An intensive marketing and promotions campaign to heighten public awareness about the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE) is currently underway.

The JSSE, which was launched in January by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, is an initiative of the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE). It is intended to facilitate funding support, through public donations, for organisations involved in the implementation of social programmes for the society’s most vulnerable and marginalised citizens.

JSE managing director, Marlene Street Forrest informed that the marketing campaign incorporates the use of traditional media — both electronic and print — social media, events, and direct marketing.

Members of the Jamaican Diaspora in North America, the United Kingdom, among other areas, are being targeted as part of the effort. The JSE showcased the JSSE at the recent Jamaica Diaspora conference, which was held at Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown, Kingston.

Already, the first five of more than 20 applicants under the JSSE’s Jamaica Social Investment Market (JSIM) have been approved.

The JSIM, one of the JSSE’s two components, facilitates funding support for social enterprises through donations, once entities have met the stipulated criteria.

The other component, the Jamaica Social Impact Investment (JSII) enables the public to invest in the entities through share offers, allowing them to generate capital to finance their operations. This aspect is awaiting the passage of the relevant regulations to facilitate its operation.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-observer/jse-embarks-on-campaign-to_168349