Welcome to our impact report
This year’s change of government has brought with it a heightened sense of engagement and momentum in the social impact investment market. We have seen the market grow to over £10 billion and our new investor data from our annual market sizing highlights the increasing diversity of institutional and retail investors entering the social impact arena. All of which, points to a rising appetite for investments that drive positive social change and the opportunity for greater impact in the UK. However, there are still significant challenges, with the causes of inequality being complex and deeply rooted within the fabric of society.
To provide further clarity on the data in this report, we have produced the following methodology page [1].
2024 Highlights
We continue to make progress in building a social impact investing market in the UK that delivers impact across several pressing social issues, with a focus on vulnerable people across the UK.
Helping to grow the social impact investing market in the UK by 12x to date
Supported by an increasingly diverse and engaged group of investors.
Committed £68 million alongside 50 new co-investors, enabling £400 million co-investment
This capital is enabling a further 250 impact-led organisations to tackle complex social issues such as housing, employment, education, health, and financial inclusion – and reaching into UK’s most underserved areas.
Our fund managers and intermediaries have supported enterprises that deliver both large-scale and deep impact on people with broad reach across the UK
- Reaching a further 2.3 million people through investments in venture startups
- Significant depth of impact, within our social outcomes work supporting over 70,000 people with complex needs (27% increase from 2023)
- Supporting a further 4,000 people by building over 7,000 homes through our housing investments
New research commissioned in 2024 evidenced significant fiscal savings generated by social impact investment in housing and social outcomes contracts
- £312 million in public financial public savings to be generated through homelessness property funds managed by Resonance.[2]
- £507 million fiscal value created through social outcomes contracts to date.
2024 EDI survey highlighting an increase in women on fund manager boards and investment committees
Our portfolio outperforms industry averages (private equity and venture capital) but significantly more work is needed by us and our partners to live up to our aspirations of building a diverse and inclusive social impact investing market in the UK.
Our Theory of Change
We acknowledge that the positive change in people's lives which we aim for through our investments is primarily driven by enterprises and charities. At BSC, we seek to enable such outcomes through both our capital and broader market-building efforts. Together, these form what we define as BSC’s “investor contribution” to the creation of impact.
Our Theory of Change illustrates how we intend to contribute to such change, by building an enabling environment for more investment to flow to impact-led organisations. Find our Theory of Change and more about our overall approach to impact and investor contribution here.
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Our Theory of Change
Learn more