Edinburgh hosts first Scottish conference on social finance

Scotland’s first conference focused on social finance will be held at Edinburgh’s Roxburghe Hotel today, with delegates discussing how money can be better used by the country’s third sector to create a fairer society and to benefit people and our environment.

Experts from around the world will be speaking about social finance, social investment and social banking at the event, which will be opened by Scotland’s deputy first minister, John Swinney.

The conference is being hosted by independent charity Scottish Community Re: Investment Trust, which works to influence, inform and assist the Scottish third sector to align its financial resources and planning with its aspirations for a more social and environmentally just Scotland.

Deirdre Forsyth, Chair of Scottish Community Re: Investment Trust, said: “Scotland’s third sector makes a remarkable difference to society. Today’s conference will explore how the sector’s impact can be magnified through more sustainable, collaborative and socially responsible use of money.”

Crowdfunding campaigns, community shares, social banks and more will all be in the spotlight.

Speakers include Eric Holterhues, Head of SRI Funds at Triodos Investment Management BV in The Netherlands; Rod Ashley, Chief Executive at Scotland’s Airdrie Savings Bank; Adrian Saches, Client Executive at GLS Social Bank in Germany; Dan Gregory, Blogger at Common Capital; and Peter Quarmby, Founding Director of Community Sector Banking in Australia.

Principle sponsor of the conference is Airdrie Savings Bank (airdriesavingsbank.com).

Other sponsors include the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Zero Waste Scotland.

The conference –’Social Finance: Social Investment: Social Banking - What makes them Social? – is part of Scottish Community Re: Investment Trust’s ambition to transform Scotland’s third sector finances. The trust says that the sector lacks a financial framework suited to its values and ways of working – with challenges including scattered resources, unsuitable financial products, and a lack of Scottish-focused banks offering a transparent way to invest ethically.