Social impact investing has emerged as a potential funding mechanism for addressing underinvestment in the social determinants of health among populations experiencing structurally entrenched disadvantage.

This research explores the complex landscape of impact investing, including in health and social services, examining both its promise and pitfalls for advancing health equity. Our study is analysing global impact investment funds, mapping their investment themes, target populations, geographical focus, fund origins, sizes, and key board memberships.

This session will share results in progress, including discussion around significant heterogeneity in fund activities, revealing a spectrum of risks and opportunities for health equity. While impact investing theoretically offers increased funding for social and health equity interventions, it also introduces financialised logics and profit-driven approaches potentially undermining the reach and scope of services and deepening privatisation.

About the speaker

Ashley Schram is an Associate Professor at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) and Deputy Director of the Australian Research Centre for Health Equity (ARCHE). As an interdisciplinary health researcher, she investigates the relationships between social structures, policy, governance, equity, and wellbeing. Her work analyses systemic changes that influence health outcomes, focusing on power and privilege through the lens of economic policy, particularly investment policies and practices, such as social impact investing and its role in addressing societal challenges. Her research also examines the financial and corporate forces shaping food systems and their impact on public health.

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This seminar presentation is in-person only. Registration is not required for in-person attendance as neither the ANU nor ACT Health conduct contact tracing any longer.

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Image credit: Image of stethoscope on top of pages of charts by PaeGAG used under Adobe Education License