The notion of social enterprise has drifted far from its roots, says author and pioneer of the movement Freer Spreckley. How to return to core principles? By choosing democratic governance, even if it feels radical. Part two in our exclusive series.
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.
Social enterprise has drifted too far from its roots, says Freer Spreckley. In our exclusive serialisation of his latest book, the social enterprise pioneer sets out six key principles that he believes should define social enterprise. First: common ownership.
Small, low interest loans to the poorest people can transform lives and level up communities, but traditional microfinance has never taken off in the UK. What’s more, Brexit dealt it a near-fatal blow.
GDP up, good; GDP down, bad? Not so simple, especially when assessing citizens’ wellbeing. Many alternative measures aim to fill that gap, but none can entirely replace GDP, writes our columnist – and in any case, the real issue lies deeper...
The UK is weary of social impact bonds. But, says Dr Chih Hoong Sin, exciting innovations in other parts of the world should inspire the country of their birth to take a fresh look at what they can achieve.
How does a social investment intermediary outlive shifting political winds, a global financial crisis, and much more? Matt Smith, CEO of Sheffield-based Key Fund, reflects on two decades of taking risks and staying true to the mission.
Are public sector accounts ‘materially misstated’? Our columnist gets anxious as he submerges himself in the alphabet soup of global public sector accounting standards – and proposes a simple addition to bring social value back to the surface.
The education offered to future business leaders, accountants and financiers is “deeply acultural, secular and exclusive”. Faith-based approaches could guide a new model – one that nourishes trust, respects nature and builds a sustainable economy.