Investing for impact
Aligning our assets to support our mission
The largest 300 endowed charitable foundations in the UK have over £84 billion in total assets. The bulk of this is invested in mainstream capital markets without consideration of how it might generate environmental or social benefits.
At Ufi, we take a different approach, moving beyond traditional investment strategies and embracing an impact led approach that seeks both financial and social returns.
Since 2021 our equity investments have been focused on thematic funds aligned with the SDGs and the Impact Management Project’s Impact Classes Matrix. This includes significant allocations to EdTech and VocTech, as well as related themes such as robotics, gender equity, smart mobility, and digital health.
Today, 100% of our financial assets are invested under a framework that avoids negative impacts and aims to make a positive contribution to Ufi’s mission, while still achieving our financial goals.
By aligning our assets and funding instruments – grants, venture investment, and investment capital – we now have a single, holistic approach to support our mission and drive positive impact.
Our path to 100% for impact
Moving away from established norms required careful change management, consensus-building, and a willingness to learn from others.
Our approach, our experience and the insights gained have been compiled into a report intended to help organisations considering a similar approach.
Sharing our experience
Our journey has not been without challenges, but the results have been overwhelmingly positive. We have demonstrated that it is possible to meet our financial needs while also furthering our mission, and we are excited about the potential for our new approach to deliver even greater impact in the years ahead.
We believe that our experience can serve as a model for other organisations looking to align their investments with their mission and values. As we continue to innovate and share our learnings, we remain committed to using every resource at our disposal to build a more inclusive, skilled, and resilient workforce for the future.
