SPARK PARTNERS
Founded by TREES and the Big Issue Invest Spark is a powerful consortium of top corporates, the government and two leading organisations in the social enterprise field. Spark is a pioneering development and investment programme that aims to inspire organisations to build social enterprises that will prevent and tackle homelessness and help disadvantaged people using sustainable business models.
www.sparkchallenge.org.uk
Big Issue Invest
Big Issue Invest (BII), part of The Big Issue group of companies, is a specialised provider of finance to social enterprises that are finding business solutions that create social and environmental transformation.
BII’s team is made up of a unique combination of social entrepreneurs and financiers, and brings together a wealth of experience, innovation and success. As a social enterprise itself, BII pays any dividends generated up to its parent, The Big Issue, also a social enterprise with a charitable arm, The Big Issue Foundation.
Typical investments include innovative businesses that create jobs for the long-term unemployed, deliver much needed health services in deprived neighbourhoods and develop renewable energy considering environmental and economic impacts.
The best-known investment is undoubtedly the Fifteen Foundation, created by the celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, to train disadvantaged young people for careers in the hospitality industry. Others include Turning Point, a social care organisation that has developed Connected Care, which involves community members in the design and delivery of health, housing, education and social services and Hackney Community Transport, a London-based bus company which creates job opportunities for the long-term unemployed.
We can offer finance for between £50,000 and £500,000 and can also arrange financing in partnership with other social finance institutions for amounts over £500,000.
www.bigissueinvest.com
BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. It develops, designs and manages network-enabled service transformation solutions for public sector organisations, helping them to realise the opportunities and address the challenges they face.
Sustainable development is one of the greatest challenges facing organisations in the 21st century. At BT, we believe sustainability has three main elements: environmental, social and economic.
Organisations turn to BT for its unique combination of people, skills and expertise developed over decades of operating complex secure networked systems all over the world.
www.btplc.com
PricewaterhouseCoopers
The member firms of the PricewaterhouseCoopers network provide industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 146,000 people in 150 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice.
Unless otherwise indicated, ‘PricewaterhouseCoopers’ refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a limited liability partnership incorporated in England. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd.
www.pwc.co.uk
Places for People
Places for People is one of the largest property management and development companies in the UK, committed to providing sustainable communities.
It has a strong track record of successful development from multi-million pound master planning projects to urban renewal and new-build developments.
Places for People creates sustainable communities by building homes for sale and rent alongside homes for reduced and part ownership, as well as commercial units, live/work apartments, homes with care and support and nurseries for pre-school children. It develops new homes that are not only energy efficient and have a limited effect on the environment, but which are also appealing to the people who live in them.
www.placesforpeople.co.uk
Willmott Dixon Construction
Willmott Dixon Group one of the UK’s largest privately-owned capital works, regeneration and support services companies, engaged on numerous government and private sector frameworks delivering capital projects in education, justice, commercial office, retail, healthcare and social housing.
The Group’s family values and people focused culture has seen it appear for the past three years as the highest placed major contractor in the prestigious Sunday Times Best Companies to work for list.
The company's focus on being a low carbon, sustainable business includes a commitment to send zero waste to landfill and be a carbon neutral business by 2012, which is being delivered through the company’s ‘Everyone Plays A Part’ campaign. Last year, it achieved 3rd place in the 2009 Sunday Times Green Companies list, the highest placed contractor overall - an important benchmark for current performance and encouraging year-on-year improvement.
www.willmottdixongroup.co.uk