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Economy and Finance

Economy and Finance

What is a Social Stock Exchange (SSE)?

09 Jun 2023 Zinkpot 182
  1. Social Stock Exchange (SSE) is a segment of the existing Stock Exchange, that can help social enterprises raise funds from the public through the stock exchange mechanism.
  2. It aims to provide an alternative fund-raising instrument. In simpler words, SSE is a medium between social enterprises and fund providers.
  3. What is a social enterprise? Social Stock Exchange identifies social enterprises as the ones engaged in creating positive impact in the society. These are the following two forms of social enterprises:
    1. Not-for-profit organization (NPOs)
    2. For profit social enterprise (FPEs)
  4. 17 criterias under SEBI’s Regulations, 2018 regarding social enterprises include serving to eradicate hunger, poverty, malnutrition, promoting education, employability, equality, and environmental sustainability among others.
  5. Aim: The SSE will provide a new avenue for social enterprises to finance social initiatives, offer them visibility and bring in increased transparency in fund mobilisation and utilisation by social enterprises.
  6. How can social enterprises raise funds on Social Stock Exchange? A social enterprise will have to first register itself on the Social Stock Exchange after which, in the case of NPOs, it can begin raising funds by issuing financial instruments such as Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP).
  7. What is ZCPC? It is an instrument issued by NGOs on an SSE to raise funds. One needs to remember that after fundraising via ZCZP, the borrower does not have to pay the interest or pay the principal either. So, they are akin to donations.
  8. ZCZP offers transparency regarding donations. There has not been much clarity on how social enterprises utilise donations and there have been concerns over the misuse of funds and reports of fraud also.
  9. Eligibility for an NPO: According to Sebi, a a non-profit organisation should be at least 3 years old.
  10. The organisation must have a valid income tax certificate. It must spend at least Rs 50 lakh annually and a minimum Rs 10 lakh of that fund past year. The social stock exchanges can ask for additional information or may seek other requirements for registration.
  11. How can FPEs raise funds SSE? FPEs can raise funds through issue of equity shares on the main board, SME Platform or innovators growth platform of stock exchange. They can also raise funds through equity issue to an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), including social impact or issue of debt instruments.
  12. Retail investors are allowed to invest only in shares offered by for-profit social enterprises under the Main Board. In all other cases, only institutional investors and non-institutional investors can invest in securities issued by the social enterprises.
  13. Sebi granted its final approval, on December 27, for introducing Social Stock Exchange (SSE) as a separate segment on BSE. At present, there are over 20 different social organisations registered under the SSE platform of both exchanges.

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