Impact investment

Creating a ‘Speak Up’ culture in purpose-driven businesses: The benefits of an effective whistleblowing framework

Bates Wells convenes the Impact Counsels’ Forum, a space for senior counsel working within impact investors, B Corps, and other purpose-driven businesses. The forum discusses the ‘impact angles’ on legal and practical issues faced by in-house legal teams. Recently, the forum explored the benefits an effective whistleblowing framework and how that can support an open …
Read more

Purpose & Impact: your roundup | June

Welcome to your roundup – a monthly selection of news hand-picked to keep you up to date with what’s going on for businesses and investors working to create positive impact. In this roundup you can find out what’s new in the B Corp, social enterprise, and impact investing spaces, amongst others, collated under helpful headings. …
Read more

Impact investing: key trends for 2024 and beyond

With increased awareness about the need for impactful decision-making, business operations and investments (both on a personal and corporate level), it is unsurprising that the rise in impact investing continues. The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) estimates that over 3,907 organizations currently manage $1.571 trillion USD in impact investing AUM worldwide, representing 21% compound annual …
Read more

Joe Whitfield joins Bates Wells as new Head of Development Finance

At Bates Wells, for over two decades, we’ve been helping clients in the UK to make (and raise) investments which provide both a financial return and positive impact for the greater good. But in today’s world, many of the systemic social and environmental problems we’re facing are global in scope – and in their negative …
Read more

What ESG lessons can businesses learn from impact investing firms?

Nirav Patel, our new Corporate Partner, shares some thoughts on how businesses can learn Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) best practice from impact investing firms. Nirav Patel is a corporate partner at Bates Wells and has experience advising on Corporate M&A (including with deals featuring international / cross-border elements), Corporate Real Estate M&A, corporate structuring …
Read more

Responsible supply chain management – what you need to know

According to McKinsey, 90% of companies’ environmental impacts come from their supply chains. So there’s no better way to manage the effect that your organisation has on the environment than by understanding and managing your suppliers’ impact. Last week (8 November), Richard Marke, Head of Corporate & Commercial at Bates Wells, spoke about responsible supply …
Read more

Bates Wells rewrites fellow B Corp Planit IE’s articles of association and employment contracts to better reflect its values

Planit IE is a design practice that pioneers sustainability and puts the long-term health of the environment and communities it works with at the heart of everything it does. Earlier this year, we rewrote their articles of association and employment contracts to better reflect their B Corp values. Our first step was to gain a …
Read more

Acquiring and investing in B Corps – our top tips

If you’re considering acquiring or investing in a B Corporation, then this guide is for you. We set out the key things you should consider before starting the process.
Read more