Across the UK, the number of looked-after children has been steadily increasing, with a 2% rise to 80,080 in England alone during the year to March 2020. Providing high-quality care and support for young people with complex needs can help improve their resilience and skills, to ease the transition into adulthood. For children with the highest level of need, residential placements are often more appropriate than foster placements.

New Reflexions is a leading children’s residential care provider based in Shropshire, offering residential placements and specialist education. It works with young people with complex needs whom the state has deemed require care away from their families, providing placements that combine care, education, and therapy. The residential care provider helps to build individuals’ resilience and facilitate a pathway of opportunities for their future.

New Reflexions continues to provide quality care to young people with complex needs, delivering over 18,500 days of care to young people in 2021 and working with an average of 52 young people. 50% of its eligible services are now rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, testament to the quality of its provision.

www.newreflexions.co.uk

The built environment is responsible for approximately 40% of energy use and around 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. Decarbonising buildings is a critical element in creating the net zero carbon economy to which the UK has committed to achieving by 2050. Globally, 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings, which use approximately 40% of the world’s raw materials.

Sustainable real estate also provides opportunities for tenants and owners alike – often offering more attractive rental/sales prospects through more efficient and affordable operating costs, and greener reputations. And whether for intrinsic reasons, or in anticipation of growing legislation, demand for sustainable real estate stock (both new and retrofitted) is on the rise.

In October 2022, Bridges invested in Evora Global, a UK consultancy that helps clients around the world to improve the sustainability and reduce the climate risk of their real estate portfolios. The consultancy provides services to many of the biggest names in global real estate investment, across 10 offices and 38 countries. Its proprietary software, SIERA, helps its clients to leverage data and make better investment decisions around sustainability.

Bridges’ market-leading credentials in the area of sustainability and impact, including its status as a ‘Best for the World’ B Corp, along with its track record as a sustainable real estate investor, was a clear differentiator for the team.

Evora is committed to ensuring buildings can be sustainable – as well as productive, profitable, and resilient to change. Since inception, it has mobilised and managed sustainability data for approximately 8,000 assets, and its services range from ESG strategy to data intelligence, smart buildings to its newly-introduced social wellbeing services.

Evora’s recent expansion into the US demonstrates both real demand for its services, and the continued opportunity to make huge impact in a sector that needs urgent change.

www.evoraglobal.com

According to Kantar, over 80 per cent of employees have observed or experienced some kind of bias at work, and around a quarter are made to feel uncomfortable in their work environment. Regrettably over half of minority ethnic and sociocultural group members believe that they are treated very differently at work, excluded or consistently feel anxious because of their identity. The Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) services market – which works to mitigate these injustices – is worth about £3.5bn and is growing rapidly (over 20% p/a), driven by the broader societal trend towards equity and greater inclusivity.

Bridges has invested in Talking Talent, a business that helps organisations to build more diverse, inclusive and equitable work cultures via systemic coaching and leadership consulting programmes. The company focuses on retention and career progression of under-represented employees, including women, ethnically diverse groups and working parents. Programmes help to empower individuals and leaders across organisation levels, which leads to greater engagement and sense of inclusion, improved productivity, and better performance.

Today, the business has operations in UK, US, and Asia, and employs over 60 people, supporting clients such as PwC, Boeing, Siemens and Unilever.

Previously, Talking Talent’s programmes have achieved a five-times greater than average promotion rate for women at Lloyds Banking Group, seen 42% of participants at Siemens promoted in under a year after attending, and saved EY £16.6m in attrition costs after coaching parents through leave and return. Bridges is working closely with the business to accelerate its growth and deepen its consulting capabilities, to help positively shape working environments for employers and employees around the world.

For years, economies have enjoyed growth based on an assumption that resources are abundant; a ‘consumer culture’ has developed where we endlessly create, consume and discard. Around 50m tonnes of waste goes to landfill each year in the UK, significantly contributing to CO2 emissions, while just 9% of the global economy is considered circular. So there is a huge opportunity – and a clear imperative – to convert the remaining 80 billion+ tonnes of material extracted for use annually to a more sustainable lifecycle.

The circular economy is growing across different sectors, from re-commerce to plastic, electronic waste to clothing – striving to reduce the consumption of raw materials and energy, and protect or even regenerate our natural environment. Moreover, consumers are increasingly choosing to purchase from more sustainably-minded brands, giving those businesses a competitive edge.

World of Books Group is a circular economy technology business that has pioneered the reuse and recycling of used books. It has grown to become one of the biggest sellers of used books globally – selling a book somewhere in the world every two seconds.  WOB’s market-leading algorithms, built upon 12 years of innovation and sales data, have made it a best-in-class re-commerce technology business; it has also developed its own sourcing app (Ziffit) and online sales software for charities (Shopiago).

World of Books has seen strong growth and momentum through its WOB.com channel, ‘direct from consumer’ sourcing via its Ziffit app, and a successful launch in the US. Crucially, World of Books’ model means that items don’t end up in landfill, reducing CO2 emissions and waste: the business averted over 7,000 tonnes of net CO2 emissions in FY20, both through its core business model and via a combination of newly upgraded, fuel efficient fleet vehicles, automated routing software, new facilities, and other changes. WOB also achieved B Corporation status in 2019, meaning that it meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.

https://www.wob.com/

www.worldofbooks.com

In 2018, the UK’s transport sector was the largest emitter of net domestic greenhouse gases (28%); and in 2019, 91% of the country’s transport emissions were produced by road transport vehicles. Since 1990, van traffic has doubled and van emissions have increased by 67%.

The Future of Mobility has been a key target sector for SGF: high growth, with a large addressable market and clear lock-step between growth and impact outcomes. Sector-specific technology-driven solutions continue to gain traction, from electric and hydrogen powered vehicles to low cost, low carbon & high-efficiency operating innovations, to essential improvements in road safety.

Matrix iQ provides cutting-edge software-based solutions to enable the efficient management of fleets. Data collected provides operators and clients with insights into risk, location and utilisation, including granular details on driver braking and acceleration habits, which help to mitigate exhaust emissions plus tyre wear and tear (which can leave particles on the roadside). As well as limiting the environmental impact of fleets, Matrix’s technology has an economic benefit for fleet managers (by minimising fuel usage via efficient routing and managing vehicle maintenance) and can improve driver behaviour and safety (reducing accidents and mitigating insurance premiums).

Accelerating the growth of Matrix’s core SaaS-based telematics solutions means more operators and drivers are able to limit their carbon emissions and cultivate highly efficient fleets – an essential part of any strategy for the UK to reach its ‘net zero by 2050’ target. Building out the business’ occupational road risk management solution, DRiiVE, means improving driver behaviour, via electronic vehicle checks, data-driven driver feedback, and even real-time driver interventions – in turn increasing safety on the roads. Data collected is also helping to inform client suitability for and successful transition to electric vehicles.

Today’s conscious consumers are increasingly looking to buy from from brands that share their values. So businesses that are thoughtful about impact across their entire model – from using sustainable materials and processes, to proper treatment of staff, to trading fairly with suppliers – can often find themselves at a competitive advantage. In parallel, as consumers spend more time at home in the post-Covid world – and do more and more of their shopping online – we saw an opportunity to invest in online homeware retail, a market that is already worth £2bn and is expected to grow at c.8% p/a in the coming years.

Founded in 2002, Nkuku is a retailer selling handmade and ethical homeware and lifestyle products. The Bridges team identified Nkuku as an authentic, purpose-led brand well-positioned to develop into an ESG leader within its category, given the strength of its mission to support and work with independent businesses, fair trade enterprises, social projects and co-operatives around the globe. The business values transparency with its suppliers and supports economic empowerment through ethical trade, while also striving to minimise its impact on the environment. For example, it uses sustainable and natural materials, focuses on traditional methods of production and curates collections that last beyond seasonal trends. Products are available primarily via Nkuku’s e-commerce site, and its existing B2B channel continues to grow.

Nkuku is well-placed to spearhead and champion the role of ‘ethical consumerism’ in the premium homeware market. It works with around 4,300 employees in the supply chain, across 45 Tier 1 suppliers who hold an external supply chain certification such as WFTO, SEDEX or BCI. 100% of suppliers either have this Tier 1 certification or have signed Nkuku’s supplier manual. Post Bridges’ investment, the business is committed to refining and optimising its approach to impact measurement and management.

The UK population is ageing, with the proportion of over-60s set to rise by 20% in the next decade. With chronic health conditions also on the rise, the Department of Health & Social Care estimates that between 2018 and 2038, 57% more adults aged 65+ in England will require care. Given the capacity issues in NHS primary care, home care must be part of the solution – while also responding to the increasing demand for higher quality care and stronger support for carers.

Alina Homecare focuses on delivering high quality care to the elderly and disabled, whilst ensuring a supportive environment for its carers. It provides its care staff with a larger amount of more specialised training, resulting in improved service for clients and higher standards of care within the home setting. This model addresses some of the fundamentals of quality care provision (security, reliability and consistency) while also creating a platform for sustainable growth, through a strong focus on its workforce. The company aims to work closely with service users, local authorities, the NHS and other organisations to streamline, and be a catalyst for, the integration of UK health and social care. Alina was introduced directly to Bridges through our health and social care network.

Alina has received an average user satisfaction rating of 98%, demonstrating a strong focus on quality of care, which continues to be at the heart of the Alina model. It has delivered 2 million hours of care to date and counts over 2,500 customers. Importantly, Alina’s focus on training, engagement and direct recruitment (without relying on agencies), allows the company to achieve an attrition rate well below the industry average.

www.alinahomecare.com

An important way to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy is to make much greater use of clean and renewable energy to power our homes.

Clean energy sector is a high-growth sector: according to the International Energy Agency, the increase in global power capacity from 2020 to 2026 will be almost 95% renewables.

As well as helping to mitigate climate change, this switch to clean energy can also reduce dependence on imported fuels, increase resilience to price volatility, and support economic development and green jobs.

Based in Germany, HYCUBE Technologies provides a complete decentralised clean energy system to homeowners. Its offering combines solar panels, proprietary high-tech battery storage, an electric vehicle ‘wallbox’, proprietary smart home energy management software and ancillaries to improve energy independence and efficiency – bringing the benefits of clean energy to millions of family households, and supporting the transition to a lower-carbon economy.

HYCUBE is benefiting from some helpful macro tailwinds: in Germany alone, the market for renewable energy systems is already worth is already worth almost €5bn, and this figure is expected to almost double in the next five years.

HYCUBE’s offering enables customers to cut their grid electricity consumption by 80-90%. This substantially reduces energy bills while also mitigating carbon emissions from fossil fuel usage: early estimates suggest the business could be delivering annual carbon savings of approximately 12,000 tonnes by 2026.

Bridges’ investment will enable HYCUBE to expand its provision to significantly more households in Germany, working directly with customers and through established installers.

There are an estimated 4.5m people living in poverty in private rented accommodation in the UK, a total that has increased by c. 80% since 2007.  An increased availability of decent and affordable accommodation for people in housing need will help those who are vulnerable stay off the streets.

The Ethical Housing Company is a property venture with a mission to create a portfolio of decent and affordable homes for rent in Teesside. Bridges has partnered with Carla Keegans, a housing expert and founder of The Ethical Lettings Agency, which helps people in housing need find and sustain suitable accommodation. In partnership, The Ethical Housing Company is buying properties and renting them out via The Ethical Lettings Agency at affordable rates to vulnerable individuals and families, then supporting them to sustain that accommodation.

With over 160 rental properties now under management, The Ethical Housing Company continues to support those in housing need. In the year to March 2021, c. 50% of its lettings were to households that were previously homeless. With a majority of tenants in receipt of benefits, the partnership also provides expert help on how to navigate the benefits system, which helps them to secure the funds they need to sustain their accommodation. Ultimately, we hope The Ethical Housing Company can expand its reach to 1,000+ homes over time.

www.ethicalhousing.co.uk

With so much of our daily lives now powered by technology – a trend accelerated by the rise of remote and digital working post-Covid – data security has become a significant ESG issue. According to the World Economic Forum, cybersecurity is now one of the five key risks facing businesses globally: more than 80% of UK companies have experienced a successful cyber-attack in the last year. This is creating strong demand for services that can help companies digitise and secure their critical data: the electronic data storage market is forecast to grow at about 15% in the coming years.

Storetec, based in Hull, provides outsourced document scanning, archive storage and cloud-based document management solutions to businesses in both the public and private sectors, including NHS Trusts, councils, FTSE 100 companies, professional services firms and SMEs. This enables the 400+ organisations it works with each year to protect their most sensitive data and build more sustainable digital workflows.

The company has multiple gold standard accreditations and has won numerous awards for the quality and security of its services, including Business of the Year (for its digitisation business) and Records Management Product of the Year (for FreeDocs) at the Document Management Awards.

Over the last decade, Storetec has digitised over 333m paper records: FreeDocs, its proprietary digital platform, now stores over 8,000GB of data. For customers, Storetec’s services enable improved data protection, regulatory compliance and archives access, and – by supporting their digitisation journey – lower carbon emissions via reduced paper consumption.

https://www.storetec.net/

Electronic waste is a growing environmental challenge globally. According to the UN, 54m tonnes of e-waste was produced globally in 2019, and 83% of this was not recycled sustainably, typically ending up in landfill (where it can be extremely toxic). The U.K. alone generated 1.5m tonnes of e-waste – equivalent to 55kg per household, the second highest total in Europe.

At the same time, the IT lifecycle means there is growing demand from corporates for secure, sustainable IT asset disposal. By reusing or recycling computers, we can not only avert this damage but also preserve and create economic value: relative to landfill or incinerator disposal, a more sustainable approach could create an estimated 296 more jobs annually (for every 10,000 tonnes of computer waste processed).

Tier 1 is a pioneering circular economy business that specialises in IT asset disposal (ITAD), IT refurbishment and the reselling of used IT hardware. Based in Manchester, the company works with corporate clients to safely and securely dispose of their end-of-life IT equipment. It then refurbishes these assets and re-sells them both through its own online channel and via third party IT resellers. Any assets that cannot be resold are broken up for recycling. As well as reducing e-waste, this also provides customers with a compelling alternative to buying new IT equipment, both from a price and sustainability perspective.

Tier 1’s differentiated market position and focus on quality means it is well placed to benefit from the further growth of this sector over the next decade. The company also has a strong social value focus, evident in its exclusive partnership with the charity ComputerAid, which works to broaden access to technology in developing markets, and its programme with the charity Antz Junction, which provides work experience and support to prisoners ‘through the gate’ (for which the company received a Queens Award for Enterprise in 2019).

Lithium‑ion battery deployment is scaling rapidly across stationary storage and mobility, creating greater exposure to safety failures, underperformance, and premature degradation. Operators, insurers, and financiers increasingly require independent analytics to predict and prevent issues and optimise asset value.

Accure provides a battery intelligence platform that analyzes real‑time BMS data to detect safety risks, improve performance, and extend battery lifetimes. Its unified software offers capabilities such as failure prediction, lifetime modelling, and state‑of‑charge correction, delivering measurable efficiency gains for utility‑scale storage and mobility customers.

Accure improves the safety, reliability, and longevity of lithium‑ion batteries, enabling faster adoption of renewable energy and electric mobility while reducing operating costs and material waste.