Bridges Ventures is a private investment company based in London, England that uses its funds toward social and/or environmental ends, while at the same time realizing financial returns for its investors.
Bridges Ventures has an extensive social mission that is outlined by two important company documents: the Ethical Charter and the Responsible Investment Policy. What Bridges Ventures does goes way beyond corporate social responsibility, as every company detail is grounded in having a social impact. Bridges Ventures has three different kinds of fund under management, each with its own social goal: Venture Funds, Sustainable Property Fund, and Social Entrepreneurs Fund. The Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund seeks to support fast-growing social enterprises looking to scale so that their social change can be utilized to the best of its ability.
In terms of its regeneration impact, many of its goals include fighting unemployment and enhancing the community by putting money back in to the local economy. Bridges Ventures’ sustainability impact is divided into four different categories: environment, education, health, and community and disadvantaged groups. Many of the venture funds invest in under-financed businesses in inner-city neighborhoods in the United Kingdom. Investments are screened so that regeneration is made available to the 25 percent of the U.K. population that is the most deprived, which is measured according to the Government’s Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Last year, Bridges Ventures released the Social Impact Report 2009, which is an extensive analysis of the results of its social impact in different areas, its methodology and various case studies. This level of transparency is vital for both investors and social entrepreneurs involved with Bridges Ventures.
By providing venture capital for businesses that are creating positive social change, Bridges Ventures opens the doors to business looking to change the community around them.
Contact Information:
Bridges Ventures Website
1 Craven Hill
London
W2 3EN
Telephone: 020 7262 5566
Fax: 020 7262 6389
Ethical Investments
Bridges Ventures is a Venture Capital Company with a Social Aim
Trend Themes
1. Impact Investing - Bridges Ventures is at the forefront of impact investing by investing in projects that are not only financially profitable but also have a social and environmental impact.
2. Social Entrepreneurship - Bridges Ventures is supporting the growth of social enterprises that put people and planet at the center of their business model.
3. Transparency - Bridges Ventures' Social Impact Report demonstrates their commitment to transparency and accountability in social investing.
Industry Implications
1. Venture Capital - Bridges Ventures' investment strategy provides a roadmap for venture capital firms looking to fund social entrepreneurs.
2. Real Estate - Bridges Ventures' Sustainable Property Fund is a prime example of how real estate investment can align with social and environmental goals.
3. Community Development - Bridges Ventures' focus on inner-city regeneration presents opportunities for companies to invest in under-utilized communities and drive sustainable economic growth.