Dealflow | April 12, 2018

“Sapphire” fund invests $7.5 million in Southern Bancorp

ImpactAlpha
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ImpactAlpha

ImpactAlpha, April 11 – Earlier this year, the SFRE Fund (for Sustainability, Finance, Real Economies) moved from the Global Alliance for Banking on Values to Triodos Investment Management in the Netherlands.

SFRE’s first deal since the transfer is an equity investment in Southern Bancorp, a community development investment bank that serves low-income and rural communities in Arkansas and Mississippi.

  • More than a bank… Southern Bancorp serves low-income families with traditional banking services along with tools like credit counseling and public policy advocacy.
  • Emerged markets… SFRE Fund has committed $44 million since 2015 to “values-aligned” banks. Southern Bancorp is the fund’s first investment in “emerged” markets.

The investment “marks a new opportunity for Southern Bancorp, Inc. to attract other institutional investors that share our values,” said Southern Bancorp’s Darrin Williams.