Wates Group, one of the UK’s largest construction companies, has just launched the industry’s first national brokerage service to help social enterprises trade with all of its sites in the UK – with the aim of spending £5 million with the sector by 2015. Charlie Wigglesworth, Head of Business at Social Enterprise UK, says now is the perfect time for social enterprises to develop their offering for private business.

In their first collaboration, social finance intermediaries Resonance and Ethex are working together on their most ambitious community share offer to date, raising £1m for Stockwood Community Benefit Society.

If social enterprises want a sustainable lender will they simply have to accept the high cost of money? 

In part 1 of an investigation into the cost of money for social enterprise, social investors check in with a harsh reality.  A large number of social enterprises are clutching hopelessly at the fruit of the money tree. Should Big Society Capital re-think its responsibilities? – asks Henry Palmer.

Positioning impact investing as an asset class has helped investors understand the concept. It's now time to reappraise the strategy.