SKI’s Capital for Impact Practice Area conducted a webinar focusing on the comprehensive process of registering and listing an NGO on the Social Stock Exchange (SSE), a significant milestone in accessing capital within the impact ecosystem. The session, titled ‘From Readiness to Listing: NGOs’ SSE Journey,’ was facilitated and moderated by Lekhya Reddy, Engagement Manager, and Lead of the Capital for Impact Practice Area, in collaboration with Unnati Foundation, the first organisation to list on SSE, alongside Trilegal, NABARD, and Unitus Capital. The webinar addressed the following questions:
- What makes SSE a potential game-changer for driving social impact?
- What is the step-by-step process for registering and listing on SSE?
- What building blocks should NGOs have in place to successfully register and list on SSE?
- What legal and regulatory aspects should NGOs be aware of before considering SSE registration and listing?
- What are the common challenges NGOs may face during the listing process, and how can they be overcome?
The session commenced with an overview by Ramesh Swamy, Director of Unnati Foundation, discussing the organisation’s decision to register and list on SSE. He emphasised SSE’s potential as a promising funding source, but stressed the importance of capacity building for nonprofits, funders, and intermediaries to realise this vision. Following this, Suryanarayan from Unnati Foundation shared the process for SSE registration and listing, along with insights on essential building blocks for NGO success.
Rima Agarwalla, Vice President at Unitus Capital, highlighted the significance of understanding regulations, creating a comprehensive fundraising document, engaging potential investors, and collaborating closely with exchanges. Richa Choudhary, a Partner in the Capital Markets practice at Trilegal, addressed the legal and regulatory aspects that NGOs should consider before SSE registration and listing.
The session concluded with Raymond B D’Souza, Chief General Manager at NABARD and NABARD’s Nominee on the SEBI SSE Committee and the NSE SSE, discussing common challenges NGOs might encounter during the listing process and providing recommendations on how SSE could evolve over the upcoming years to address these challenges.
If you missed the session, you can access the recording of the webinar here:
