Mapping the location of impact investments can help further demonstrate the spill-over effects of such investments for the local economy and the community, particularly in underserved areas.
Big Issue Invest’s Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF) – the social geography of SEIF investees by area of beneficiary outreach:
The investments from Big Issue Invest’s Social Enterprise Investment Fund are very heavily concentrated in the most deprived communities, with 69% of SEIF investments located in England’s 20% most deprived areas.
This compares with a figure of 23% for all SMEs.
Location of Bridges Ventures’ investee companies as of February 2015 mapped against the Index of Multiple Deprivation
Bridges Ventures applies Index of Multiple Deprivation data at the local authority level (see map, for England only), supplementing this with more localized information to establish whether investments are in underserved areas.
On this basis, of current Sustainable Growth Fund investments across the UK:
– 80% are operating in the most deprived quartile
– 35% are in the most deprived 10%
A map, however, may not tell the whole story. In some cases, investments have an impact across the UK irrespective of where they are physically based. The investments may have a wider impact than simply addressing under-served markets, and may include health & well-being, education & skills and sustainable living.
