The social enterprise EngagedX (Engaged Investment Ltd) based in London has reached the UK Social Enterprise Awards finals. The national competition, now in its 15th year, recognises the work and achievements of Britain’s most inspiring and successful social enterprises. There are 70,000 social enterprises in the UK.
EngagedX is a finalist in the category ‘Innovation - Product or Service’.
EngagedX is the world’s first financial index and data platform for social impact investing. It is innovative because it aggregates into a single location both financial performance data as well as social and environmental impact data of investment transactions. Data unlocks investment capital.
EngagedX, currently in pilot phase, is essential market infrastructure for the emerging social impact investing market. It aims to provide robust benchmark data, which social impact investors need to make better informed investments and capital allocation decisions. Delivering robust time-series data is essential for allowing comparability over time and across the spectrum of social impact investing styles, freed from the limitations and reliance on continual one-off surveys.
Rupert Evenett, co-founder and joint chief executive said: “In setting out to build data infrastructure for investment in social impact, it has been important to us both to see social investment as serving front line social enterprises and for Engaged Investment to be of as well as for the social enterprise sector. We are delighted to be short listed and congratulate all those short listed.”
Karl Richter, co-founder and joint chief executive said: “Being a Social Enterprise Awards finalist is a badge of honour and important affirmation of our social enterprise credentials. EngagedX is a market-wide collaboration that includes leading UK social investors – we share this accolade with them to reflect their contributions.”
The awards are organised by Social Enterprise UK, the national body for social enterprises, businesses that reinvest their profits for good, benefitting people and planet.
Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “We received hundreds of entries this year and the quality of the finalists is outstanding – the judges are going to have a really tough job choosing the winners. The awards are a celebration of Britain’s very best social enterprises, businesses that are making a positive difference here in the UK and abroad. Social enterprises are businesses that put people and planet first – when they profit, society profits.”
The UK finals will be held in London on 27th November, hosted by comedian and television presenter Sue Perkins of The Great British Bake Off.
The Social Enterprise Awards are sponsored by The Independent on Sunday, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, BP, Landmarc, PwC, Nuffield Health, InterContinental Hotels Group, SITA UK and Santander.
Social enterprise facts and figures (from The People’s Business report, published by Social Enterprise UK, July 2013)
- There are 70,000 social enterprises in the UK, contributing 24 billion to the UK economy and employing 1 million people.
- Social enterprises are much more likely to be led by women than mainstream businesses - 38% of social enterprises have a female leader, compared with 19% of small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and 3% of FTSE 100 companies.
- Social enterprises are very heavily concentrated in the UK’s most deprived communities - 38% of all social enterprises work in the most deprived 20% of communities in the UK, compared to 12% of traditional SMEs.
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Notes to Editors
For more information, please contact contact@engagedinvestment.com or the Social Enterprise UK press office on 020 3589 4951 / 4949.
Social Enterprise UK is the national body for social enterprise. Social enterprises are businesses that exist for a social or environmental purpose. When they profit, society profits. Together with our members we are the voice for social enterprise in the UK. Our members are local grass-roots organisations and multi-million pound businesses that operate internationally. What unites them is their commitment to changing the world through business. For more information, visit www.socialenterprise.org.uk.
EngagedX is delivered by Engaged Investment Ltd, founded by Dr Rupert Evenett and Karl H Richter. The EngagedX pilot was funded by The RBS Group, Big Society Capital, The City of London Corporation’s charity, City Bridge Trust and UK Government’s Cabinet Office (Office of Civil Society). EngagedX was awarded two UnLtd Awards for social enterprise. For more information, visit www.engagedinvestment.com.