The Impact World this Week: 20 March 2026

UK: Better Society Capital targets £20bn mobilised in next 10 years  

The UK’s social investment wholesaler has set a target to mobilise £20-30bn in social investment over the next decade in its new 2030 strategy published this week. Better Society Capital will focus its work on four core areas where it has identified the biggest potential for social investment: housing, economic opportunity, health, and climate and energy. It aims to have a positive impact on 15-20m people over the next decade, through its own investments and by helping others to invest for impact. It will also continue its work with Access, the Foundation for Social Investment, and Pathway Fund, to support investment into charities and social enterprises otherwise unable to access finance. Stephen Muers, CEO of Better Society Capital, noted the social investment market had grown and matured since the organisation was launched in 2012, and added: “Now we need to scale what works, in the places where it matters most and where we can support the greatest size of change.”

• Read more: Homelessness emerges as high-impact area for social investors in new research from Better Society Capital

Global: B Lab names new ‘global board’ and changes structure

B Lab, the nonprofit behind the B Corp accreditation, has appointed a new global board, as it undertakes a shift to become a “more globally integrated organisation”. This means B Lab regional hubs and affiliated entities will align their governance with the new board, in accordance with local laws, B Lab said in a statement. 

The organisation is to be headquartered in the Netherlands as a stichting (foundation), and the structure will aim to “balance global relevance with local agency” and continue work with local teams.

Francine Lemos, executive director of Sistema B Brazil, will chair the board, which also includes B Lab co-founder Bart Houlahan and a number of leaders drawn from B Lab’s global network.

The new board is in the process of appointing a new executive leadership team for the “fully integrated” B Lab: Clay Brown will become chief standards officer and Nicola Millson has been appointed chief markets officer, with more announcements to come. The organisation advertised for its CEO job late last year, but no-one has yet been appointed.

• Read more: Beyond certification: B Lab boss on why all B Corps must become advocates for change

Europe: Social enterprise struggles in Western Balkans

Three quarters of social enterprises in the Western Balkans are aiming to grow their activities, according to a new study published by Impact Europe. The study, Mapping the Impact Ecosystem: Insights from the Western Balkans, maps the impact sector (including social enterprises and investors) in eight countries – Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia. The report reveals an overwhelming majority of social enterprises in the region are small (60% employ under five people), tend to heavily rely on grants and struggle to access finance. Investors are interested but still sceptical, as the concepts of social enterprise and impact investing are not well established in the region. 

Europe: Impact Shakers seeks EU top 50

Impact Shakers and 4P Capital have launched Next Impact Europe, an initiative to highlight the next generation of diverse-led impact startups in Europe. The list of 50 “companies to watch” in the space will be revealed at the VivaTech event in Paris in June. The initiative aims to spotlight impact startups that “may still be under the radar but are building meaningful solutions with the potential to scale”. Several impact VC firms including Bethnal Green Ventures and Rubio are partners of the initiative, and nominations are open to all stakeholders in the impact startup sector, until April 30.

Movers and shakers

• Richard Hawkes has been appointed interim CEO of Oxfam UK, after a decade at the head of the British Asian Trust. He will remain in post for 12 months during which a permanent CEO will be recruited, following the controversial departure of former boss Halima Begum at the end of last year.
• Bridges Fund Management has appointed Charlie Edwards as partner and co-head of the firm’s inclusive growth strategy.