Leading voices from UK social enterprise, co-operatives and social investment have raised concerns over a “landmark” definition of the ‘impact economy’ that risks alienating a number of impactful organisations.
Impact Europe today revealed the name of its new chief: Angela Wiebeck, praised for “building bridges” between mainstream finance and impact over her two decades at UBS and Aquila Capital. She speaks to Pioneers Post from Brussels.
OPINION: There’s a message blowing across the Atlantic that the business of investment is to maximise return, and considering people and planet is woke nonsense. This argument is outdated, says GSG Impact chair Nick Hurd.
INTERVIEW: Putting a price tag on a company’s social and environmental impact is the only way to demonstrate its true profit and loss, believes Sir Ronald Cohen, who is now focusing on driving forward the next accounting revolution.
Social enterprise Elvis & Kresse has broken down barriers and changed perceptions within the field of fashion. We speak to co-founder Kresse Wesling about the business’s journey from an idea formed in landfill sites to today's success.
"Like the protagonist in this film, my parents experienced poverty, rejection and what felt like insurmountable obstacles when they came to the UK" – Social Value UK boss Isabelle Parasram OBE reveals the films, books and more that inspire her.
As the Diversity Forum launches a new, more robust manifesto, its chair Amir Rizwan urges social investors to not only pledge to take seriously their commitment to diversity and inclusion, but also to set goals and be accountable.
PLUS: BlueMark raises $3.75m; electronics repair unicorn BackMarket reaches $5.7bn valuation, and more: our regular impact finance bulletin brings you the latest funds, deals and programmes in the world of investing for good.
"While nothing is predictable in today’s world," says the British Asian Trust's Abha Thorat-Shah, outcome-based financing can be "the panacea that drives sustainable, systemic social change for common good".
The Commission on Social Investment’s “bold” recommendations call for £800m new money, a fresh strategy from government and a rethink of Big Society Capital.
In an exclusive interview, the chair of the Commission on Social Investment says his report’s recommendations can deliver ‘levelling up’ – but the UK government must get serious about social enterprise and social investment.
One of the UK’s first impact investment specialists, and once describing itself as “Europe’s leading impact investment bank”, ClearlySo went into administration at the end of 2021, owing more than £10m to creditors and shareholders.
The poorest people in the world are the worst hit by the climate crisis. Amal-Lee Amin of the UK’s CDC Group tells us how development finance institutions must help get money to where it’s most needed to fight the biggest climate injustice that we face.
