Coalition of impact investors launches new standard for impact investing in healthcare

A broad coalition of Dutch impact investors today introduces a uniform standard to make the social impact of their investments in healthcare measurable, comparable, and scalable. The so-called LIFe impact framework has been developed by Invest-NL, PGGM, Achmea IM, VGZ, and CbusineZ and aims to significantly accelerate impact-driven investments in health and well-being.

Sustainable care requires impact investments

The pressure on the healthcare and welfare sector is increasing due to ageing, staffing shortages, and rising costs. In the coming years, this calls for innovative solutions that keep healthcare and welfare in the Netherlands accessible, affordable, and of high quality. Several companies play a key role in this, but many promising initiatives falter when scaling up. Impact investments can make a difference here, but only if investors are aligned on what impact means and how to assess it.

A common language for societal impact

Until now, there has been no widely accepted standard for measuring impact in healthcare. The new Lifesciences and Healthcare Impact Framework (LIFe) changes that. The framework considers five dimensions, based on the quadruple aim: quality, costs, capacity, and satisfaction, complemented by sustainability as the fifth dimension.

This structure makes it possible to better assess impact, compare it internally, and scale it. For the first time, a uniform standard is emerging that supports both public and private financiers in making well-informed investment decisions based on societal and financial value.

Launch during the ‘Impact through collaboration’ event

The framework was launched today at the event ‘Impact through collaboration: impact investing in healthcare & welfare’, where more than 150 policymakers, investors, and healthcare innovators gathered. During the event, a shared vision on impact was developed, and participants explored how public and private parties can accelerate together.

Call to investors: join in

The initiators are calling on other investors and financiers to apply the LIFe framework broadly. “Only with shared frameworks can we make impact ventures transparent, scale up, and achieve real progress in healthcare and welfare,” said the coalition. In addition to the founders, parties such as ING and Healty.Capital now also endorse the approach.

About the LIFe coalition

The LIFe coalition consists of Invest-NL, PGGM, Achmea IM, VGZ Voorop in Zorg fund, and CbusineZ. These five parties believe in impact investing as a catalyst for the transition in healthcare and welfare. With the impact framework, they support impact-driven businesses, investors, and policymakers in defining, measuring, and realising societal impact.