Beyond Resistance: Building Consistent EDI Practices in Social Investment
Insights, strategies, and practical tools from the Diversity Forum webinar
The Diversity Forum’s recent webinar, “Beyond Resistance: Building Consistent EDI Practices in Social Investment,” brought together three influential leaders from across the sector: Bayo Adelaja MBE (Do it Now Now), Kamran Rashid (Impact Hub Yorkshire), and Ed Siegel (Charity Bank). The session explored how Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is being shaped by today’s funding environment — not through overt opposition, but through structural pressures, shifting priorities and the increasing need to evidence intersectional impact.
This article provides a comprehensive written account of the insights shared during the webinar, together with a downloadable How-To Guide and Case Study to help social investors and intermediaries put this learning into practice.
A Shifting Landscape: EDI Under Pressure
Across the discussion, speakers agreed that although explicit “EDI pushback” is less common than feared, today’s funding landscape does present challenges for inclusive practice.
Financial sustainability vs inclusive investment
Do it Now Now highlighted that while funders remain committed to supporting racially diverse communities, increasing emphasis on sustainability and investment readiness means that organisations must now demonstrate stronger financial models alongside social impact. Their recently launched blended-finance initiative addresses this gap by preparing Black-led and global majority-led enterprises for investment.
Impact Hub Yorkshire reported optimism in the wake of new dormant-asset funding, such as the Pathway Fund, but reinforced that financial resilience must be built in partnership with inclusion — not in competition with it.
Charity Bank reflected on the tension faced by mission-driven lenders: smaller, diverse-led organisations often need smaller and riskier loans. A balanced portfolio must include both high-impact, lower-return lending and the larger loans needed to maintain bank sustainability.
The takeaway: EDI is not being deprioritised, but it now requires a more intentional, structured approach — supported by data, strong governance and the right intermediaries.
Leadership: Making Inclusion a Core Decision-Making Principle
When asked how leaders can keep inclusion central during periods of economic and operational pressure, Ed Siegel emphasised the importance of:
Clear organisational commitment to social mission
Aligned leadership and board oversight
Embedding EDI indicators and metrics into core governance—in investment committees, risk review processes, partner selection and funding decisions
He also highlighted the role of open sector learning, such as this webinar, in sharing practical examples and keeping EDI visible across the ecosystem.
Data and Intersectionality: Moving from Numbers to Understanding
Bayo Adelaja stressed that intersectional data must go beyond standard metrics:
“We need to understand lived experiences — not just tick boxes. Intersectionality matters because people are not one thing.”
DiNN’s research reveals that trust in social investors remains very low among global majority social entrepreneurs — meaning that many do not apply for funding at all. This makes trusted intermediaries essential: organisations that understand community realities, hold lived experience knowledge, and can translate between social enterprises and funders.
Community Impact & Representation: Designing for Inclusion
Both Bayo and Kamran shared examples of how intersectional practice shapes better investment products:
Impact Hub Yorkshire’s Sharia-Compliant Zero-Rate Loan
To ensure faith was not a barrier to funding, IHY co-designed a zero-interest, Sharia-compliant loan product, alongside traditional loans. This created parity of access and ensured Muslim social entrepreneurs were not excluded from capital.
Do it Now Now’s Leadership Criteria
DiNN requires organisations in its programmes to be at least 50% Black-led, ensuring that solutions are shaped by lived experience, authenticity and community accountability.
Why this matters
As funders increasingly expect organisations to serve broad and diverse communities, there is a risk of diluting specialist approaches. Intermediaries help organisations articulate:
the intersectionality of the communities they support
the lived-experience underpinning their mission
the specific barriers their communities face
This strengthens funding propositions and ensures cultural, faith-based and social nuances are recognised.
Next Steps: What the Sector Must Do Now
In the final reflections, speakers outlined what is needed to protect and advance progress on inclusion:
1. Embrace patient finance
Communities facing structural disadvantage require longer timeframes, deeper support and more flexible capital.
2. Expand intermediary-led models
Intermediaries like DiNN, Impact Hub Yorkshire, Ubele and others build trust, prepare organisations, provide tailored support, and reduce risk for funders.
3. Strengthen data transparency
Sector-wide consistency in diversity and intersectionality metrics is needed to compare impact, demonstrate equity and inform decision-making.
4. Make better use of the sector’s shared resources
As Kamran noted:
“Platforms like Good Finance are excellent resources for both social enterprises and social investors — helping organisations navigate the landscape, understand their options and build the confidence to engage with social investment.”
5. Institutionalise inclusive systems before the environment shifts
With political and economic uncertainty ahead, the sector must embed inclusive culture, processes and governance now — making progress difficult to reverse.
Featured Downloadable Resources
How-To Guide: Working with Intermediaries for Equitable Outcomes
A practical step-by-step guide for social investors looking to partner with trusted intermediaries to fund diverse-led and under-represented social enterprises.
Download the guide
Case Study: Unlocking Inclusive Investment – Impact Hub Yorkshire’s Zero-Rate Sharia-Compliant Loan
A detailed example of how co-designed investment products can remove barriers, increase trust and deliver equitable outcomes.
Download the case study
Final Thoughts
The webinar reinforced an essential truth: equity and inclusion do not happen by accident — they happen by design. In a sector facing external pressures and shifting priorities, maintaining momentum requires collaboration, courage and intentional action.
By partnering with trusted intermediaries, investing in intersectional data, and designing funding models that reflect the realities of under-represented communities, social investors can help build a more inclusive and resilient ecosystem for years to come.