The Australian Impact Investment Awards

We were thrilled to be recognised as cowinners of the Impact Asset Owner category with Albert’s at the Australian Impact Investment Awards.

Congratulations to our partners LendForGood (winner in the Impact Market Builder category) and AbilityMade (finalist in the Impact Enterprise category. Thank you to Social Impact Hub, who managed the Awards, and our impact advisor Kylie Charlton at Australian Impact Investments.

Case Studies From Our Social Impact Investments

Aspire Social Impact Bond

The Aspire Social Impact Bond supports a three-year ‘housing-first’ program providing people in Adelaide experiencing homelessness with wrap-around support services to build independence and permanently end their homelessness.

In 2017, we provided an impact investment of $250k as one of the first investors, to help establish the program and prove an innovative financing mechanism.

The results:

- 32% reduction in hospital bed days against a target of 15%

- 28% reduction in convictions against a target of 15%

- 68% reduction in short-term accommodation stays against a target of 50%

An independent valuation also found that the Aspire Program has been a highly effective homelessness intervention, especially for people with complex needs and/or experiencing chronic homelessness.

Aspire is considered so successful by the South Australian government that it has agreed to follow-on funding for Hutt St Centre to support further enrolments.

Giant Leap Fund II

The Giant Leap Fund II (‘GLF II’) is the second fund from Giant Leap dedicated to investing equity in a portfolio of Australian highgrowth impact businesses that deliver positive change across three themes: empowering people, sustainable living and health and wellbeing.

We have been a long-time supporter of Giant Leap, having supported its first fund in 2016 and continuing this support via a follow-on commitment to GLF II in 2021. This was an important signal of support to incoming investors in the fund.

Some examples of portfolio companies include: Who Gives a Crap, a sustainable toilet paper and paper towel company that donates 50% of profits to building toilets in developing countries; Change Foods, an alternative food company making animalfree dairy products; and HEX, an education technology helping students develop innovation and start-up careers.