Family offices in S'pore showing interest in nature-related causes

They have flexibility and liberty to invest in such businesses that create deeper impact

- Audrey Tan

Nature conservation, usually funded by governments and philanthropic organisations, is getting a new source of support - family offices in Singapore.

Some of these private wealth management advisory firms that serve high-net-worth families have expressed growing interest in nature-friendly impact investments.

This comes amid growing calls by the United Nations for financial institutions, governments, and the private sector to step up financing for nature conservation.

In a video address aired on April 16 at Ecosperity Week - a sustainability conference convened by global investment company Temasek International Union for Conservation of Nature president Razan AI Mubarak said: "We need to redirect financial flows from activities that harm nature towards those that protect, restore and sustain nature.

"It is imperative that non-state actors, businesses, financial institutions, cities and regions embrace this paradigm shift by placing nature at the forefront of climate action and strategic agendas." In Singapore, Silverstrand Capital was founded as a family office in 2019 with a mission to scale up regenerative agriculture - farming practices that restore soil health, increase biodiversity, capture carbon and benefit local communities - through impact investing.

Such investments generate positive and measurable social and environmental impact, alongside a financial return.

Silverstrand founder Kelvin Chiu, 37, said the focus on regenerative agriculture was broadened in 2021 to include biodiversity protection. "I realised that we were trying to change agriculture because it is the biggest contributor to nature loss globally," he said.

"As a single-family office without external investors, we are in a unique position with more flexibility in terms of investment timeframe, return expectations and types of investment.