Parallelle Finance has completed consultancies on sustainable and gender lens investing and gender-equality focused bond issuances. We have also been invited to serve as presenters on these topics at events ranging from large in-person conferences to online sessions with a range of attendee sizes. Our consultancies and events include:
2X Global Summit, September 2026: Engaged to present an overview of gender lens investing in public markets to an invite-only group of portfolio managers and ESG directors from leading global asset management firms.
IFC, June 2026 – Present: By invitation, Parallelle Finance is a member of an IFC-led working group formed to draft and finalize standards and principles for Women’s Economy Bonds (also known as gender or gender-equality bonds) to present to the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) for consideration. The working group is conducting market analyses, gathering input from multiple stakeholders, and writing the Women’s Economy Bonds Principles for submission to ICMA.
AVPN, June 2026: We served as author for Driving Inclusive Growth Through Gender Lens Investing in Asian Public Markets, an analysis of gender lens investing in Asian public markets published by AVPN in June, 2026. In this report we spotlighted the Asian landscape for gender lens equities and fixed income instruments and issued calls to action for market participants.
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), May 2026: We delivered a customized presentation of updated market info to Sida and a group of large Swedish institutional investors under a Sida project to assess opportunities for equality-focused bond issuances, including in African markets.
University of Cambridge, Judge Business School, April 2026: We spoke on the Women & MONEY: Creating Impact and Agency Through Investment panel at the SHIFT Happens UK: Women’s Convening.
FSD Africa, July 2023-Present: We served as author for Gender Bonds: A Toolkit for the Design and Issuance of Gender Bonds in Africa (the Toolkit), published in early 2024 by Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Africa. With global case studies, the toolkit describes the ICMA-aligned issuance process and the areas of opportunity for these bonds in Africa, a process applicable to all global regions. These bonds are positioned for growth in global fixed income markets, including in Africa, driven by high growth in women-owned businesses and persistent funding gaps. As an ongoing and central part of this project, we have conducted numerous interviews over a three-year period with issuers, investors, intermediaries, bond market regulators, securities exchanges, and other African and global bond market participants.
WeWe have served as organizers, moderators, and presenters at a series of 2-day toolkit launch and dissemination events sponsored by FSD Africa, FSD Network, British International Investment, and UN Women. These have included: February 2024, Nairobi, Kenya; June 2024, Lusaka, Zambia; January 2025, Lagos, Nigeria; and February 2026, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. For each conference we have coordinated a range of sustainable and gender bond market participants, both current and prospective, as topical speakers. Together with the project partners, we have noted a high degree of engagement at these events.
We provide technical assistance to African banks preparing for a gender equality-focused bond issuance:
- With expertise in gender lens investment criteria, including 2X and IFC criteria sets, we provide portfolio/pipeline reviews and preparation for second-party opinions (SPO) on alignment with ICMA sustainable bond principles and any related principles targeted by the issuer. This work encompasses preparation for post-issuance impact and proceeds reporting by the issuer.
- We have written (2025) and assisted with (2026) social bond frameworks for two pending issuances in West African markets that both received positive SPOs on alignment with the ICMA Social Bond Principles.
- We are currently providing portfolio/pipeline review and preparation assistance for an SPO on the ICMA Social Bond Principles for a potential issuer in southern Africa. The engagement also includes the writing of a social bond framework for the issuer.
- We are currently providing informal advisory assistance to a potential issuer in West Africa.
Equities.com, November 2024: We served as the moderator for the Social session during Equities.com’s half-day event on post-election investment strategies. The panel explored social movements in investing or, the “S” in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing.
African Development Bank, May 2023: We delivered three virtual information sessions to Bank staff: (1) ESG and Gender Lens Investing, (2) Applying a Gender Lens in Bank NSO Operations, and (3) Gender Bonds: market overview, examples, opportunities. Each session included slide presentations and the exploration of case studies. The engagement concluded with a policy paper including recommendations for the organization.
Convergence, April 2023, Toronto, ON: We led two firmwide half-day in-person workshops focused on (a) Gender lens investing in the blended finance context, and (b) Applying a gender lens in Convergence operations. Each session included presentations and customized materials for group discussions. We provided a summary paper following the workshops.
Financial Planning Association (FPA), May 2023: We delivered a virtual presentation on diversity-focused investing for the FPA African American Knowledge Circle, including slide presentation on DEI-centered investment funds and vehicles.
InvestmentNews, April 2023, Chicago, IL: We served as in-person conference panelist on gender lens investing for audience of 300 financial advisors at the InvestmentNews Women Adviser Summit 2023 Chicago.
Invest for Better, December 1, 2022: We served as panelist for online course on gender lens investing for the individual investor audience, including slide presentation on gender lens equity and fixed income investment funds and vehicles.
American Bar Association, November 2022, Washington, DC: We served as in-person conference panelist on diversity and equality in the workplace for the ABA’s Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference.
CFA Institute’s CFA Society Germany, March 2022: We presented a virtual overview of gender lens equity and fixed income investment funds and instruments for an audience of CFA charter holders, with slide presentation included.
Client Testimonials
“Convergence engaged Parallelle Finance to develop and deliver two firmwide half-day training workshops on gender lens investing in the context of blended finance. In each of the sessions, Parallelle delivered overviews of gender lens investing across private and public investment markets. The Parallelle team then facilitated workshops on applying a gender lens in our operations and partnerships. Based on guidance provided by Parallelle, our two teams co-developed the material for the workshops. The sessions were informative and well received by Convergence staff. Following the event, Parallelle delivered a summary of central points and the action recommendations which arose during the workshops.” –Convergence
“The Gender, Women and Civil Society Department (AHGC) at the African Development Bank engaged Parallelle Finance to develop and deliver a series of information sessions to Bank staff. The sessions included overviews of ESG and gender lens investing, analyses of gender-focused investing in the context of Bank operations, and a session on the gender bond market. Parallelle provided in-depth material on each area, demonstrating expertise on gender lens investing in global markets. The sessions were well attended. Bank staff found the Parallelle team to be engaging, approachable, and knowledgeable. Parallelle Finance made recommendations in three areas of gender-focused operations. The Parallelle team delivered a paper summarizing the material from the sessions and their recommendations.” –African Development Bank
Additionally, Parallelle Finance is routinely called upon to share gender and diversity, equity and inclusion lens investing expertise by the financial journalist at publications such as Bloomberg and Investment Week, and the Wall Street Journal. Our externally published research includes: Renewable Energy Funds: Through a Gender Lens, Gender Lens Investing: Asset Managers and Women in Leadership, Viewing Technology Stocks through a Gender Lens, Investing with an LGBTQI Lens, The Effect of COVID-19 on Women: Measuring the Damage and Charting Paths to Recovery, The Role of Shareholder Engagement in Achieving Pay Equity, A Call to Action: Aligning Gender Lens Investing and ESG, and Gender Lens Equity Funds: The First Major Test.
