Key Takeaways
- • New Private Markets announced the winners of its third annual Global Awards 2025, recognizing leading private markets firms and investors excelling in impact investing and ESG integration across global markets.
- • The awards framework distinguishes between impact investing (dual purpose of financial returns and measurable positive societal or environmental impact) and ESG integration (environmental, social, and governance considerations embedded in operations and investment processes), with separate award categories for each.
- • Notable limited partner winners include APG Asset Management (Limited Partner of the Year in Impact category) and Aware Super (Limited Partner of the Year in EMEA region), reflecting institutional investor leadership in responsible investment practices.
- • Impact firm category winners span climate and nature focus (Ambienta as Impact Firm of the Year in Climate and Nature) and financial inclusion (LeapFrog Investments as Impact Firm of the Year in Financial Inclusion), demonstrating sector diversification in impact-driven private markets.
- • Award selections were determined by a panel of judges comprising members of the PEI Group editorial team, with submissions evaluated across multiple geographies and asset classes including private equity, credit, and alternative strategies.
Summary
The New Private Markets Global Awards 2025 represent the third iteration of an annual recognition program designed to spotlight private markets participants demonstrating excellence in impact investing and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. The awards program, administered by the PEI Group, treats impact and ESG as distinct investment philosophies worthy of separate categorical recognition.
The awards framework establishes a clear definitional boundary between the two categories. Impact investing encompasses investments structured with the explicit dual mandate of generating financial returns while simultaneously creating measurable positive outcomes for society or the environment. ESG, by contrast, refers to the systematic integration of environmental, social, and governance considerations into investment firms' operational practices and decision-making processes. This distinction reflects the sophistication of institutional capital allocation, where ESG may serve as a risk-management and value-creation overlay across all investments, while impact investing represents a distinct asset class with primary investment thesis alignment around measurable social or environmental outcomes.
Among limited partner category winners, APG Asset Management secured recognition as Limited Partner of the Year in the Impact category, underscoring the Dutch asset manager's commitment to impact-driven capital deployment. Aware Super received Limited Partner of the Year honors in the EMEA region, demonstrating regional leadership in responsible investment practices. On the impact firm side, Ambienta earned Impact Firm of the Year designation in the climate and nature category, while LeapFrog Investments claimed the same honor in the financial inclusion sector, indicating market recognition of specialized impact strategies across multiple thematic areas.
The award selection process was overseen by a panel of judges drawn from the PEI Group editorial team, ensuring editorial independence and subject matter expertise in evaluations. The program attracted participation from firms and investors across geographies and asset classes, reflecting the institutional private markets community's elevated focus on impact and ESG integration as core competitive and risk management competencies.
The awards framework establishes a clear definitional boundary between the two categories. Impact investing encompasses investments structured with the explicit dual mandate of generating financial returns while simultaneously creating measurable positive outcomes for society or the environment. ESG, by contrast, refers to the systematic integration of environmental, social, and governance considerations into investment firms' operational practices and decision-making processes. This distinction reflects the sophistication of institutional capital allocation, where ESG may serve as a risk-management and value-creation overlay across all investments, while impact investing represents a distinct asset class with primary investment thesis alignment around measurable social or environmental outcomes.
Among limited partner category winners, APG Asset Management secured recognition as Limited Partner of the Year in the Impact category, underscoring the Dutch asset manager's commitment to impact-driven capital deployment. Aware Super received Limited Partner of the Year honors in the EMEA region, demonstrating regional leadership in responsible investment practices. On the impact firm side, Ambienta earned Impact Firm of the Year designation in the climate and nature category, while LeapFrog Investments claimed the same honor in the financial inclusion sector, indicating market recognition of specialized impact strategies across multiple thematic areas.
The award selection process was overseen by a panel of judges drawn from the PEI Group editorial team, ensuring editorial independence and subject matter expertise in evaluations. The program attracted participation from firms and investors across geographies and asset classes, reflecting the institutional private markets community's elevated focus on impact and ESG integration as core competitive and risk management competencies.
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