Task 10.1 Social Finance Outline (Final Essay)

Task 10.1 Social Finance Outline (Final Essay)

For each paragraph/section you need a heading and topic sentence, plus 1-3 bullet points about what you'll discuss in that paragraph/section.

*Using example structure 1

Before your start your outline, consider the writing prompt youve been given. What ideas or thoughts does it spark for you? In the required reading for Week 10, I pulled out these key quotes to use as my jumping-off point. You may have noted different elements of the articles:

"There is an urgent need to clarify what is meant by Social and Sustainable Finance" (Clark, 2016, p xxxiii)

[Relan (2011)] defines social banks as banks that integrate ethics in the whole project of finance and use profitability to serve ethical goals. (Weber, 2016, p468) *NOTE use of [] to adjust quote for readability!

Brainstorming from initial reading and quotes above:

What is Social Finance? Social Finance can be thought of as an alternative financing tool for projects and ventures with financial returns that are also able to generate a positive impact on society, the environment and sustainable development (Secinaro et al. 2021, p1). This wide-reaching definition encompasses a large financial ecosystem.

What is the big problem or social issue Social Finance is trying to address? Pairing financial returns with social, environmental and sustainable factors.

Who is included in the ecosystem? Social banks, microfinance, savings trusts, collaborative funding

UN SDGs or The Aotearoa Circles goals etc

If we use Essay Structure 1:

Introduction [e.g. On the Need for Social Finance]

What is Social Finance? How is it different from traditional finance?

Why do we need sustainable forms of finance?

Microfinance/Social Banking/other form of finance can you focus on a TYPE of social finance to target your essay better?

Typical stance on the topic PLUS background review of topic

Typical stance is FOR doing finance differently

What is the issue SF is trying to address? Sustainability, ESG, ethical ventures

Why is SF important?

What impact might it have, or has (your case study/example) had?

Lead into your Key Argument 1

Key argument or point 1 [e.g. Social Banking is the Future of Banking]

Define social banking

Argue for this model of financing as going beyond CSR and the banking status quo

Provide an example of a social bank

Outline a counter argument (the opposing stance) Example Structure 1 [e.g. Saving the world isnt the job of financial institutions]

Conventional or traditional banking is necessary for society/economies to function/business as usual is fine (e.g. argument FOR the status quo)

Likely to also find sources arguing that Social Finance is difficult to do well/is riskier/too immature a market to take mainstream yet, if you look for traditional sources/studies on the topic

Refute the counter argument [e.g. Ignore the need to do things differently at your peril]

Industries, including the finance industry and banking, risk being forced into a new normal if they ignore growing calls for change

Restate the size of the problem/calls for change, use the opportunity to extend Key Argument 1 and deepen main point(s)

Conclusion: restate OUR stance, conclude the essay and maybe include a call to action (what do you want your reader to do?) [e.g. Concluding Remarks: A new normal?]

Close essay with powerful or aspirational call to action for financial institutions to put social impact at the core of their business