Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Criterion Institute Podcast
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #87: Thank You for Naming It: The Early Days of Gender Lens Investing | 10 Sep 2026 | 00:31:29 | |
In this episode, Joy Anderson sits down with longtime collaborator Jackie VanderBrug to revisit the origins of gender lens investing and the work of building a field before most people believed it existed. Drawing on their years together at Criterion Institute, they reflect on the early efforts to identify, map, and connect investors, researchers, philanthropists, and practitioners who were already incorporating gender into financial decision-making but lacked a shared language or framework.
The conversation explores the importance of naming, the challenges of making gender visible within emerging impact investing conversations, and the tension between simplicity and rigor as the field developed. Joy and Jackie discuss the evolution of concepts such as "Women Effect," "Revaluing Gender," and "gender lens investing," as well as the role of leadership, philanthropy, community-building, and intellectual frameworks in making new possibilities visible. Ultimately, the episode is a reflection on how movements are built: through mapping, invitation, collaboration, persistence, and the willingness to claim possibility before there is permission to do so.
Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to the podcast and guests 02:24 - Reflecting on the early days of gender lens investing 04:17 - The role of visibility and community in building the field 07:13 - Naming and framing the movement: Women Effect and gender lens 09:11 - Overcoming resistance and gaining acceptance 12:48 - The impact of mapping and community building 16:37 - The evolution of impact investment frameworks 19:54 - The importance of gender analysis over numbers 22:44 - Building the field without a central fund 25:39 - Legacy and ongoing influence of early efforts 28:55 - Reflections on collaboration and future impact
Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn Joy Anderson's LinkedIn Jackie VanderBrug's LinkedIn
Dive Deeper
State of the Field of Gender Lens Investing A foundational review of how gender lens investing evolved as a field, mapping the ideas, actors, products, and organizations that helped move gender from a niche concern to an established investment lens.
Framing (and Reframing) Gender A framework for understanding how gender analysis can reveal opportunities, risks, and dynamics within financial systems, moving beyond simply counting women toward a deeper examination of power and value.
If you enjoyed this episode, consider listening to:
#32: Pioneering Collaboration: The Story Behind the 2024 Joan Bavaria Award A reflection on the collaboration between Joy Anderson, Jackie VanderBrug, and Suzanne Biegel in building the field of gender lens investing.
#42: 10 Year On: Reflecting on the State of Gender Lens Investing Joy revisits the evolution of the field, its frameworks, and the progress made over a decade.
#40: Gender Lens Investing is a Time of Backlash: Why It Matters Now More Than Ever A contemporary reflection on why gender lens investing remains important amid shifting political and economic conditions.
#47: Spelling it out: Gender Lens Investing Deserves Words, Not Acronyms A conversation about language, terminology, and how naming shapes understanding and action.
Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network
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| #86: A Tale of Two NAPs: National Action Plans and Much-Needed Naps | 27 Aug 2026 | 00:22:28 | |
For the past several months, Criterion Institute has been wrestling with a deceptively simple question: how do you finance a National Action Plan (NAP) to end gender-based violence? Most NAPs contain detailed commitments, timelines, settings, and responsibilities, yet many remain chronically underfunded. In this episode, Joy takes listeners inside Criterion's thinking process as the team tried to translate these plans into pathways for finance. Along the way, they discovered that many of the frameworks they relied on for years were excellent at describing landscapes and systems, but less useful when reading a plan line-by-line and asking where money could actually move. The episode introduces a distinction that became foundational to the work: the difference between an investment case and a financing mechanism. Costing studies and investment cases play an important political role by helping governments understand the economic consequences of violence and the value of prevention. But those arguments alone do not explain how capital moves, who bears risk, what financial structures exist, or how prevention becomes investable. Joy reflects on the false starts, AI-generated dead ends, framework redesigns, and countless synthesis conversations that ultimately led the team toward a more practical framework for financing National Action Plans. The result is not a finished answer, but a clearer way of thinking about how finance, policy, prevention, and systems change intersect. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to financing national action plans 01:55 - The challenge of understanding how money moves in plans 02:53 - Distinction between investment case and mechanism 07:06 - Frameworks as tools, not solutions 10:08 - Applying frameworks to real plans and the need for reflection 14:57 - The five categories of financing for national action plans 20:12 - The importance of pauses and reflection in problem-solving 21:12 - Conclusion: frameworks need naps and refinement
Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn Joy Anderson's LinkedIn Dive Deeper Framework for Financing the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence This framework is referenced repeatedly throughout the episode as the starting point for understanding how finance can support prevention by integrating GBV as material risk, financing what works, and valuing the future created through prevention. A Roadmap for Private Investors: Investing to Address Gender-Based Violence Referenced indirectly in the discussion of how investors operationalize GBV considerations and move from analysis toward action. Roadmap for Development Finance Institutions: Strategies to Address Gender-Based Violence Relevant to the episode's discussion about how institutions can incorporate GBV considerations into financial decision-making and capital allocation. If you enjoyed this episode, consider listening to: #67: Financing the Reduction of GBV: From Insights to Infrastructure Joy explores the intersection of finance and gender-based violence, emphasizing infrastructure, leverage points, and systems change. This episode provides important context for understanding why Criterion's work has increasingly focused on the infrastructure needed to support GBV prevention. #39: Financial Tools for Social Change: Ending Gender-Based Violence A foundational episode exploring how financial systems can be used to reduce violence and introducing several strategic approaches that connect directly to discussions in this episode about financing pathways and systems change. #27: The Core Pillars of Our Strategic Plan: Financing the Reduction of Gender-Based Violence Provides historical context for Criterion's GBV work and explains why the organization chose to build a deep portfolio of ideas and strategies at the intersection of finance and gender-based violence. #75: When the Moment Arrives: Acting on Systems Opportunities Listeners interested in the systems-change dimensions of this episode will find a useful companion conversation on leverage, timing, relationships, and strategic action. #85: Changing Your Frame Not Your Mind: Ensuring Your Actions Follow What You See A natural follow-on episode about reframing, changing analysis, and understanding how shifts in perspective ultimately change actions and outcomes within systems.
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| #85: Changing Your Frame Not Your Mind: Ensuring Your Actions Follow What You See | 13 Aug 2026 | 00:25:23 | |
A colleague recently asked Joy Anderson where she'd changed her mind—the kind of question you ask to find out whether someone is actually learning, or just defending old positions with better language. Her honest answer surprised her, and it probably won't be the one you're expecting. Because over 25 years, the changes that mattered most weren't reversals at all. They were quieter than that, harder to name, and they rearranged how she works, what she'll own, and where she draws the line. Next, Joy walks through a handful of moments where nothing about the facts changed—same rooms, same partners, same work—and yet everything did. It's a reflection on the stories we tell ourselves about our place in the work, why they're so hard to let go of, and what becomes possible when we finally do. She closes by turning the question back on you: what are you looking at right now that might be ready to be seen differently?
Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to the episode and core themes 02:35 - The question of changing one's mind and seeing differently 03:30 - Reframing support as infrastructure in social change work 07:21 - The shift from outsider to inside the work 09:16 - Personal reframing: recognizing limits as system design constraints 17:31 - The importance of seeing and acting on what you see 18:54 - Invitation to reflect on current frames and perceptions
Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn Joy Anderson's LinkedIn Joanna Levitt Cea's LinkedIn
Dive Deeper Fostering a Feminist Financial Imagination https://www.criterioninstitute.org/resources/fostering-a-feminist-financial-imagination This publication explores the role of imagination in creating alternative financial futures and aligns closely with Joy's discussion of reframing reality and expanding what becomes possible through new ways of seeing. Framework for Financing the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence https://www.criterioninstitute.org/resources/framework-for-financing-the-prevention-of-gender-based… The framework emphasizes finance as a system of power rather than simply a source of funding, echoing the episode's distinction between support work and infrastructure-building. Reflection: Making Gender-Based Violence Material to the World of Finance https://www.criterioninstitute.org/resources/reflection-making-gender-based-violence-material-to-th… A classic Criterion reframe that demonstrates how changing the frame around a problem can fundamentally alter how finance interprets risk and opportunity. A Commitment to Address Gender-Based Violence https://www.criterioninstitute.org/resources/gbv This resource highlights the importance of imagining alternative futures and changing assumptions about what finance can do, themes woven throughout this episode. If you enjoyed this episode, consider listening to:#84: Narratives, Local, and the Stories That Shape Finance https://www.criterioninstitute.org/podcasts/podcast-episode-84 A conversation exploring how narratives influence financial systems and the ways stories shape what becomes visible and possible. #82: How Staying in Paradox Can Sustain Hope and Drive Systemic Change https://www.criterioninstitute.org/podcasts/podcast-episode-82 Joy examines the tensions and paradoxes that emerge when trying to create lasting systems change, complementing this episode's exploration of competing frames and perspectives. #80: What Are You Willing to See? Disruption, Fault Lines, and the Moments That Matter https://www.criterioninstitute.org/podcasts/podcast-episode-80 A reflection on disruption as a tool for revealing underlying systems, making it a natural companion to this episode's focus on perception and awareness. #79: From Invitation to Trust: Rethinking Relationships in Finance https://www.criterioninstitute.org/podcasts/podcast-episode-79 An episode about invitation, relationship-building, and the practices that create conditions for transformation. #45: Making Sense of Complexity: Frameworks That Work (and Those That Don't) https://www.criterioninstitute.org/podcasts/podcast-episode-45 One of the closest thematic matches in... | |||
| #84: Narratives, Local, and the Stories That Shape Finance | 30 Jul 2026 | 00:48:41 | |
What stories shape what we believe is possible in finance? In this episode, Joy Anderson sits down with Joanna Levitt Cea, Founder and Principal of Valiente Capital Design and co-lead of the Beloved Economies Collaborative for Narrative Infrastructure, to explore the role of narratives in creating economic and systems change. Together, they unpack the difference between stories, communications strategies, and narratives themselves, examining how underlying cultural assumptions influence the ways we understand ownership, investment, opportunity, and power. The conversation explores why narrative change is not simply about finding the right message, but about collective action, organizing, and reshaping the stories that define what people believe is possible. The episode then turns to one of the most common and often unquestioned words in innovative finance: local. Joy examines five distinct narratives embedded within the concept. Rather than treating local as a geographic descriptor, she argues that each narrative carries a different theory of change and implies different practices around governance, ownership, expertise, and value creation. Together, these reflections invite listeners to ask not whether finance is local, but what narrative of local is being invoked and whether the structures of finance actually make that narrative real. Episode Highlights00:00 Introduction to the power of narratives in finance 01:20 Narratives shape what people believe is possible 02:18 The importance of stories in social and environmental finance 03:26 Ownership economy and its narrative shifts 04:54 The role of narratives in building intergenerational wealth 07:59 The collaborative approach to narrative change 10:20 Stories as drivers of policy and norm shifts 12:17 Narrative as a team sport and collective action 34:04 The multiple narratives of local in finance 36:29 Different stories of local and their implications 42:52 The narrative of economic self-determination 44:46 Local knowledge as a narrative of expertise 46:34 The shift from communities being investment-ready to capital being context-ready 47:41 Conclusion: The importance of deep narrative change and systems transformation Relevant LinksCriterion Institute website and LinkedIn Joy Anderson's LinkedIn Joanna Levitt Cea's LinkedIn Dive DeeperInvesting to shift power: advanced practices of Africa's investment leadersThis article examines how investment leaders are redesigning financial practices to address power dynamics embedded within investment structures. By highlighting innovations in governance, investor participation, accountability, and decision-making, it complements this episode's discussion of narratives by showing how underlying assumptions about authority, expertise, and ownership become embedded in financial systems and how those assumptions can be intentionally challenged and changed. Advanced practices in local capital design: Trade LendaThis resource examines how financial structures can be intentionally designed around local knowledge, governance, ownership, and accountability. It directly connects to the episode's exploration of local as democratic legitimacy, contextual intelligence, and economic self-determination. Framework for financing the prevention of gender-based violenceThis framework provides an example of how financial systems can be redesigned to address power dynamics rather than simply expanding access. It reinforces the episode's discussion of moving beyond surface-level solutions and examining the underlying structures that shape outcomes. If you enjoyed this episode, consider listening to:#66: Designing Finance for Context: A Conversation with Joanna Levitt CeaJoy Anderson and Joanna Levitt Cea explore how fund design can become a tool for shifting power, why context should come before replication, and how finance can be redesigned around community knowledge and lived experience. #79: From Invitation to Trust: Rethinking Relationships in FinanceA complementary conversation about relationships, trust, and the underlying assumptions that shape how financial systems operate. #78: Intermediation is Not OverheadAn exploration of financial infrastructure, system design, and why the structures that connect capital matter as much as the capital itself. Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network. | |||
| #83: Trust as Infrastructure: Trade Lenda and the Power of Informal Markets | 16 Jul 2026 | 00:40:05 | |
What happens when finance starts with trust instead of control? In this conversation, Joy Anderson and Adeshina Adewumi explore how Trade Lenda has built financial infrastructure around the realities of informal markets across Nigeria. Rather than treating informality as a problem to be fixed, Trade Lenda recognizes existing systems of trust, accountability, and economic participation and designs financial products that work within them. The discussion traces the full supply chain, from farmers and aggregators to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, and examines why supporting the entire value chain creates stronger, more resilient markets. The conversation also explores how power operates in financial systems. Adeshina explains how Trade Lenda rethinks creditworthiness, works with community accountability structures, develops Sharia-compliant financing options, and provides capacity-building alongside capital. Together, Joy and Ade examine how trust can become infrastructure: creating financial systems that move capital faster, expand economic opportunity, and preserve the community relationships that make markets function in the first place. The result is a compelling example of how finance can support dignity, shared prosperity, and transformative systems change. Episode Highlights 00:28 - The importance of trust in finance and community systems. 01:28 - Understanding informal markets as systems to be supported. 04:10 - Trade Lenda's approach to financing entire supply chains. 05:06 - Why agriculture, retail, and essential services matter for economic growth. 07:43 - Rethinking collateral and credit access for underserved entrepreneurs. 11:01 - How speed and capital turnover drive successful trade finance. 14:22 - Diversifying within value chains to manage risk and strengthen markets. 17:42 - Why knowledge and business support can be as important as capital. 28:02 - Using community accountability and trust as financial infrastructure. 35:13 - Capital moves at the speed of trust. Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn Joy Anderson’s LinkedIn Adeshina Adewumi’s LinkedIn Dive Deeper Advanced practices in local capital design: Trade Lenda This case study directly examines Trade Lenda's approach to designing financial systems around informal markets, community accountability, alternative underwriting, and localized financial infrastructure. It is essentially the written companion to many of the ideas discussed in the episode. Framework for financing the prevention of gender-based violence This framework provides one of Criterion's core approaches to understanding how financial structures influence social outcomes and how systems can be intentionally redesigned. Mentioned in related Criterion resource descriptions.
If you enjoyed this episode, consider listening to: #79: From Invitation to Trust: Rethinking Relationships in Finance This episode explores trust as a foundational practice for leadership, collaboration, and systems change, making it the closest thematic companion to the Trade Lenda discussion. #78: Intermediation is Not Overhead A reframing of financial infrastructure and intermediation that connects directly to this episode's discussion of building systems that allow capital to move more effectively through markets. #62: Pipelines of Trust: Rethinking Local Capital Mobilization in Africa A natural follow-on episode focused on trust, local capital, African investment ecosystems, and adapting financial models to local contexts. Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #82: How Staying in Paradox Can Sustain Hope and Drive Systemic Change | 02 Jul 2026 | 00:36:23 | |
In this episode, Joy Anderson responds to some listener questions, naming six paradoxes she encounters when working to shift financial systems toward gender justice and social change. Joy frames paradox as a discipline: holding two seemingly incompatible truths at once such as movement and field-building, urgency and patience, collaboration and competition and resisting the urge to resolve them prematurely. Across themes ranging from pluralism in knowledge to the risks of public experimentation, Joy explores how finance simultaneously enables and constrains transformation. She emphasizes that these tensions are signals rather than problems, helping us see where systems are unstable and change is possible. The episode closes with practical reflections on working within paradox. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Paradox in Systems Change 05:01 - The Movement vs. Professional Field Paradox 10:44 - Long-Term Change vs. Immediate Harm Paradox 14:32 - Collaboration vs. Competition Paradox 18:16 - Public Learning vs. Risk Aversion Paradox 22:08 - Pluralism vs. Standardization Paradox 27:21 - Living with Paradox: Practices and Reflections 34:11 - Conclusion: Embracing Complexity in Change Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn Joy Anderson’s LinkedIn Dive Deeper Framework for Financing the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Links to the episode’s focus on how financial systems shape—and can transform—the conditions underlying harm. Fòs Feminista: Building Feminist Financial Infrastructure Illustrates how movements build institutional structures—mirroring the movement vs. field paradox described in the episode. A foundational resource on integrating gender and power into financial decision-making, relevant to the episode’s reflections on pluralism and standardized “proof.” If you enjoyed this episode, consider listening to: #80: What Are You Willing to See? Disruption, Fault Lines, and the Moments That Matter Explores disruption as a moment that reveals underlying systems—closely aligned with the idea of paradox as a site of transformation. #79: From Invitation to Trust: Rethinking Relationships in Finance Builds on relational dynamics and collaboration—core tensions discussed in this episode. #78: Intermediation is Not Overhead Extends the conversation on field-building infrastructure and how systems change actually happens. #77: Strength Is the Strategy: A Conversation on Movement‑Led Finance Directly connects to the movement vs. field paradox by exploring how movements build financial tools and institutions. Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #81: AI at the Door: Grace, Hospitality, and Who We Talk To | 18 Jun 2026 | 00:18:14 | |
In this episode of the Criterion Institute Podcast, Joy reflects on a recent conversation with her brother, philosopher Joel Anderson, about how AI is changing the way we work. While AI can function like a team of highly capable research assistants by supporting analysis, drafting, and synthesis, Joy explores the unintended consequences of turning to machines instead of people. What appears efficient on the surface can quietly lead to a withdrawal from collaboration, reducing opportunities for shared thinking, disagreement, and collective insight. Drawing on Criterion’s core values of grace, hospitality, and the power of invitation, Joy reframes how AI should be used in systems change work. These practices of inviting others into the work, sharing ownership of ideas, and creating space for multiple perspectives are essential to shifting power. The question is not whether AI is helpful, but whether it is being used to deepen collaboration or to avoid it. Joy challenges listeners to reflect on who they are inviting into their work, and whether AI is expanding or replacing those invitations. Episode Highlights 00:28 — A conversation on AI and collaboration 02:30 — The metaphor of AI as research assistants 04:49 — Grace, hospitality, and invitation as operating principles 07:08 — When efficiency becomes isolation 09:35 — The risk of replacing people with tools 11:59 — Rethinking participation and co‑creation 14:06 — Questions to guide AI use in practice Relevant Links Dive Deeper Framework for Financing the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Highlights how systems—including finance—shape participation, power, and decision-making Innovative Finance Navigation Guide Supports broader participation in financial systems and conversations Advanced practices in gender lens investing: FrontEnd Ventures Demonstrates how analysis changes when multiple perspectives are included If you enjoyed this episode, consider listening to: #79: From Invitation to Trust: Rethinking Relationships in Finance #76: Bring Your Expertise: Why AI Needs More Voices #30: You Are Welcome: Hospitality, Strangers, and Family Myths #74: No Permission Required: Volunteerism as a Power Shift #78: Intermediation is Not Overhead Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #80: What Are You Willing to See? Disruption, Fault Lines, and the Moments That Matter | 04 Jun 2026 | 00:33:39 | |
In this episode, Joy Anderson reframes one of the most common narratives in moments of crisis: instead of asking how to stabilize and return to normal, she asks what disruption makes visible. Building on earlier conversations about systems opportunities, she distinguishes between disruptive events and the deeper structural patterns they expose, and highlights how moments of volatility can make long-standing dynamics of power, risk, and inequity harder to ignore. The episode opens with a conversation with Rachel Sinha, a systems change practitioner and field builder, as the two explore the tensions inherent in building a field, from questions of legitimacy and power to who gets resourced and recognized. From there, Joy connects these themes to Criterion’s work on gender-based violence, feminist finance, and local capital, showing how disruption can reveal hidden costs and overlooked actors within financial systems. The episode ultimately challenges listeners to treat disruption as evidence and invites them to see systems more clearly and act with greater readiness. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Systems Change and Disruption 02:49 - Building a Field of Systems Change Practice 06:05 - Power Dynamics in Systems Change 09:05 - Understanding Systems Opportunities 11:47 - Disruption as Revelation 15:09 - Examples of Systems Opportunities 18:00 - Responding to Disruption 20:51 - The Role of Communities in Systems Change 23:58 - Conclusion and Call to Action Relevant Links Criterion Institute Website and LinkedIn Joy's LinkedIn Rachel Sinha’s Linkedin Dive Deeper Framework for financing the prevention of gender-based violence A systems-level framework that explains how financial structures, incentives, and norms influence the persistence of gender-based violence and how finance can be used to prevent it. Fòs Feminista: Building Feminist Financial Infrastructure A case study showing how a feminist intermediary designs and uses financial and non-financial assets to reshape capital flows and build long-term movement-led financial infrastructure. Fostering a Feminist Financial Imagination: A Radical Conversation about Finance, Feminist Futures,… A publication that explores how reimagining financial systems can unlock new strategies and possibilities for advancing gender equality and social justice. Pacific Possibilities: Designing Better Financial Vehicles for the Pacific A report that outlines how to design investment vehicles grounded in local economic and social realities, rather than forcing existing financial models onto communities. Other episodes you might also like: #75: When the Moment Arrives: Acting on Systems Opportunities #78: Intermediation Is Not Overhead #58: Check List or Trust List: Power, Performance, and the Politics of Procedure #16: We Made This System Up, We Can Change It. Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #79: From Invitation to Trust: Rethinking Relationships in Finance | 21 May 2026 | 00:24:35 | |
In this episode, Joy Anderson reflects on invitation as a foundational practice for leadership, collaboration, and systems change. Moving beyond calendar invites, she reframes invitation as a form of power that determines whether participation is passive or meaningful. When people are explicitly invited into roles that matter, where their presence is needed and their contribution is clear, progress is made. In complex systems where hierarchy is unclear, invitation becomes the mechanism that supports coordination and shared purpose. Joy then reframes the notion of “handholding,” a common phrase in investing that often implies lack of capability. What is really being described, says Joy, is about trust, proximity, and power. Advice in investing is rarely neutral, especially when tied to capital, and what is presented as support can become control without permission and alignment. Drawing from work with the Mastercard Foundation African Growth Fund, she outlines four conditions that make for better and more balanced investment relationships: permission, boundaries, protection of vulnerability, and moments to recalibrate. Together, these help us to rethink how relationships are built and how influence operates within financial systems. Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction to the episode and themes 01:49 Invitation as a form of power 04:14 Invitation in complex collaborations and consortiums 06:18 From presence to contribution: what invitation makes possible 08:40 Practices of invitation in leadership and systems change 10:03 Rant: unpacking the phrase “handholding” 12:30 Trust, vulnerability, and investment relationships 14:57 Permission, advice, and power in investing 17:03 Capacity, timing, and misalignment in support 19:02 Conditions for “handholding” as trust infrastructure 21:17 Reflection questions on relationships and influence 22:26 Ways to engage with Criterion Institute Relevant Links Dive Deeper This report examines how power operates in emerging financial fields and how actors navigate existing systems while trying to change them. It highlights the tension between advancing new ideas and working within entrenched power structures, making it highly relevant to this episode’s focus on invitation, influence, and participation. Addressing Power Dynamics in Investment Processes A deep dive into how investment processes reflect and respond to power dynamics, including how trust, transparency, and engagement shape relationships between investors and companies. The report emphasizes the role of intentional design in building more equitable investment relationships. Process Metrics that Analyze Power Dynamics in Investing This report introduces tools for identifying and measuring how power shows up in investment processes—moving beyond representation to examine whose knowledge is valued and how decisions are made. It directly connects to the episode’s discussion of influence, control, and whose perspective shapes outcomes. Advanced Practice in Gender Lens Investing A framework for identifying and shifting power, privilege, and bias within financial systems by focusing on how investments are made. It highlights how changing processes—not just outcomes—can transform relationships and redistribute power in finance. Other episodes you might also like: #74: No Permission Required: Volunteerism as a Power Shift #68: Clarity is Relational: Leadership in Complex Systems #52: Reimagining Resourcing for Social Transformation – Part Two Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #78: Intermediation Is Not Overhead | 07 May 2026 | 00:25:20 | |
In this episode, Joy Anderson reflects on a renewed wave of conversations around innovative finance following recent funding disruptions across the feminist movement, particularly in the context of discussions surrounding the Women Deliver conference in Australia. Drawing from Criterion Institute’s long-standing work at the intersection of finance and social change, she introduces a set of reframes designed to move organizations beyond the narrow question of “how do we get more funding?” toward a deeper understanding of how capital actually moves within economic systems. The episode outlines seven key reframes. Through these reframes, Joy highlights the importance of financial infrastructure—intermediaries, instruments, and systems that structure relationships and shape power. Ultimately, the episode argues that sustainable and equitable movement-building depends not on accessing more money, but on intentionally designing the relationships and systems through which finance operates. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Innovative Finance and Feminist Movements 05:14 - Understanding Economic Relationships in Movements 10:14 - The Role of Financial Intermediaries 15:08 - Reframing Funding and Economic Relationships 20:10 - Building Trust and Stability in Financial Systems Relevant Links Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn Joy’s LinkedIn Dive Deeper Pacific Possibilities: Designing Better Financial Vehicles for the Pacific Fostering a Feminist Financial Imagination Other episodes you might also like: #75: When the Moment Arrives: Acting on Systems Opportunities #58: Check List or Trust List: Power, Performance, and the Politics of Procedure #63: From Scarcity to Power: Reimagining Finance for Feminist Movements Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #77: Strength Is the Strategy: A Conversation on Movement‑Led Finance | 23 Apr 2026 | 00:36:00 | |
#77: Strength Is the Strategy: A Conversation on Movement‑Led Finance What happens when feminist movements stop asking permission—and start acting as asset owners? In this episode, Joy Anderson is joined by Giselle Carino and Meradith Leebrick of Fòs Feminista to explore how movement‑led organizations are building financial tools, institutions, and enterprises that sustain reproductive justice over the long term. In this conversation, they reflect on why organizational strength (governance, reserves, and financial discipline) is not separate from movement work but essential to it; how Fòs Feminista was deliberately designed by and for organizations in the Global South; and what it looks like to act as a financial intermediary without training wheels. They trace Fòs Feminista’s long history with innovative finance, dig into the creation and scaling of INNOVA Health Supplies as a feminist social enterprise, and challenge conventional assumptions about risk, collateral, and repayment, arguing instead for designing capital that matches the realities, time horizons, and power dynamics of real change. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Fòs Feminista and Its Mission 02:50 The Concept of 'Fòs' and Its Origins 05:40 Building a Strong Ecosystem for Reproductive Justice 08:01 Organizational Stability and Movement Leadership 14:18 Innovative Finance Strategies in Reproductive Health 17:33 Collaborative Solutions for Sexual and Reproductive Health 22:15 Acting as Asset Owners in the Movement 30:11 Scaling Impact and Future Directions Relevant Links
Mentioned in this Episode Dive Deeper
Other episodes you might also like: #74: No Permission Required: Volunteerism as a Power Shift #72: From Add-on to Operating System: Rethinking the Role of Services in Local Value Creation #73: Search Funds Reframed: Expanding Access to Business Ownership #20: Shifting Power in Investment Practice: The Costs of Doing Business Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #76: Bring Your Expertise: Why AI Needs More Voices | 09 Apr 2026 | 00:24:55 | |
In this conversation, Joy Anderson and Mara Bolis discuss the intersection of gender lens investing and AI, highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping the future of technology. Mara shares her journey from working at Oxfam to exploring AI at the Kennedy School, and her reflections on addressing gender inequality in emerging technologies. They explore the challenges of navigating spaces traditionally dominated by experts and why it’s time to bring new types of knowledge into AI discussions. The conversation underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches and the power of collective learning to empower underrepresented voices in the tech space. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to AI and Power Dynamics 03:11 - Imposter Syndrome and Interdisciplinary Leadership 06:06 - The Importance of Domain Expertise in AI 09:08 - Challenging Traditional Notions of Expertise 11:55 - The Role of Gender in Economic Systems 15:12 - Agency and Participation in AI Development 17:59 - Practical Tips for Engaging in AI 20:49 - Building Community and Learning Together Relevant Links Dive Deeper
If enjoyed this episode, consider listening to “Knowledge and Power,” which offers language for recognizing and challenging whose expertise carries weight in decision‑making spaces, and “Disrupting Fields,” which looks at how authority, legitimacy, and participation take shape as new fields emerge. Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #75: When the Moment Arrives: Acting on Systems Opportunities | 26 Mar 2026 | 00:19:51 | |
In this episode, we share how Criterion approaches systems change—by paying close attention to where leverage actually lives, how power moves through relationships, and why timing matters as much as ideas. You’ll hear how we think about staying close to the people and systems that can shift outcomes, even when it looks like we’re waiting. This perspective reframes strategy as readiness: noticing signals, building trust, and being prepared to step forward when the moment to act genuinely arrives. Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction to Systems Change and Strategy 03:01 Understanding Systems Opportunities 05:49 The Role of Timing in Systems Change 09:13 Defining System Tensions and Opportunities 12:06 Strategic Posture and Approach 14:58 The Importance of Relationships in Systems Change 17:55 Conclusion and Call to Action Relevant Links
If this episode resonates, you may also want to listen to “Clarity Is Relational,” which explores how sense‑making and strategy emerge through relationships, and “Navigating Paradoxes,” which looks at how leverage and emergence show up in real market systems. Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #74: No Permission Required: Volunteerism as a Power Shift | 12 Mar 2026 | 00:18:47 | |
In this episode of The Criterion Institute Podcast, Joy Anderson reflects on the often-overlooked power of volunteerism and voluntary association as a foundational force in civic life, democracy, and systems change. Drawing on history, personal experience, and Criterion’s own organizational design, Joy explores how spaces that are not governed by markets, paychecks, or formal permission create access, shift power, and allow people to learn, belong, and act together. She traces the evolution from early American voluntary associations to modern professionalized nonprofits, questioning when expertise became a gate and why unpaid work is so often dismissed as less valuable. At its heart, this episode is an invitation to reconsider freedom of association—not as charity or secondary labor, but as a vital way we build communities, share power, and sustain ourselves beyond our formal professional lives. Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Joy Anderson's Background and the Foundation of Criterion 01:25 The Significance of Access and Volunteerism in Civic Life 02:25 Historical Roots of Voluntary Associations in America 03:11 Early 19th Century Social Reform Movements 04:05 The Proliferation of Voluntary Associations in the 19th Century 05:28 The Shift to Professionalization of Nonprofits 07:21 Benefits and Barriers of Professionalism in Volunteer Work 09:35 The Value of Informal Economies and Voluntary Association 10:53 Community and Volunteerism at Criterion Institute 12:47 The Power of Free Association and Its Social Impact 14:13 Volunteering as a Form of Community Building 16:39 Opportunities for Engagement with Criterion Institute 18:22 Closing Remarks and How to Get Involved Relevant Links
Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #73: Search Funds Reframed: Expanding Access to Business Ownership | 26 Feb 2026 | 00:41:07 | |
In this episode of the Criterion Institute podcast, Joy Anderson explores the concept of search funds as a transformative financial tool for entrepreneurship. The discussion highlights the potential of search funds in different contexts, particularly in Africa and the U.S., emphasizing the importance of power dynamics, governance, and the role of impact investing in business ownership. The conversation also addresses the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship through acquisition, advocating for a shift in how we perceive and support business ownership. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Search Funds and Power Dynamics 02:48 - Search Funds in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges 06:14 - Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition in the U.S. 09:08 - Rethinking Entrepreneurship: The Case for Buying Businesses 11:59 - The Mechanics of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition 14:48 - Power Dynamics in Business Transactions 18:05 - The Role of Impact Investing in Business Ownership 20:59 - Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape 24:11 - The Future of Entrepreneurship and Ownership 27:02 - Conclusion and Call to Action Relevant Links • Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn • Joy’s LinkedIn • Eric's LinkedIn • Allegra's LinkedIn • Lindsay's LinkedIn • Joy's Post on Search Funds Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #72: From Add-on to Operating System: Rethinking the Role of Services in Local Value Creation | 12 Feb 2026 | 00:47:52 | |
In this episode, Joy Anderson is joined by Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners co-founders Eric Kacou and Charity Kabango to explore what it truly takes to build thriving businesses and markets across Africa. Together, they challenge familiar impact investing narratives and offer a radically different way of thinking that centers entrepreneurs as human beings embedded in complex ecosystems. The conversation ranges from hope and value creation to the often overlooked power of the service economy, asking what markets need in order to actually work. With insight drawn from years of partnership through the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, this episode invites listeners to rethink expertise and imagine what becomes possible when we design economies around dignity, choice, and investable hope.
Episode Highlights Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Criterion Institute Podcast 02:14 The Genesis of Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP) 06:21 Centering Entrepreneurs in Their Context 10:16 Understanding the Ecosystem and Entrepreneurial Challenges 14:25 The Survival Trap and Systemic Change 18:30 Collaboration and the Role of Service Providers 22:16 Power Dynamics and Choice in Entrepreneurship 26:08 Investable Hope and Capital Allocation 30:41 Pre-Investment Value Creation Services 34:32 The Importance of Service Providers in the Economy 38:04 Investing in Service Businesses 40:54 Building Infrastructure for Productivity 42:56 Hope and Future Aspirations Relevant Links • Criterion Institute website and LinkedIn • Joy’s LinkedIn • Eric's LinkedIn • Charity's LinkedIn • Episode #57: Investable Hope: A Conversation with Susie Pan on Financing the Future • Investing in Africa’s Future: A Roadmap to Dignified and Fulfilling Job Creation Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #71: Time to Pause: How We Learn to Let Go, Listen and Pivot | 29 Jan 2026 | 00:20:04 | |
In this episode of the Criterion Institute podcast, Joy Anderson reflects on the power of letting go—of beliefs, assumptions, and fixed identities that may no longer serve us. Through a personal story about guided meditation, she explores how releasing long-held ideas can create the conditions for more grounded leadership. As we enter 2026, this reflection becomes an invitation to reassess what we think is necessary or unchangeable, and to hold space for discernment, listening, and imagination. Letting go, Joy reminds us, is not about abandoning values—it’s about making room for clarity in a shifting world. The second half of the episode turns to a live example of that clarity in practice: Criterion’s decision to postpone its 22nd Convergence event. Joy walks us through how this decision emerged from sustained listening and a willingness to pivot. Rather than centering an annual convening, Criterion is shifting toward deeper partnership, extended collaboration, and more focused engagements to address gender-based violence through finance. This change reflects a discipline of responding to what is truly needed—and offering more precise, actionable invitations that align with the urgency and complexity of this moment. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Welcome to 2026: A New Era of Action 05:51 - Letting Go of Outdated Beliefs 12:02 - Listening and Pivoting: The Power of Adaptation 18:09 - Building Trust Through Change Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #70: Financing Patience: Movements, Markets and the Long Game | 15 Jan 2026 | 00:41:12 | |
In this episode, Joy explores the surprising parallels between funding social movements and financing market formation companies. Joy Anderson, along with guests Katharina Samara-Wickrama and Medina Haeri, dives into what movement funding really requires: patient, long‑term investment; flexible core support instead of short‑term project grants; and a commitment to relationship‑building and collective strategy. They highlight how change often emerges after decades of groundwork and emphasize that breaking out of siloed thinking is essential because justice issues are deeply interconnected. Joy then connects these insights to the logic of market formation, where organizations must build demand for something that doesn’t yet exist—requiring long time horizons, experimentation, narrative shaping, and capital that tolerates uncertainty. The episode frames this moment as a turning point, with feminist movements beginning to engage more intentionally with innovative finance. Through the Helia Collaborative–Criterion partnership, activists and finance practitioners are learning to speak each other’s language and co-create more resilient, systems‑level approaches to financing long-term change.
Episode Highlights 00:00 Funding Movements and Market Formation 10:05 The Role of Patience in Funding Movements 19:54 Building Relationships Across Sectors 30:09 Innovative Finance and Movement Collaboration
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #69: The Stories We Choose: Finding Meaning in the Broken Glass of 2025 | 01 Jan 2026 | 00:26:29 | |
In this episode, Joy reflects on the past year and the importance of storytelling in shaping our future. She discusses the common practice of making New Year's resolutions and how they often fall short, advocating instead for a broader perspective that encompasses multiple narratives. Joy introduces the concept of viewing our experiences through a kaleidoscope, allowing for a richer understanding of the past and its impact on our future. She emphasizes the need for resilience and energy as we move into the new year, encouraging listeners to consider the stories they tell about their experiences and how these narratives can inform their goals and aspirations. Episode Highlights 00:00 Reflecting on the Past Year 09:04 The Kaleidoscope of Stories 18:03 Energy and Resilience for the Future Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #68: Clarity is Relational: Leadership in Complex Systems | 18 Dec 2025 | 00:15:58 | |
In this episode of the Criterion Institute podcast, Joy Anderson begins with a provocation about clarity, questioning how calls for “being clear” often place responsibility on the speaker, rather than asking listeners to stay with complexity and do the work of understanding. The episode then shifts into a conversation with systems change leader Rachel Sinha, where the two explore communication as a relational and systemic practice. Together, they reflect on the role of relationships in systems change, the responsibilities of leadership in complex contexts, and the importance of imagination in making alternative futures possible. Throughout, the conversation emphasizes that transformation depends not on simplifying what is hard, but on cultivating connection, attention, and shared sense-making. Episode Highlights 00:00 Questioning clarity and staying with complexity 02:56 A conversation with Rachel Sinha: communication as a relational practice 06:06 Leadership in systems change 08:59 Imagination as a catalyst for alternative futures 11:47 Creating space for meaningful conversation Relevant Links
Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #67: Financing the Reduction of GBV: From Insights to Infrastructure | 04 Dec 2025 | 00:23:46 | |
In this episode, Joy Anderson discusses the intersection of finance and gender-based violence, emphasizing the need for transformative systems change. She reflects on the insights gained from Donella Meadows' work on leverage points in systems change and the importance of building infrastructure to support gender-based violence solutions. The conversation highlights the role of data and predictive models in investment decisions and calls for a collective effort to address gender-based violence as a material risk in global finance. Episode Highlights
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Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #66: Designing Finance for Context: A Conversation with Joanna Levitt Cea | 20 Nov 2025 | 00:33:30 | |
In this episode, Joy sits down with Joanna Levitt Cea, Founder and Principal of Valiente Capital Design and lead of the Gender Funders CoLab report Moving Beyond Grant Capital: Meeting the Moment with Innovative Finance. Together, they unpack what it means to truly design finance for context - not just replicate existing models - and explore how fund design can become a tool for shifting power and advancing gender justice. The conversation dives into the challenges of translation between finance and community knowledge, the pitfalls of “landscape mapping” without real co-design, and the importance of experimentation over perfection. Ultimately, Joy and Joanna invite listeners to imagine finance as an evolving language of possibility - one rooted in courage, care, and collaboration. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #65: Investing as if Hope Mattered: The Church, Finance, and the Imagination to Act | 06 Nov 2025 | 00:25:01 | |
In this episode, Joy reflects on the deep connections between faith, finance, and imagination - exploring how churches and faith communities can play a transformative role in shaping economic systems that reflect their values. From the wake of 9/11 to the founding of Criterion Institute, Joy traces the journey of learning to “invest as if hope mattered,” challenging listeners to see finance not as neutral, but as a tool for justice and systemic change. Through stories of faith-driven action and institutional courage, this episode invites us to imagine what’s possible when belief and capital move in the same direction. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #64: Joy as an Act: Birthday reflections on what is in a name | 23 Oct 2025 | 00:18:40 | |
In this special birthday episode, Joy reflects on the meaning behind her name and what it represents in her life and work. The episode begins with her parents, Herbert and Phyllis Anderson, sharing the touching story of how they met unexpectedly in 1964, fell in love quickly, and decided early on that their first daughter would be named Joy - a name that symbolised their gratitude, faith, and delight in life’s surprises. Joy then reflects on growing up with such a name, exploring the tension between joy as a noun - a state of being - and as a verb - something active and dynamic. Through personal stories, linguistic insights, and reflections on joy as both resistance and resilience, she connects her name to broader ideas of purpose, social change, and finding light in the unexpected. Episode Highlights
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| #63: From Scarcity to Power: Reimagining Finance for Feminist Movements | 09 Oct 2025 | 00:22:15 | |
In this episode, Joy reflects on the crisis in funding for feminist and justice-focused non-profits, where traditional philanthropy has dramatically declined in recent years. She explores the need for organisations to move beyond simply plugging funding gaps and instead build financial power by rethinking how assets are used to generate revenue. Drawing on examples such as the Equality Fund, Joy makes the case for a feminist financial imagination, one that sees finance as a system of power to be reshaped rather than just a source of grants. Using metaphors from South Park to foundations’ endowments, she outlines how organisations can leverage assets strategically, shift power dynamics, and create more durable, resilient structures for social change. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #62: Pipelines of Trust: Rethinking Local Capital Mobilization in Africa | 25 Sep 2025 | 00:37:08 | |
In this episode, Joy chats with Elizabeth Howard about the transformative potential of finance in the context of African investments. They discuss the challenges faced by women fund managers, the importance of local capital mobilization, and the need to rethink traditional investment models that often exclude innovative approaches. The conversation highlights the significance of trust in financial markets and the necessity of adapting investment strategies to local contexts. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #61: In Conversation: Building the Future of the Field from Convergence to Action | 11 Sep 2025 | 00:38:06 | |
This episode dives into the creation of the new report: “Reimagining Gender Lens Investing Futures: Possibilities and Perspectives from the Field” and the pivotal role of the 2025 Convergence event. Joy is joined by some of the authors of the report - Sanjana Chhantyal and Susie Pan - to discuss how the original plans for Convergence shifted, leading to a focus on reimagining the future of the gender lens investing field. They highlight the need to expand beyond dominant narratives and bring in a diverse range of voices and strategies. Together, they look at how the report can be used as a fundraising and strategy tool, encouraging field builders to reflect on their own roles, share their stories, and collaborate toward shaping the future. Looking ahead, they share excitement for Convergence 2026 and the collective opportunities to advance innovation, imagination, and systemic change in gender lens investing. Episode Highlights
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| #60: Building Momentum: Convergence 2026 and the Future of Finance in Ending GBV | 28 Aug 2025 | 00:23:07 | |
In this episode, Joy reflects on Criterion's ongoing work to leverage finance as a tool to reduce Gender-Based Violence (GBV). She discusses the progress made in building evidence, creating tools, and training thousands of investors and social change leaders worldwide. She emphasizes that reducing GBV is complex and requires deep, collaborative strategies — not quick fixes. The episode outlines the next phase of Criterion’s work: scaling action by amplifying success stories, providing more advanced education for both investors and practitioners, and creating spaces for collaboration, such as the February 2026 Convergence conference, which will focus entirely on GBV. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #59: The Art of Dialogue: Transforming Conferences into Conversations | 14 Aug 2025 | 00:20:02 | |
In this episode, Joy discusses the often-overlooked potential of conference panels and networking. She reflects on how panels can be transformed from mundane presentations into engaging dialogues that prioritize audience interaction. Joy also recounts some memorable advice she got from Van Jones over 20 years ago about the importance of genuine networking, encouraging attendees to connect with those they might overlook, and fostering a culture of hospitality and openness. Episode Highlights
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| #58: Check List or Trust List: Power, Performance, and the Politics of Procedure | 31 Jul 2025 | 00:21:56 | |
In this episode, Joy explores the complexities and paradoxes surrounding checklists in the context of gender lens investing and systems change. She highlights their limitations in fostering understanding and meaningful action, but also discusses how checklists can serve as tools for compliance and control. Joy advocates for a shift from traditional checklists to 'trust lists' that prioritize relationships, safety, and transparency in systems, ultimately aiming for transformative change in financial practices and power dynamics. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #57: Investable Hope: A Conversation with Susie Pan on Financing the Future | 17 Jul 2025 | 00:22:33 | |
In this episode, Joy and the Vice President of the Criterion Institute, Susie Pan, explore the concept of 'investable hope' - a compelling idea that combines finance with the notion of hope for a better future. They discuss the importance of hope in times of crisis, the shift from individual to collective hope, and how investments can be a pathway to creating a more equitable society. And finally, Joy discusses Criterion's practice of prioritising relationships with people who are responsible for their own hope. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #56: Maybe I’m Just Cranky: Burnout, Autonomy, and the Cost of Leadership | 03 Jul 2025 | 00:19:48 | |
In this episode, Joy explores the complexities of existential crises, burnout, and the importance of self-reflection. She discusses the challenges of feeling overwhelmed in today's world, the difference between self-diagnosis and honest reflection, and the significance of autonomy and control in one's work life. Joy emphasizes the need for structure and accountability to find freedom in decision-making and the power of choice in shaping one's path. Episode Highlights
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| #55: If You’re Here, You Must Be Fine: Watching HBO's Hit Show 'The Rehearsal' with Power in Mind | 19 Jun 2025 | 00:25:14 | |
In this episode, Joy discusses the HBO show 'The Rehearsal' and its parallels to power dynamics in finance and aviation. The conversation explores themes of communication, vulnerability, authority, and the importance of diversity in decision-making environments. Through the lens of the show, Joy highlights how rehearsing new scripts and norms can lead to better outcomes in high-stakes situations. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #54: Parallel Lives Born Q4 1967: A Conversation with Joyce-Ann Wainaina on Purpose, Family, and Finance | 05 Jun 2025 | 00:44:47 | |
In this episode, Joy engages in a rich conversation with Joyce-Ann Wainaina, founder of Chui Ventures. They explore their personal journeys, the impact of their backgrounds, and the role of finance in transformative systems change. The discussion delves into the importance of confidence, the challenges of navigating career transitions, and the need for gender equity in investment. They emphasize the significance of supporting African founders and the power of community in fostering innovation and change. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #53: Looking at Costs: Why Gender Isn’t Expensive—But Resistance Is | 22 May 2025 | 00:12:05 | |
In this episode, Joy explores the perceived costs associated with integrating gender into investments and the expenses related to control in community building. She argues that gender integration can be cost-neutral in the long run, emphasizing that the real costs arise from resistance and bias. Additionally, Joy discusses how control can be expensive in collaborative efforts and how reducing control can lead to more effective community engagement and lower costs. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #52: Reimagining Resourcing for Social Transformation - Part Two | 08 May 2025 | 00:51:54 | |
In this episode, Joy engages in a deep conversation with Katharine Im-Jenkins, managing director of the Equality Fund. They explore the innovative financing strategies behind the Equality Fund, the power dynamics within endowments, and the importance of sustainable funding for grassroots organizations working on gender equality. The discussion highlights the challenges and opportunities in feminist funding, the role of governance in managing endowments, and the need for collaboration and trust in the philanthropic landscape. They also reflect on the current challenges facing feminist movements and the importance of imagining new models for future resourcing. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #51: Reimagining Resourcing for Social Transformation - Part One | 24 Apr 2025 | 00:42:43 | |
In this episode - part one in a two-part series on this topic - Joy and Yifat Susskind (Executive Director of MADRE) discuss the importance of a feminist financial imagination in the context of social transformation and funding for women's rights organizations. Joy then reimagines and explores the challenges faced by current funding systems, the role of philanthropy, and innovative financial tools and investment strategies that can support social justice movements. The discussion emphasizes the need for new ways to finance work, optimize cash flow, and create community-owned economic models, all while fostering a hopeful future for feminist movements. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network | |||
| #50: Celebrating 50 Episodes: Joy & David Bank on Impact, Media, and the Future | 10 Apr 2025 | 00:21:39 | |
In this celebratory 50th episode of the Criterion Institute podcast, Joy engages in a heartfelt conversation with David Bank, CEO of Impact Alpha. They reflect on the power of voice in impact investing, the importance of language, and the role of media in shaping community narratives. Joy then shares her personal journey of finding her voice and invites listeners to explore their own. The episode highlights the significance of partnerships and the continuous evolution of impact investing discourse. Episode Highlights
Relevant Links Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts | |||
| #49: When Optimism Meets Uncertainty: Finding Grace on a Monday Morning | 27 Mar 2025 | 00:13:45 | |
In this episode, Joy reflects on the role of hope in times of uncertainty. She shares how the practice of acknowledgment at the recent Convergence conference created space for courageous conversations about power, privilege, and resilience. Joy also recounts a candid exchange that reminded her of the importance of showing up, even when hope feels distant. Through moments of vulnerability and connection, this episode explores how we can find grace and strength in community. Episode Highlights
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| #48: The Future We Demand: Organizing, Mobilizing, and Resisting Together | 13 Mar 2025 | 00:16:05 | |
In this episode, Joy discusses the critical role of organizing and mobilizing in creating transformative change within finance. She reflects on insights gained from recent conversations and emphasizes the need for collective action, particularly in the context of sustainable finance. The discussion covers various strategies, including shareholder activism, pledges, and community organizing, while also addressing the challenges of resistance and the importance of hope in driving future actions. Episode Highlights
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| #47: Spelling it out: Gender Lens Investing Deserves Words, Not Acronyms | 27 Feb 2025 | 00:12:49 | |
In this episode, Joy discusses the significance of acronyms in communication, particularly in the context of finance and social change. She emphasizes the importance of clarity and meaning over brevity, arguing that acronyms can obscure understanding and create exclusivity. Joy critiques the use of acronyms in Gender Lens Investing and other initiatives, advocating for a more explicit and meaningful approach to language that fosters better communication and understanding. Episode Highlights
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| #46: Challenging Toxic Masculinity: Is there a Business Case for Investing in Good Men? | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:27:18 | |
In this episode, Joy explores the complex relationship between masculinity and finance, emphasizing the need for a business case for good men. She discusses the challenges faced by men in today's society, including the impact of toxic masculinity and the importance of mental health. Joy is then joined by her father, Herbert Anderson, who shares his insights on masculinity and vulnerability, advocating for a reimagining of masculinity that includes justice and shared power. Episode Highlights
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| #45: Making Sense of Complexity: Frameworks That Work (and Those That Don’t) | 30 Jan 2025 | 00:18:37 | |
In this episode, Joy discusses the significance of frameworks in understanding and driving social change. She reflects on the comfort that frameworks provide in navigating complex information and the challenges posed by inherited frameworks that may no longer serve their purpose. The discussion highlights the iterative and sometimes frustrating process of developing frameworks, but also celebrates the joy and intellectual stimulation that comes from creating new ways to categorize and analyze information. Episode Highlights
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| #44: Four Futures: Reimagining Gender Lens Investing in a Changing World | 16 Jan 2025 | 00:20:24 | |
In this episode, Joy reflects on the future of gender lens investing, discussing the barriers and opportunities within the field. She outlines four potential futures for gender lens investing, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of how gender intersects with various sectors. The episode highlights the current challenges faced in the investment landscape, while also encouraging listeners to envision a more equitable future. Episode Highlights
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| #43: Building Resilient Economies with Lilian Mramba: The Power of Funky Banking | 02 Jan 2025 | 00:32:06 | |
In this episode, Joy engages in a deep conversation with Lilian Mramba, the Chief Investment Officer at Grassroots Business Fund. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in transformative finance, particularly in the context of gender lens investing and the needs of small businesses. The conversation highlights the importance of creating flexible capital solutions and the concept of a 'funky bank' that can address the unique needs of underserved businesses. They emphasize the significance of impact returns over financial returns and the resilience required in fragile economies. Ultimately, the discussion reflects on the long-term commitment needed to drive systemic change in the financial landscape. Episode Highlights
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| #42: 10 Years On: Reflecting on the State of Gender Lens Investing | 19 Dec 2024 | 00:26:34 | |
In this episode, Joy reflects on the 10-year anniversary of the State of the Field report on gender lens investing, co-authored with Katherine Miles in 2015. She revisits the report's framework, which categorized the field into three key areas: ideas, activity, and people and organizations. Joy highlights the progress made over the past decade, including advancements in metrics, new products, and the emergence of organizations driving the field forward. With Criterion’s Convergence XXI conference on the horizon, Joy calls for renewed energy to push the field further. She emphasizes that while the structure and groundwork are in place, continued experimentation, critical dialogue, and collective effort are essential to reimagine a future where gender lens investing can drive transformative systems change. Join the conversation as we reflect on where we’ve come from, and where we need to go. Episode Highlights
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| #41: On Being Christian: Identity and Action Through Investments | 05 Dec 2024 | 00:16:49 | |
In this episode, Joy discusses the intersection of faith and finance, particularly in the context of addressing gender-based violence. She reflects on her Christian faith and its implications in a world where many voices misrepresent Christianity. The episode also delves into a roadmap created for Christian denominations to utilize their investments to combat gender-based violence, highlighting the importance of aligning financial practices with social justice values. Episode Highlights
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| #40: Gender Lens Investing in a Time of Backlash: Why it Matters Now More Than Ever | 21 Nov 2024 | 00:17:22 | |
In this episode, Joy discusses the implications of the recent U.S. elections on transformative systems change, emphasizing the need to look beyond government solutions. She advocates for gender lens investing as a crucial strategy in the current socio-political climate, urging listeners to analyze gender norms and structural inequities in investment decisions. Joy also highlights the importance of long-term investments in communities and the economy, while also addressing the complexities of societal structures that influence investment strategies. Episode Highlights
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| #039: Financial Tools for Social Change: Ending Gender-Based Violence | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:29:57 | |
In this episode, Joy discusses the intersection of finance and gender-based violence, presenting five strategies for using financial systems to reduce violence against women. The conversation emphasizes the importance of integrating gender considerations into investment decisions and the potential for finance to act as a tool for social change. Joy reflects on the insights gained from working with activists and advocates around the world, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to address this pervasive issue. Episode Highlights
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| #038: A Birthday Reflection: Embracing the Limitations and Possibilities of Aging | 24 Oct 2024 | 00:21:21 | |
In this episode, Joy reflects on her 57th birthday, exploring the themes of aging and the paradox of limitations versus possibility. She discusses societal perceptions of aging, the desire for permission to embrace limitations, and the importance of hope in driving transformative change. Joy emphasizes the need to recognize human finitude while also believing in the potential for a better future. Episode Highlights
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