Wells Fargo: When eight wasn't great

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In July 2017, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) launched the world’s first Humanitarian Impact Bond. This innovative finance pilot was an experiment by the ICRC to engage the private sector differently and diversify funding – critical given the widening humanitarian aid gap. It was a massive undertaking. The HIB, which had a maximum potential deal size of CHF 26 million, took over four years to plan and multiple stakeholders, including governments, foundations, investors and lawyers, to put together. How did the ICRC pull this off and what possibilities does innovative finance offer the humanitarian and private sectors? Drawing on a series of proprietary interviews with key characters, various internal documents shared by the ICRC, and secondary sources such as news reports, press releases and reports by third-party organizations, this abridged case delves into the ICRC’s motivations for entering innovative finance, why it chose the HIB instrument, what it was, the hurdles and challenges of designing and setting up this complex instrument, and what the ICRC did to get the project off the ground. Participants interested in innovative finance, the humanitarian and/or development sectors, cross-sectoral/industry collaboration, and social innovation will find the case particularly interesting.

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