The First Billion: a forecast of social investment demand (2012)

The UK’s social investment market could be worth £1bn by 2016, according to a Big Society Capital report The First Billion: a forecast of social investment demand.

It says that the average annual growth in the social investment market could be 38%, but even by 2016, it would provide only 7.4% of organisations’ needs.  The report, written by management consultants Boston Consulting Group for Big Society Capital, is based on a mixture of interviews with 40 existing organisations working in 26 subsectors, as well as public data relating to those sectors.

Adrian Brown, principal at The Boston Consulting Group, who led the research, commented:  "Social investment is clearly a market ready for growth. There is increasing interest from commercial and other investors, and growing demand for capital from social organisations. There is continued need for strong, positive action from donors, commissioners, investors  and market intermediaries."