social responsibility) as well as the investor side (socially responsible investing) of the capital markets. Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, Socially Responsible Finance and Investing offers an important basis of knowledge regarding both the theory and practice of this ever-evolving area of finance. As part of the Robert W. Kolb Series in Finance, this book showcases contributed chapters from professionals and academics with extensive expertise on this particular subject. It provides a comprehensive view of socially responsible foundations and their applications to finance and investing as determined by the current state of research. Discusses many important issues associated with socially responsible finance and investing, like moral hazard and the concept of "too big to fail" Contains contributed chapters from numerous thought-leaders in the field of finance Presents comprehensive coverage starting with the basics and bringing you through to cutting-edge, current theory and practice Now more than ever, we need to be mindful of the social responsibilities of all investment practices. The recent financial crisis and recession has changed the financial landscape for years to come and Socially Responsible Finance and Investing is a timely guide to help us navigate this difficult terrain.