Employment Effects in Impact Investments: Key Insights Emerging Across Studies in Tanzania and in Zimbabwe

As part of the joint ILO-EU STRENGHTEN Project, the ILO conducted two studies on the employment effects of impact investments, with a focus on the cashew value chain in Tanzania and a financial institution supporting smallholder schemes in Zimbabwe. The across case analysis concludes that the investments triggered not only an increase in employment numbers, but also improved skills of the labor force, management systems of the investee companies, and labor practices. The findings are geared at informing the development of the EU’s External Investment Plan.