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From Fiduciary Duty to Impact Fidelity: Managerial Compensation in Impact Investing

Author

Listed:
  • Isaline Thirion

    (Université de Liège)

  • Patrick Reichert

    (IMD)

  • Virginie Xhauflair

    (Université de Liège)

  • Jonathan Jonck

    (Telos Impact & Solvay)

Abstract

Investors with standard monetary preferences will give a fund manager incentives to increase firm profits, which can be achieved through a share in profits via carried interest. When investors have social preferences, it is not clear which incentives the manager should receive. We explore this puzzle by applying an agency theory perspective to impact investing, a practice where investors seek both financial returns and a measurable social or environmental impact. Using an inductive, qualitative approach, we identify and describe the ethical tensions and challenges faced by fund managers to structure and implement impact-based variable compensation schemes. Our results indicate that economic incentives tied to non-financial objectives are useful to alleviate goal incongruity between principals and agents during fund creation but have the potential to lead to perverse effects during the fund lifecycle, where managers may exploit subjective non-financial metrics to maximize personal wealth. We introduce the concept of impact fidelity, a conceptual equivalent of fiduciary duty, to ensure that investment decisions reflect the asset owner’s impact preferences.

Suggested Citation

  • Isaline Thirion & Patrick Reichert & Virginie Xhauflair & Jonathan Jonck, 2022. "From Fiduciary Duty to Impact Fidelity: Managerial Compensation in Impact Investing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 991-1010, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:179:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-022-05155-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-022-05155-5
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    1. Syrus M. Islam & Asheq Rahman, 2023. "Impact investment deal flow and Sustainable Development Goals: “Mind the gap?”," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(4), pages 3797-3813, December.
    2. Kai Hockerts & Lisa Hehenberger & Stefan Schaltegger & Vanina Farber, 2022. "Defining and Conceptualizing Impact Investing: Attractive Nuisance or Catalyst?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 937-950, September.
    3. Zhang, Wei & Qin, Chu & Zhang, Wenyao, 2023. "Top management team characteristics, technological innovation and firm's greenwashing: Evidence from China's heavy-polluting industries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).

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