The Equity Impact Reporting Project
Working towards a common approach to impact reporting for equity investors in social and affordable housing
The Good Economy and Big Society Capital are leading research for the Equity Investor Impact Reporting Project, a collaboration of investors and other market participants developing a common impact reporting framework for equity investors in social and affordable housing. The project working group is co-creating a framework and tools to measure, manage and report on the positive impacts of equity investment in social and affordable housing and mitigate any negative impact risks.
The framework allows investments to be assessed according to key social and environmental issues pertinent to the social and affordable housing sector. These include housing affordability, social care provision and the zero carbon agenda.
An initial position paper explored the role of equity in social and affordable housing and seek to create a common language to categorise the various models, and consider their approach to risk, return and impact.
The collaboration will seek to build consensus on a standardised set of impact objectives, impact strategies and reporting metrics. This will inform an impact management ‘Best Practice Guide’, which will be based on the Operating Principles for Impact Management.
The Good Economy and Big Society Capital led the creation of the collaboration. There are currently 15 partners including M&G Investments, Nuveen, TriplePoint, Trowers and Hamlins, Funding Affordable Homes, LaSalle, Resonance and the Association of Real Estate Funds.
In addition, the project has set up four specialist working groups to engage market participants and build knowledge. These working groups cover registered provider engagement, specialist supported housing, affordability measurement and transitional supported housing/homelessness.
In July 2021 the Equity Impact Reporting Project published two reports:
Both reports are available to download here
The Good Economy is interested in speaking to all stakeholders of equity-based investment models in social and affordable housing. If you like to know more about the project or express an interest to be involved, please contact Andy Smith, head of housing impact services at The Good Economy.
