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portugal launches first "social stock exchange"

Becoming a Dianova's Shareholder

Portugal -  On November 2, was launched in Lisbon an original social initiative called "Social Stock Exchange". This initiative was developed by "Attitude" a non profit organization in partnership with famous Euro-American for-profit corporation Euronext, and supported by the EDP and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundations.

What is social stock exchange?

Social Stock Exchange is the replication of the environment of a stock exchange within Euronext Lisbon – Portugal’s stock  Exchange. An original idea developed by non profit organization Atitude who created the 1st worldwide Social Stock Exchange for BOVESPA – Brazil’s stock exchange
This initiative represents a solution towards making our society more fair and socially oriented. BVS (Bolsa de valores Sociais – Social Stock Exchange) Portugal opened for business on November 2nd 2009. It is the second social stock exchange platform to open and the first to be introduced in Europe. BVS emulates the setting of a traditional Stock Exchange.

Its role is to facilitate the encounter between Social Organisations selected upon strict standards or outcome efficiency and Social Investors who are willing to support these Organisations by acquiring their “social stock”.
By promoting the concepts of Social Investment s, BVS defends that the support of social organisations should no longer be seen as philanthropy or charity, but as a form of investment likely to  generate a new kind of payback: social profits.

For Social Investors

Every organisation and project listed on the BVS website are presented in a way  that will allow the social investor to choose the project that better fits their concepts of social investment. Projects can be sorted by theme, location, field of action & cost. Each social share has a fixed price of € 1. After completing a simple registration process, investors may purchase a minimum of 10 social shares, costing € 10, and may choose to build a social stock portfolio by investing in more than one project.

Shares can be paid for via credit card or cheque. The supported organisation is responsible for sending a donation receipt to the social investor. All data and information submitted by social investors is confidential and safely protected, and BVS will never share this information with third-parties.

Why Invest?

Listed project at BVS are wisely selected. The process of selection is conducted in order to ensure that projects are able to offer effective solutions to emerging social problems, with specific results that will benefit local communities.
BVS does not select projects on the sole basis of their merit. BVS challenge is to  identify and support projects that cut off or eliminate social vulnerability situations. 100% of investment is transferred to the organisation.

TRUST. CREDIBITILY.  TRANSPARENCY. ACCOUNTABILITY. The investor will follow through annual and social impact reports regarding each project, ensuring that his investment is generating Social Profit.

For Social Organisations

In order to submit a project, social organisations must fill out a simple registration form, available on the BVS website. This form will be evaluated by Attitude experts in a process that should take no longer than 30 days. If the proposal fulfils the requirements of BVS, a visit to the project is scheduled so that Attitude's technicians get to know the organisation, the community it works for, the challenges that need to be tackled and the expected social impact.

Once a project is listed on BVS www.bvs.org.pt, Euronext Lisbon and Founding Partners are responsible for attracting social investors who will acquire the Project’s social stock. 100% of the funs are transferred to the listed project, as no commissions or extra  costs will be charged by BVS. Once all shares of a project are sold, a new project by a different organisations is listed.

As of November 13th,  four organisations are listed on BVS: three have  presented Entrepreneurship projects and one on Education: Dianova’s "Education is the Best Prevention" project. Over 20 organisations have begun the registration process in the first week of  operations. Over 150 individuals & companies have become Social Investors during  first week of operations. BVS has received very encouraging press coverage, and is also causing a positive commotion in Social Network platforms such as Facebook or Twitter.

An English version of BVS website will be soon be available at www.bvs.org.pt