Small rural communities are discovering they can generate sustainable income without compromising their traditions and culture. Visitors from around the world discussed ideas at the Rural Social Enterprise Gathering 2025.
Ukraine posts second highest number of climate-focused, blended finance transactions in the world in 2024 – and enters top 10 countries for first time – as blended finance identified as “form of crisis financing” – new Convergence research.
The final report from the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group points to the lack of a coherent cross-department strategy and calls for “sustainable and visible leadership” in government and the adoption of a “mobilisation mindset”.
Impact investors must welcome newcomers by talking about the problems that can be solved – rather than putting them off with too much focus on the financial instruments. We report from EVPA’s Investors for Impact Forum in Porto.
Scrap business rates, wrest power from local government and shake up the global economic system – just some actions needed to revitalise UK communities devastated by Covid-19. We report from the Social Enterprise Futures conference.
Global leads on diversity, equity and inclusion – including from eBay and Bad Robot – tell the Ashoka Changemaker Summit that no-one is an expert and learning from diverse groups and people's lived experiences is the only path ahead.
When companies embrace social purpose, the boundaries with their foundations become blurred. As new research shows their “impact integrity” is at risk, is it time to do away with them altogether?
The Glasgow talks – and hundreds of fringe events – are wrapping up today, but what next for business and finance? Hear what some ministers, CEOs and impact investing leaders have to say, in our pick of the fortnight's quotes.
PLUS: More COP26 headlines you may have missed; Esmee Fairbairn’s £10m impact investing pot; impact unicorns; blended finance rebound, Marshall Institute's £50m accelerator, a skills impact bond for India, Ecosia's new VC fund, and more.
Our oceans are drowning in plastic waste. But what if you could stop the stream of rubbish closer to the source? One nonprofit is doing just that, by bringing its unusual invention to the world’s dirtiest rivers. Technology, though, is just the beginning.
Impact investing and COP26: GSG’s Cliff Prior warns of “substantial disruption”, while Impact Investing Institute’s Sarah Gordon says “siloing” social and environmental is still a big issue. Plus, an update from the G7 Impact Taskforce.
England social enterprises can get grants of up to £100,000 to help them “get back on their feet”, under Lottery-funded scheme first set up in 2020, and once again delivered by Big Issue Invest, Key Fund, Resonance, SSE and UnLtd.
