As Big Society Capital marks its 10-year anniversary, CEO Stephen Muers reveals key changes ahead – including addressing past failings on diversity and changing a target return rate that is now “out of step” with the organisation's mission.
PLUS: JPMorgan Chase commits £1.2m to Fair4All Finance to improve financial inclusion; IIX launches coalition to develop first gender-lens ‘asset class’; UK impact investments estimated at £58bn; and more.
PLUS: Fair4All Finance invests £1.8m to scale affordable lending; carbon-farming startup Agreena raises €20m Series A; French insurer MGEN launches €80m impact fund; and more
A £30m budget to tackle homelessness may sound tiny, but the social investment pilot is already leveraging millions more in investment. We unpick the details of a complex collection of funds – and find out what they hope to achieve.
The UK’s Social and Sustainable Capital is increasingly backing community renewable energy projects. SASC's Ben Rick explains why he’s excited about this overlooked part of the market – even if such projects aren’t always easy to implement.
PLUS: A first crowdfunded impact bond Israel and a new ‘career impact bond’ for American students; MacArthur Foundation’s catalytic capital investment; new climate fund from Aberdeen Standard and Big Issue Group, and more.
PLUS: New impact firm Engine No. 1 to ‘harness capitalism for positive change’; Turner Impact Capital closes $350m workforce housing fund; IIX launches $27m bond to help women rebuild livelihoods, December impact reports; and more.
Alternatives to traditional bank lending have scaled 20-fold to £3,388m from £169m in just eight years, with property funds and non-bank lending on the up, reveals annual market update from the UK’s impact investing wholesaler.
PLUS: Social Impact Ventures rebrands and doubles fund size; Save the Children Australia impact fund opens for business; UN’s first outcomes fund; the new $400m 'blank-cheque' sustainability company; and more.
