CHAPTER : 2 –

INAISE

Making sense with money

INAISE, International Association of Investors in the Social Economy (http://www.inaise.org) is a global network of socially and environmentally oriented financial institutions.  Created in Barcelona, Spain, in 1989 at the initiative of seven social economy financial organizations, INAISE has grown rapidly as the movement of social investors gained importance, volume and visibility in a number of European and non-European countries.  Through INAISE social investors from Norway to South Africa and from Costa Rica to Japan, have joined forces to exchange experience, disseminate information and demonstrate to the world that money can actually be a means to achieve positive social and environmental change.

INAISE members, through their investment policy, foster and promote the development of organisations and enterprises in the following areas:

• Environment and sustainable development: renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydro-energy; organic agriculture, food processing and retailing; nature conservation; eco-building; clean technology;
• Social economy: co-operatives; community enterprises; employee participation; employee buy-outs; micro and small enterprise creation and development, especially among unemployed, migrants, women;
• Social development: social housing; community housing; employment generation; social services, community transport; charities; community groups and the voluntary sector;
• Education and training: school buildings; training courses; alternative schools;
• Health-care: health centers; clinics and hospitals; programs for the disabled; preventive therapies;
• North-South: fair trade; small-enterprise start-ups through micro credit programs; small business training and counseling; crafts, farming, small scaled-industries;
• Culture and arts: artists; exhibitions, theatre; film; dance; local radios.

Not by money alone

INAISE members do not only differ in the sectors in which they invest. They approach investing and depositing differently from traditional financial institutions. Inaise members go beyond anonymous technical banking. As collectors of deposits, they try to be transparent institutions where people can actually see what happens with their money, creating awareness and involvement. As investors, they try to be more than just providers of money: information and advice comes with finance. The terms and conditions for finance may differ. Social investors tend to be more flexible and creative in finding solutions for not-for-profit projects and enterprises which are short of collateral, but with a high social impact and community support.

International diversity

INAISE members demonstrate a great diversity in organizational and legal structures, size, policies and financial instruments. They include banks, co-operative financial institutions, not-for-profit associations, foundations, venture-capital and guarantee-funds. Through Inaise this wealth of experience and variety of instruments becomes available to all who are involved in finding new financial solutions to today’s social and environmental problems. Learning from each others’ successes and failures is probably the most important function of Inaise.

INAISE...  

• Encourages and supports international cooperation between investors in the social economy.
• Serves as an information desk for organisations and individuals interested in the field of social economy financing.
• Disseminates information on its members’ development and experiences, on new publications, conferences and seminars.
• Organises and facilitates international conferences and experience exchange.
• Contributes to and coordinates research projects in the field of social economy financing, sponsored by national and international institutions.
• Facilitates and coordinates joint projects by members.

Structure

INAISE is a non-profit association under Belgium law. INAISE is managed by a Board of Directors, which is elected annually at the General Meeting. The General Meeting is attended by the members of Inaise.  The daily management of Inaise is delegated to the Executive Secretary who is in charge of the Inaise secretariat in Brussels.

To find out more, go to the INAISE website http://www.inaise.org.