Engaging with the care economy: a guide for investors, employers, and corporate actors

November 2022

In order to amplify the importance of the care economy, provide investors with an understanding, raise awareness and spotlight actionable roadmaps, the GenderSmart & 2X Collaborative Care Economy Working Group 16 commissioned two briefs. This second brief provides practical guidance to investors and employers on how to engage and builds on Brief 1 that sets the scene of what the care economy covers, the types of business models and challenges to overcome. This adjacent primer is targeted for investors, in both private and public markets, employers and corporate actors who seek to engage in the care economy. It provides research, learning and best practice examples for exploring pathways to get involved. It answers the following questions: Why invest? What is holding investment back? What are investment pathways for investors and employers? And, how to get started? This brief does not prescribe ready-made solutions, but rather is intended to provoke thinking and provide a step-by-step to inspire next steps.

These primers are not exhaustive, but provide a picture of the current state of this quickly evolving field. Also note, throughout the two briefs the authors refer to women, however, acknowledge the importance of an intersectional gender analysis (i.e. women from different backgrounds, thinking about diversity across race, ethnicity, migrant status, income, age, sexual orientation etc). These dynamics can further impact access, affordability and impact.

Other briefs in this series:

The care economy: an introduction

Investing in the care economy: a primer for gender-smart investors