Social Stock Exchange

Social Stock Exchange

News: Recently, the Unnati Foundation became the first entity to list on the social stock exchanges (SSE).

What is Social Stock Exchange?
• The Social Stock Exchange (SSE) in India is an electronic fund-raising platform proposed by the Finance Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, during the Budget Speech for FY 2019-20.
• It’s regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and allows social enterprises and voluntary organizations working towards social welfare objectives to list their securities or other financial instruments.

What are its objectives?
• It aims to bring together social enterprises and donors.
• It facilitates funding and growth of social enterprises.
• It ensures robust standards of social impact and financial reporting.
• It allows Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) to raise funds through the issuance of Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) Instruments.
• It requires NPOs to provide annual disclosures and a statement of utilization of funds.

Eligibility criteria:
• Any non-profit organisation (NPO) or for-profit social enterprise (FPSEs) that establishes the primacy of social intent would be recognised as a social enterprise (SE), which will make it eligible to be registered or listed on the SSE.
• The seventeen plausible criteria as listed under Regulations 292E of SEBI’s ICDR (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018 entail that enterprises must be serving to eradicate either hunger, poverty, malnutrition and inequality; promoting education, employability, equality, empowerment of women and LGBTQIA+ communities; working towards environmental sustainability; protection of national heritage and art or bridging the digital divide, among other things.
• At least 67% of their activities must be directed towards attaining the stated objective. Corporate foundations, political or religious organisations or activities, professional or trade associations, infrastructure and housing companies (except affordable housing) would not be identified as an SE.