BVCA’s Excellence in Impact Awards recognises exceptional commitments to ESG
The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) has recognised Big Issue Invest (BII) and Explore Learning in its ‘Excellence in Impact’ Awards. The Awards celebrate companies that are committed to creating significant environmental and social impact alongside their financial returns.
The awards ceremony, held during the BVCA Annual Summit Main Conference, highlighted firms showcasing best practices in impact investment from across the private capital industry. The judging panel, comprising; Sarah Teacher of the Impact Investing Institute, Jonny Page of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Douglas Sloan of Better Society Capital and Lindsay Smart of Triple Point, recognised firms that had implemented an impressive vision of social and environmental impact as part of its investment strategy.
Big Issue Invest (BII) was awarded for its commitment to addressing poverty and social inequality through impactful investments. The judges commended BII’s strong articulation of its impact goals, which are deeply integrated into its strategy, policies, and value creation plans. BII’s focus on high-need areas and its prioritisation of diverse leadership within its portfolio further underscored its dedication to driving social change.
Explore Learning was recognised for its strong focus on education and addressing disadvantage through tailored Maths and English tuition for children. Judges highlighted Explore’s commitment to measuring and enhancing its social impact, alongside clear integration of social objectives within its daily operations. In 2023, Explore supported 4,772 children receiving free school meals with discounted scholarships, an increase of 1,700 from the previous year. Explore’s expanding partnerships further strengthen its mission, extending tuition support to local communities in need.
Commenting on the ‘Excellence in Impact’ awards, BVCA Chief Executive Michael Moore said:
“The BVCA’s ‘Excellence in Impact’ awards celebrate the firms that are leading the way in making meaningful environmental and social contributions while achieving strong financial returns.
“These awards highlight the best practices in impact investment across the private capital industry, honouring those who are setting the standard for integrating impact into their business strategies.”
Danyal Sattar OBE, Chief Executive of Big Issue Invest said:
“It is a privilege to be this year’s Top Recognised GP Company for the Excellence in Impact Award. This recognition reflects our unwavering mission to address poverty and social inequality through impactful investments. Our commitment to integrating clear impact goals across our strategy and value creation plans drives us to continually enhance the social impact of our portfolio. We are proud to focus on high-need areas and champion diverse leadership, and we look forward to deepening our impact in the future.”
Bill Mills, Chief Executive Officer of Explore Learning said:
“We are proud to have been recognised for our work supporting the growth of confidence and skills in children though our Scholarship Programme and Big Dream Programme. Our programmes help to tackle the Disadvantage Gap and supported over 5,000 members during 2023, giving more access for under-resourced families to experience the benefits of Explore Learning tuition.
“We are on a mission to build the most impactful learning approach in the world, backed by science and real intelligence. We believe that the future of learning is led by incredible people, supported by smart technology. People will always be at the heart of the education that we deliver because we know there’s no better way to boost confidence, resilience, and positivity - the key ingredients to helping children thrive in their education and beyond.”
Media contacts
James Gribben, BVCA: [email protected]
Note to Editors
About the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association
The BVCA, as the representative body for private equity and venture capital, connects institutional investors, fund managers, companies, advisers and service providers together, with our membership currently comprising more than 600 businesses from across the private capital ecosystem. This includes more than 250 PE and VC firms, 100 institutional investors and 200 professional services firms.
Private capital drives growth – providing the funding, expertise and long-term view that enables companies to innovate and flourish. Our mission is to advocate the transformative nature of the private equity and venture capital community.
