UN Principles of Responsible Investment ECP's primary objective is to maximize shareholder value by achieving superior financial results. However, ECP also identified as ancillary goals the building of sustainable businesses, adopting "best in industry" levels of corporate governance and transparency, contributing to sustainable development by attracting private capital to Africa and increasing private sector participation in African economies. ECP's focus on infrastructure has resulted in significant investments in ports, telecommunications, transportation systems, and basic utilities such as power and water; sectors that are vital for Africa's development. Through investment in high-growth companies, ECP enables job creation on a large scale and also encourages development of technical and managerial skills, thereby fostering a more sophisticated, highly skilled workforce across the continent. ECP has not focused solely on the most developed areas of the continent as demonstrated by the Fund's resources having been directed into 40 different African countries. Our portfolio companies have provided cell phones in Sierra Leone and Malawi, flights to Mali, employ thousands of rural workers in Chad and Congo Brazzaville, provide fertilizers to small Moroccan farms and constructs affordable housing for families in Cameroon. The ECP team believes that the Fund's greatest impact on African development comes from proving that financial investors can achieve high returns in Africa in an honest, fully transparent manner. We believe that our success will illustrate that African investments can effectively compete with other emerging markets products thus helping to bring Africa into international capital flows. ECP insists on the highest standards of governance in all of our investments. We have created a culture inside the Fund and with our portfolio companies that encourages transparency and accountability.
ECP firmly believes that the developmental impact of our investments extends far beyond job creation and employee training. In addition, we believe that development impact is complementary to profitability and the latter need not be sacrificed on account of the former: in short, being a good corporate citizen and enhancing the social development of the communities in which we invest makes good business sense. Since its founding, ECP's dedication to development impact has been a critical part of the business. Further illustrating its steadfast commitment, ECP affirmed the principles set forth by the UNPRI and became a PRI Investment Manager Signatory.
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