Social impact investment has the potential to
evolve from being an emerging market to a very large, mature investment
market attracting mainstream investors, according to a report published
today. Making Good in Social Impact Investment: Opportunities in an
Emerging Asset Class argues that the UK is well placed to be a global
leader in the field, as social impact investment builds on our record
as home to a well-developed, not-for-profit, charitable and voluntary
sector and our historic strengths in financial services.
“This is an important and useful contribution to the debate... a prospectus for practical action...”
Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP
Minister of State, Cabinet Office, UK
(writing in the forward of Making Good in Social Impact Investment)
In this report, commissioned by The Social
Investment Business, sponsored by TheCityUK and with a foreword by
Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Letwin, authors Dr Rupert Evenett and
Karl H Richter explain the need for an integrated impact
investment market with a range of financial products suitable for the
different stages of social sector organisations' development.
They conclude that social impact investment has
all the characteristics of a distinctive asset class – best understood
as an intermediate capital market with features of both debt and equity
– which, from an investor's perspective, can offer sustainable
financial return, assessable risk and the potential for diversification.
Read the press release "UK
at watershed moment for social impact investing with
potential to be global leader"
Listen to Rupert Evenett and Karl H Richter talk about the report
Interviewed by The Social Investment Business
You can download the interview transcript here