Clann Credo was established by the Presentation Order of nuns in 1996. While social finance was a well-established concept in America and Europe, there was nothing like it in Ireland. After a successful pilot project, the Presentation nuns put €1m seed capital into a social investment fund. Other religious charities chipped in, and now Clann Credo also borrows money from the Social Finance Foundation, a wholesale fund set up by the government.
Clann Credo accelerates positive community impact by making flexible and fair lending accessible to every community in Ireland. Their vision is a society where every community has the opportunity to drive positive impact for all. They believe in the power and passion of community volunteers to shape society for the better for all. For their part, they do everything they can to accelerate positive community impact.
Mary Lawlor is the Chief Executive Officer at Clann Credo, and under her leadership, it continues to strengthen its position as a thought leader in impact lending, expanding access to fair, flexible lending for community and social enterprises across Ireland. Mary also developed the Dynamic Funding Model for Social finance which the government has now adopted themselves.
Before joining Clann Credo in 2021, Mary served as Chief Executive of Carlow County Development Partnership from 2009 and previously as Chief Executive Officer of Carlow LEADER Rural Development Company Ltd for seven years, working directly with communities to translate ambition into tangible economic and social progress.
This is the 79th episode in the Davy podcast series ‘Everyday Business with Aidan Donnelly’ with special guest Mary Lawlor, CEO at Clann Credo.