Astrid Kaag is senior policy advisor International Affairs for the regional government of Noord-Brabant (NL) on the topic of socio-economic transformation. This transformation is about all actions of stakeholders that contribute to the recovering of balance between people, planet, profit: varying from grass roots’ initiatives to corporate businesses doing business for the greater good. Important change makers in this movement are social entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs invest in contributing to societal issues; their business is not primarily aimed at making a (monetary) profit but about creating positive societal and ecological impact.
One of the things Astrid did to take concrete action, is to initiate the Brabant Outcomes Fund (BOF): a public-private fund to scale enterprises that create positive impact on both people, planet and profit. The BOF is inspired by the methodology of social impact bonds and outcomes funds but slightly different, like financial savings are not the main goal and it focuses on the validation and stimulation of multiple (social, ecological and economic) value and both quantitative and qualitative impacts. Currently Astrid is working on the second investment-round of the BOF with a focus on circularity & sustainability, care & digitalization, nature & food and happy, healthy citizens.