The 2012 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting kicked off today with a markedly sombre tone.  Economic imbalances and rising inequality threaten to reverse the gains of globalization, according to the WEF report Global Risks 2012, released earlier this month, while the past year's global economic turmoil, spiraling debt crisis and social upheaval are surely weighing heavily on the minds and agendas of global leaders gathering in Davos.

The theme for this year's meeting is, appropriately, "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models."  There is a recognition that our current system for economic and global governance is broken, and systemic change is required.

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I recently attended the 2011 Social Finance Forum, organized by the newly minted MaRS Centre for Impact Investing. A worthy event, to be sure, it provided me with much to ponder while offering a fascinating snapshot of this at-times-dynamic-at-other-times-stagnant social finance space.

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What a great year it has been in social finance and impact investing. There has been a massive surge in interest as more and more people realize that making the world a better place and living well are not, in fact, mutually exclusive.

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I was fortunate enough to attend last week's Social Finance Forum organized by the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing (CII). The event was packed and there was a real buzz in the air. I left MaRS with renewed faith and a sore throat, a testament to my yapping all day long with incredibly interesting people. I have two personal takeaways from the event I thought I'd share with the social finance community, with the hope that you will accept my honesty in a positive light.

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One short year ago, the Task Force on Social Finance released its report, Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good [PDF]. It was time to more formally embrace the growing impact investment movement as a viable and necessary economic activity for Canada.

Tonight we will reflect on recent developments in social finance relevant to the recommendations of the Task Force. We will also hear from Antony Bugg-Levine, recognized thought leader and CEO of the US-based Nonprofit Finance Fund, about opportunities to propel impact investing to greater heights. Tomorrow, we get our hands dirty at the Social Finance Forum: Investing in Good Deals Conference.

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