Investing in a positive future for people and planet
We invest in businesses that aim to change lives for the better by providing potential solutions to the needs of under-served people, and to society's environmental challenges.
Impact Report
SIS Ventures Impact Report 2023
We are delighted to launch our inaugural Impact Report.
This report provides an insight into the progress of our portfolio and our approach to impact investing.
SIS Ventures Impact Principles
As an impact investor, we expect care for people and planet to be part of an investee businesses’ DNA. We work with founders and management teams committed to acting with care, and bringing positive change, for the people and places they interact with.
Impact intentions
SIS Ventures investees act intentionally to*:
Mitigate or significantly reduce negative outcomes for people and the planet.
Generate positive outcomes for otherwise underserved people or the planet.
Contribute to solutions, generating substantial positive change.
* SIS Ventures invests in early stage start-up companies. We assess impact potential, contribution and risk in line with globally recognised best practice. Positive and negative outcomes for people and the planet are continually assessed, and become better understood and managed, throughout the period of investment.
Impact priorities
SIS Ventures considers all impact investment opportunities and has a particular interest in investing in businesses:
Founded / led by women, people of minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+, have reported a disability, and those under 30 or over 50 years of age.
Are headquartered in the UK, with local, national, international and / or global impacts.
Whose products/services aim to progress the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
Responsible Business Practices
Our investees have a common belief in business as a force for good.
We encourage investee businesses to:
Promote fair work principles and practices.
Minimise harm to the environment through their own, and supply chain, practices.
Appreciate and develop practices to bring diversity of thought across the business, and fair access to products and services.
Understand customers in the broadest sense and consider how to care and add value for them, including approaches to evaluating suppliers and other third-party relationships.
Engage with communities touched by the business including charitable giving and civic engagement.
SIS Ventures will aim to work towards a more inclusive social investment sector as signatories of the Diversity Forum Manifesto 2.0, and advance access to capital for women entrepreneurs as signatories of the Investing in Women Code.
Impact themes
Each investment we make aims to contribute to the achievement of at least one United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
We consider all impact investment opportunities. The Impact First Fund prioritises investments focused on the UN SDGs, or impact themes, of:
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No Poverty
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Zero Hunger
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Good Health and Well-being
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Quality Education
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Gender Equality
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Clean Water and Sanitation
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Affordable and Clean Energy
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Decent Work and Economic Growth
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Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
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Reduced Inequalities
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Sustainable Cities and Communities
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Responsible Consumption and Production
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Climate Action
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Life Below Water
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Life on Land
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Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
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Partnerships for the Goals
Operating Principles for Impact Management
SIS Ventures impact practice follows best practice. We are pleased to be signatories to the Operating Principles for Impact Management. The Impact Principles are a framework for investors for the design and implementation of their impact management systems, ensuring that impact considerations are integrated throughout the investment lifecycle.
Read our latest annual Disclosure Statement describing the alignment of SIS Ventures impact management systems with each of the Impact Principles here.
We engaged with the Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI) to independently verify the alignment of our impact management systems and processes with the Operating Principles for Impact Management (the Impact Principles). Read our verification statement here.
