Social Impact Investing for Marginalized Communities in Hong Kong: Cases and Issues

• Main Authors: Michael Chak Sham Wong, Richard Chin Yee Yap
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-05-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: social impact investing; social impact fund; revenue generating social organization; social business; Hong Kong
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/10/2831

This paper documents three business cases of social impact investing (SII) for marginalized communities in Hong Kong. Target stakeholders of the cases include displaced old tailors, elderly and wheelchair-bound people, and single-parent families. They are all privately-owned and profit-driven entities with their own social missions. Information on the cases is collected from structured interviews and meetings with their founders and stakeholders. The paper further discusses general issues of SII in Hong Kong and possible mechanisms to support SII development. Tax exemption for investors and donors, related government subsidy schemes, certification on social impacts, and establishment of social impact funds would help SII business thrive in the future.