Social Traders has made a submission to the Australian Government in response to their Social Impact Investing Discussion Paper 2017.

The Discussion Paper is part of the Financial System Inquiry and sought views to inform a whole of government position on social impact investing.

Our submission specifically focuses on the relationship between social impact investment and social enterprise and urges the Government to consider impact investment as an enabler of social enterprise and social impact, rather than an end in itself.

Consistent with the FASES research Social Traders again call for the development of a National Social Enterprise Strategy that would inform growth of the social enterprise ecosystem and acknowledge the need for all forms of capital – grants, hybrid and impact investment – to grow social impact through social enterprise.