The Good Economy

🎙️🆕#Podcast: Regulations like the UK’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (#SDR) and the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (#SFDR) are shaping the future of sustainable finance - but they are not without their challenges. How can policymakers fine-tune these frameworks to better align with market needs? In the latest episode of Impact Europe's 'Electing Impact' podcast, The Good Economy's Ben Rosoman joins George Latham, Managing Partner at WHEB Asset Management, and host, Jana Bour, to explore: 🔍 Initial market insights on the implementation of SDR 🔍The lessons SDR offers for SFDR 🔍 How European policymakers might adapt as SFDR undergoes review This is a must-listen for anyone navigating the evolving landscape of sustainable finance and regulation. 🎧 Tune in to "SDR and SFDR with Ben Rosoman and George Latham": https://buff.ly/4f33gEk 🔗Explore The Good Economy's comprehensive yet flexible SDR Technical Support service designed to assist fund managers in achieving SDR compliance: https://lnkd.in/esBBfdPd #SustainableFinance #Regulation #Transparency #Greenwashing #Impact

"The next 12 to 18 months is crucial for sustainability reporting. UK housing cannot afford to be left behind." - Piers Williamson, Chair, Sustainability for Housing In a new article for Social Housing, Piers explores the increasing convergence of financial and sustainability reporting, highlighting the upcoming UK Sustainability Reporting Standards and their implications for housing associations. He also highlights the growing importance of ESG criteria in investment decisions and performance reporting. Piers concludes the time is right for the Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social Housing (SRS) to come into its own: "helping the sector strengthen its story to a whole range of stakeholders and preparing housing providers for a new era of financial and sustainability reporting." At The Good Economy, we’re proud to serve as the secretariat for Sustainability for Housing, the home of the SRS. 📖 Read "Is social housing ready for the convergence of sustainability and financial reporting?": https://buff.ly/3VIPobz #SustainabilityForHousing #ESG #ESGReporting #Sustainability #SocialHousing #UKHousing

💡 Robust Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) is essential to maximise the positive social impact of Build to Rent (BTR) schemes. In her latest article, Amy Ingham, one of our Senior Consultants, shares 10 key insights on driving social impact through BTR. One standout theme is the importance of IMM. To embed IMM effectively, Amy states that two factors are essential: ✅ At the organisation (and Fund) level, impact considerations must be embedded in the investment cycle and measured and managed alongside financial returns. ✅ At the scheme level, impact ambitions must be understood, developed and assessed, based on a deep understanding of local needs and meaningful resident and community engagement. 🔑 Remember: social impact is unlikely to be maximised where intentionality is absent. Want further insights? Read the full article: https://buff.ly/49Ncbsk #BuildToRent #ImpactMeasurement #ImpactManagement #IMM #SocialImpact #UKHousing #HousingCrisis #GoodEconomy

💡 Realising the place-based impact potential of the Mansion House Pension Reforms, which will pool LGPS and DC schemes into larger ‘megafunds’, will require careful navigation. Developing clear communication channels, standardised impact measurement and reporting frameworks, and strong relationships between LGPS, local authorities, and investment managers will be key to success. Our PBII Reporting Framework, developed in collaboration with leading asset owners and managers, offers a golden thread to help the pools measure, manage, and report their place-based impact. By embracing this framework, pioneering LGPS funds are already demonstrating how their investments contribute to local, regional, and national sustainable development goals, providing members and trustees with clear and valuable insights. 🔗 Learn more about our PBII Reporting Framework: https://buff.ly/41DXnu6 #PlaceBased #ImpactInvesting #PBII #NationalRenewal #PensionFunds #ImpactReporting #GooeEconomy [Image: from our second report for Greater Manchester Pension Fund on the place-based impact of its investments]

“Community-led housing achieves genuine affordability, reduces loneliness, strengthens social cohesion and public health, and tends to achieve high energy-efficiency standards” - Tom Chance, Chief Executive of the Community Land Trust Network (CLTN). In a recent article, Tom Chance makes the case for Community Land Trusts (CLTs) as a high-potential route to delivering the new affordable housing stock that the UK urgently needs. The CLTN, Confederation of Co-operative Housing and UK Cohousing Network have jointly developed a long-term strategy to scale the sector up. But it needs wider industry engagement and government support. At The Good Economy, we appreciate the value of CLTs in delivering good quality homes and creating multiple positive impacts for local communities. We were glad to help produce the CLTN's State of the Community Land Trust Sector 2023 report and support the further development of this model. 🔗Read the State of the Community Land Trust Sector 2023: https://buff.ly/3VFb0FG 🔗 For more read "Community-led housing is vital to building and retaining public trust" in Inside Housing. #CommunityLedHousing #AffordableHousing

🏘️ How can bespoke real estate address the UK’s growing place-based needs? Andy Smith, our Head of Impact Services is speaking at Pensions for Purpose's "Impact-Focused Property Investment" webinar on 23 January, 09:30-10:30 GMT. Andy will share insights on how impact measurement and management systems can guide real estate investments toward meaningful outcomes for local communities and places. Andy is speaking alongside: 🔹 Edward L., Portfolio Manager at AEW, who will discuss his experience of evolving a diversified core property strategy into an impact-focused strategy. 🔹 Philip Spyropoulos of Eversheds Sutherland, who will share his legal perspective on real estate impact investing. 👉 Register below and be part of the conversation. #PropertyInvestment #RealEstate #ImpactInvesting

🎄 2024 has been another dynamic year at The Good Economy. So it was wonderful to get the whole team together for a festive celebration. Some recent team highlights include: ➡️ Sharing our work at leading industry events including; the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF) Conference (✨Sarah Forster), Impact Week 2024 (✨Anna Haskins and ✨Samantha Curtis), the Association for Geographic Information (AGI)'s GeoCom 24 (✨Mark Hepworth) The Investment Association’s SDR Implementation Forum (✨Ben Rosoman), ARL's Annual Build To Rent Conference (✨Amy Ingham and ✨Charley Denney) and The GIIN Forum 2024 (✨Samantha Curtis and ✨Larissa Kirkpatrick). ➡️ Welcoming ✨Kenneth Hart Hart as Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer, ✨Adem G. Dervish as Impact Analyst, ✨Lindsay Garvey as Finance Manager and ✨Rupert Peach as Research and Project Management Assistant.  2025 is set to be just as full. So, watch this space for our latest news, opportunities and service offers to drive powerful change and deliver a Good Economy that works for people and places everywhere. #GoodEconomy #Team #Celebration

🏘 Is it time to rewrite the narrative on renting? The Private Rental Sector is a crucial part of England’s housing system, accounting for over 4.6 million of England's households, yet it’s facing major challenges. Rocketing rents, poor housing quality, and an exodus of private landlords are leaving renters vulnerable and homelessness on the rise. The sector is in crisis, and urgent solutions are needed. As our Senior Consultant, Amy Ingham, explains in her latest article, renting doesn’t have to be a second-class tenure. Build-to-Rent (BTR) presents a unique opportunity to address the housing crisis while benefiting people and places and minimising harm to the planet at the same time. By prioritising quality, community, and wellbeing, supported by long-term investment, we can build a better future for renters. BTR developments have the potential to prove that renting can work for a wide range of households, delivering affordable, flexible options that meet local needs. The key is a joined-up, place-based approach to address housing challenges across social and private sectors alike. For more, read Amy's article, "10 Key Insights: What we’ve learned about driving positive social impact through Build-to-Rent". #BuildToRent #SocialImpact #UKHousing #HousingCrisis #GoodEconomy

Our co-Founder and CEO, Sarah Forster, took to the stage at the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF) Conference last week. Sarah joined Luis Strengari from IFM Investors and Paddy Dowdall from Greater Manchester Pension Fund (moderator) for a panel discussion on Impact Investing in 2024. The session highlighted the opportunities and challenges ahead as the UK seeks to unlock billions in private capital for investment. Sarah emphasised the importance of getting pension reform right by ensuring that the drive towards larger “megafunds” doesn’t overshadow the need for a diverse investment ecosystem that can cater to specialist investment funds and smaller-scale, locally-focused projects. Meanwhile, scaling up local investment will require building new knowledge and institutional capacity on both the local government and LGPS sides, fostering a common language, and establishing stable governance, investment strategies, and decision-making processes. Thank you to LAPFF for bringing together such an engaged audience. If you have any questions or would like to continue the conversation, we’d love to hear from you - don’t hesitate to reach out to our team! 📖 Missed Sarah's blog on the Mansion House Reforms? Catch up here: https://buff.ly/4ivRGEw #ImpactInvesting #SustainableFinance #PBII #LAPFF2024 #TheGoodEconomy #PensionReform

Our client, South Yorkshire Pensions Authority (SYPA), is a pioneer of #PlaceBased #ImpactInvesting (#PBII), proudly showcasing its commitment to inclusive and sustainable development in the UK - with a focus on South Yorkshire and the surrounding region - through its newly published Annual Report & Accounts 2023-2024. SYPA also leads the way in transparency, setting a benchmark by reporting the impact performance of its local investment portfolio. Our team once again analysed the type and geography of their investments using the PBII Reporting Framework. The report highlights how these investments contribute to local, regional, and national sustainable development goals, providing members and trustees with clear and valuable insights. 🔗 Download SYPA's complete Annual Report & Accounts 2023-2024: https://buff.ly/3ZJdZPY 🔗 More on the PBII Reporting Framework: https://buff.ly/4gnZ7Me #ImpactReporting #PlaceBasedImpact #SustainableDevelopment #NationalRenewal