Over the last two years, the Covid-19 crisis has had a profound effect on almost every aspect of the global economy.

At Bridges, we have been working closely with our partners to respond effectively and positively to these challenges.

As an impact-driven investor, we have always believed that businesses and organisations are better-placed to succeed and build value over the long term if they focus on driving better outcomes for all their stakeholders. This conviction has been central to our Covid-19 response.

We are proud of the work our partners did in the initial phase of the crisis (with support from the Bridges team) to protect their staff, customers and other key stakeholders – from collectively sourcing PPE equipment, to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of remote workers.

And we are proud of the innovative and agile ways our partners found to engage with their customers and clients, in order to protect value and maintain continuity of service. Some were able to adapt their operating model or launch new delivery channels or new services almost overnight.

Finally, we are proud of the incredible efforts our partners made to help the most vulnerable people in their communities – from providing meals for key workers to shipping PPE.

The Bridges team has also been trying to support charities working on the front-line of the Covid-19 crisis via the Bridges Impact Foundation. Our CharityBegins@Home initiative raised almost £40,000 in 2021 to support the most vulnerable in our society. 

In the longer term, we are eager to play a leading role in the post-crisis recovery. This period has laid bare (and in some cases accentuated) significant injustices and inequalities. We continue to work closely with our partners to understand what we can learn from all this – with a view to rebuilding our economy in a way that is more inclusive and more sustainable.