Tackling Green and Social Washing with Ethical Finance
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Tackling Green and Social Washing with Ethical Finance

This is the fourth and final episode of the miniseries Finance4Good. In this episode we introduce the ideas of green and social washing from the perspective of investors, and how the EU try to tackle the issue through an EU Taxonomy and through global investment movements such as ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing. The episode begins by introducing these concepts then in the first half of the episode we meet Léo Miranda, Marketing Director at La Nef, a French Ethical Bank who shares La Nef´s main priorities, and values and describes examples of how they ensure projects that they invest in are truly sustainable.

At 18 minutes 50 seconds. The second half of the episode explores the opinions of previous guests from the miniseries Donal Traynor of Community Finance Ireland, Piet Callens of Hefboom and Peru Sasia, President of FEBEA. They tell us what Green and Social washing mean to them, and how we can overcome these phenomena.

Important links:

Platform on Sustainable Finance draft report on a Social Taxonomy: https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/210712-sustainable-finance-platform-draft-reports_en

EU Taxonomy:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-finance/sustainable-finance/eu-taxonomy-sustainable-activities_en

ESG Criteria:

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/environmental-social-and-governance-esg-criteria.asp

 

LISTEN HERE:

https://soundcloud.com/user-704418876/finance4good-mini-series-episode-4-tackling-green-and-social-washing-with-ethical-finance?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fuser-704418876%252Ffinance4good-mini-series-episode-4-tackling-green-and-social-washing-with-ethical-finance

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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SOCIAL IMPACT INVESTMENTS AS A TOOL FOR FUNDING SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

Purpose: Social impact investments are essential to support and promote social entrepreneurship development. This article aims to identify the factors that could develop the local impact investment market in Sri Lanka as a tool for funding social enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach: The methods of research are an analysis of scientific literature, experts’ interviews, and generalization.

Findings: In order to accelerate the impact investment as a tool of funding, the impact investors, social enterprises, government and society must work collectively. Necessary social, cultural, and policy changes should be carried out, and specific recommendations have been made accordingly.

Originality/value: This research study is essential in terms of sustaining and promoting impact investments in Sri Lanka as a tool of funding social enterprises and developing the ecosystem.

Keywords: social enterprise, social impact investing, impact investments, finance, investors.

Category of the paper: Research paper.

Read here: Social impact investments as a tool for funding social enterprises

Audrone URMANAVICIENE, Kulamini Dilanka MENDIS (2021). Social impact investments as a tool for funding social enterprises. Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology Organization and Management Series, 691−711. DOI: 10.29119/1641-3466.2021.151.48.

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Social enterprise finance market: analysis and recommendations for delivery options
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Social enterprise finance market: analysis and recommendations for delivery options

This report by EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion provides a technical analysis of the finance market for social enterprises. It identifies market failures and funding gaps in social enterprise finance and proposes delivery options for the future EU level financial instruments.

You can read it here: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=8285&furtherPubs=yes

Or download directly from our website: KE-02-19-962-EN-N

This analysis aims to identify market failures and gaps in social enterprise finance in Europe and recommend delivery options for future EU-level financial instruments. The findings will assist the European Commission in designing the investment strategy for EU-level financial instruments for social enterprise finance, and will notably feed into the preparatory work on the InvestEU Fund. Barbara Scheck and Wolfgang Spiess-Knafl at the European Center for Social Finance have been contracted by the European Commission to prepare this analysis. This publication is an outcome of an assignment financed entirely by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation “EaSI” (2014-2020). For further information, please consult: http://ec.europa.eu/social/easi

 

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Microfinance in the European Union: market analysis and recommendations for delivery options in 2021-2027
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Microfinance in the European Union: market analysis and recommendations for delivery options in 2021-2027

This report assesses current microfinance provision in EU and presents recommendations on how to bridge the financing gap and to meet evolving market needs as a means of promoting growth, employment and inclusion across the EU. Most microfinance in the EU comes from larger providers, with support for smaller, non-bank lenders remaining limited. The EU has taken measures to improve provisions, such as the European Progress Microfinance Facility, launched in 2010 and complemented since 2014 by the Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship axis of the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI).

Catalog N. : KE-03-20-321-EN-N

Download here: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=8347&furtherPubs=yes

 

received_2563814793867341

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

 

Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship axis of EaSI

Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship axis of EaSI

This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

Great info for small social enterprises!

The Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship (MF/SE) axis support actions in two thematic sections:

Objectives

  • Increase access to, and the availability of, microfinance for vulnerable groups who want to set up or develop their business and micro-enterprises.
  • Build up the institutional capacity of microcredit providers.
  • Support the development of social enterprises, in particular by facilitating access to finance.

Funding

EaSI Guarantee

EUR 96 million is already available for interested microcredit providers and social enterprise through the EaSI Guarantee. It shall enable microcredit providers and social enterprise investors to reach out to entrepreneurs they would not have been able to finance otherwise for risk considerations. The Commission has selected the European Investment Fund as its entrusted entity to implement the EaSI Guarantee.

To apply for the EaSI Guarantee (direct or counter-guarantee), reply to a call for expression of interest on the European Investment Fund website.

EaSI Capacity Building

EUR 16 million is available through the EaSI Capacity Building Investments Window. It aims at building up the institutional capacity of selected financial intermediaries that have not yet reached sustainability or are in need of risk capital to sustain their growth and development. It covers equity and, in exceptional cases, loans. The Commission has selected the European Investment Fund as its entrusted entity to implement the EaSI Capacity Building Investments Window.

To apply for the EaSI Capacity Building Investments Window, reply to a call for expression of interest on the European Investment Fund website.

Who can participate?

The European Commission does not directly finance entrepreneurs or social enterprises but enables selected microcredit providers and social enterprise investors in the EU to increase lending.

Organisations that can apply for funding are public and private bodies established at the national, regional or local level and providing microcredit for persons and microenterprises and/or financing for social enterprises in these countries.