Impact Investing
Internationally the term ‘impact’ is often used when talking about social results, although the term ‘impact’ has multiple interpretations. Similarly, the term ‘impact investing’ applies to investors and investment models of numerous different types and objectives, in terms of the nature of the intended social impact.
Impact investors can range from having social impact as their primary aim to investors who see it as an additional form of value generated from normal investments. Impact investors vary from pure philanthropists who give gifts to impact-driven investors who expect a competitive return. Between the two are investors such as Ferd SE, which can take more financial risk than traditional investors.
Social Results as the Driver of Management Decisions
Ferd has invested in social entrepreneurs since 2007. In addition to the companies in our portfolio, we support start-up companies through the Impact StartUp accelerator program. We have also worked to strengthen the market opportunities open to social entrepreneurs. We define ourselves as a social investor that invests for impact. This means that social impact governs which social entrepreneurs we choose as well as our methods, tools and financing decisions.
Social Investors in Norway
In recent years, numerous new players have entered the field of social investment. Savings bank foundations, funds and foundations set up by family offices have become committed to social impact. Many of these are now active supporters of social entrepreneurs.
We in Ferd Social Entrepreneurs have built up extensive experience and wish to share this with other investors. Our main website menu and this page in particular, provides access to information on some of the tools and methods we use, e.g. Impact Management and Social Impact Bonds.
If you would like to learn more about what we look for and how we work with social entrepreneurs please follow the links to how we work with the social entrepreneurs in our portfolio and our investment criteria.
If you would like to learn more about social entrepreneurship, you can find more information about social entrepreneurship here. You can also read about the social entrepreneurs in our portfolio here, or you can find out about the companies that are currently attending or have completed our Impact StartUp Accelerator Program here.