Better Society Capital

Our latest market sizing reveals the value of social investments in the UK has grown to £10 billion at the end of 2023 🚀 This twelvefold increase over the past 12 years marks a significant milestone for the sector, driven by an increasingly diverse group of investors. Despite economic challenges, the market has continued to demonstrate stability, with sustained investment focused on addressing pressing social issues such as child poverty, homelessness, and long-term health conditions. For the first time this year, we’ve also estimated the investor composition of the market to better understand the appetite for social impact. Our findings show that pension funds are the largest group of investors, making up 21% of the market. They are followed by endowments and charities, which contribute 14%, and asset and wealth managers, who make up 13% of the investor base. With public spending on social issues under significant strain and the new Labour government preparing its first budget, our report is especially timely. We hope to continue working with partners and the Government to shape policies that direct more capital into impactful projects, benefiting society, easing the burden on the Treasury, and supporting the economy. Learn more in our 2023 Market Sizing report: https://lnkd.in/eHfjyyUA

The UK’s cost-of-living crisis has pushed an estimated 6.7 million people into fuel poverty, leaving many struggling to afford the rising costs of heating their homes. Switchee is an innovative start-up in our venture portfolio that is improving the quality of life for social housing residents, by building a smart thermostat tailored specifically for social housing providers. Unlike mainstream smart thermostats that require Wi-Fi, Switchee’s devices operate independently, making them accessible to the 4.1 million UK adults living in social housing without internet access. To date, Switchee has installed 60,000 smart thermostats, making a measurable impact on residents’ quality of life and financial wellbeing. By optimising heating usage, residents have reduced heating bills by an estimated 17%, lowering overall energy consumption and supporting the UK’s efforts towards Net Zero. Read our latest Impact story to learn more about Switchee's journey: https://lnkd.in/eFsNgHae

🚀 We were proud to launch the second phase of the Energy Resilience Fund last month. With £15 million invested alongside Social Investment Business and other partners, the fund aims to support enterprises in reducing energy usage, stabilising costs and contributing to long-term Net Zero goals. 💡 Businesses can apply for funding between £25,000 and £250,000, with 40% delivered as grants to meet the need for essential financial and technical support. This funding can be used to install energy-saving measures, renewable energy generation technology or explore other energy-efficient options. 🌱 With rising energy costs becoming a growing challenge for charities and social enterprises, social investment offers an innovative solution—providing resources that help these organisations build resilience and stay focused on delivering impact. Learn more about the evolution of the Energy Resilience Fund: https://lnkd.in/ep7tB6s5

🎥 Yesterday, we spent an inspiring afternoon with Chocolate Films, a video production company with a social mission to provide training and employment opportunities for young people in London. We had the pleasure of speaking with Rachel Wang, who co-founded the social enterprise with Mark Currie in 2001. Rachel shared her journey of growing the business and the pivotal role social investment has played in its success. She highlighted challenges like high-interest rates from mainstream banks, and how support from Big Issue Invest offered an alternative with more patient and flexible funding. This capital enabled them to set up a new purpose-built studio in London, designed to enhance Chocolate Films’ social enterprise model. Chocolate Films works with a diverse range of young people, including those in schools located in highly deprived areas of London. They also engage with ex-offenders, children transitioning out of care, and individuals experiencing homelessness. Follow this incredible social enterprise and learn more about their story here: https://lnkd.in/e6k5zxni

🚀 We're hiring! Our IT Team is looking to recruit an AI Engineer to play a pivotal role in designing, building and scaling AI-driven applications. As a Full Stack Engineer transitioning to AI, you will work alongside members of our teams, bridging the gap between complex AI systems and practical, user-facing solutions. Applicants are not expected to be experts in all aspects of AI. Rather, we are seeking candidates with a good breadth of IT expertise. This includes the ability to translate complex technical language into something non-experts can easily understand, along with a willingness to quickly learn and master new technologies. Learn more about the role and apply now: https://bit.ly/3Dm3MAg #Vacancies #SocialImpact

As we look ahead to 2025, at Better Society Capital we have been reflecting on what the Mansion House Reforms could mean for local investment in the UK. Our experience of investing in impact investment in the UK for over a decade has provided us with insights into what it can mean to apply a local lens to investing. This article shares some of our key lessons from this experience, which we think could be relevant to those local government pension schemes who are planning for how to implement local investments in the coming years. Impact Investing Institute Gemma Bourne Susanna Hudson Linda Carmody Jovana Lalic James Westhead Stephen Muers Bella Landymore Jamie Broderick Mark Hall Mike Weston #mansionhouse #localinvestment #placebased #impactinvestment #LGPS #socialimpact

🤔 Have you subscribed to our newsletter? This quarter, our CEO, Stephen Muers, reflects on the key events from 2024; in addition to the latest news and happenings from across the social impact investment sector, including: 🚀 Launch of the second phase of the Energy Resilience Fund 🤝 Responding to Labour’s First Budget 🌱 Celebrating new CDFI commitments from British Business Bank and JPMorganChase Foundation Sign up and watch the full video in our newsletter, landing in inboxes this week: https://bit.ly/2Gr5jYh #Newsletter #SocialImpact

🎉 Huge congratulations to Pendragon Project on being recognised as Best New Business at the Beautiful South Awards! This well-deserved win reflects the dedication of founders Laura Bryon and Adam Young, who relaunched the social enterprise this year to provide young people with adventurous opportunities that build teamwork, confidence and life skills. From a thrilling taskmaster-style hunt at our team away day to a memorable quiz at our Christmas party, we’ve experienced first-hand the impact of Pendragon's team-building activities. These experiences can break down barriers, build stronger connections and make every colleague feel valued. Pendragon Project offers bespoke events tailored to every team’s needs. Visit their website to explore their work and the difference they’re making: https://lnkd.in/e-dCFcbR

Many of you may have heard the sad news that our partners at GMCVO have entered administration. As a key partner for charities, social enterprises, and community groups across Greater Manchester, GMCVO has played a crucial role in supporting local organisations and facilitating access to finance. We are working closely with the administrators and other relevant partners to safeguard the interests of borrowers and the delivery of local impact. Our thoughts are with all those affected at this difficult time. GMCVO, Access - The Foundation for Social Investment

Happy Friday, hope you've all had a great week! Here is a list of the latest job roles and opportunities across the social impact sector: 💻 Kent Community Foundation (KCF) is looking for its next Chief Executive who will continue to drive the organisation forward. The role involves building strong relationships with donors, funders, and stakeholders to expand KCF's impact and income. The ideal candidate will have proven leadership and relationship-building skills, with experience in major donor fundraising, business development or driving sales growth. 🌟 £75,000 Per Annum 🌟 Ashford/ Hybrid Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gC3qSxz 💻 Nesta Mision Studio's latest venture concept, Mendara, is inviting applications from founders driven by a fierce passion to support maternal mental health, specifically recovery from birth trauma. Essential skills for this role include previous experience working within or selling to the NHS, alongside excellent leadership and communication skills. 🌟 Stipend of £4,000 Per Month 🌟 London/ Hybrid Apply now: https://lnkd.in/e5VTYVd3 💻 Westbank is hiring a Head of Voluntary & Community Services to provide support, resources and opportunities to enhance wellbeing and meet the changing needs of its community. In this role, you will excel in building and maintaining strong relationships with diverse stakeholders including volunteers, GP practices, local authorities and external partners. You will be a strategic thinker, identifying opportunities for growth and translating ideas into actionable plans. 🌟 £33,243.24 - £34,864.86 Per Annum 🌟 Westbank, Exminster Apply now: https://lnkd.in/eeBYqaNP #Vacancies #SocialImpact