Lighthouse Communities Foundation lists on BSE's social stock exchange

Lighthouse Communities Foundation (LCF), a non-profit that helps underserved youth build livelihoods, today marked its listing on the BSE's Social Stock Exchange (SSE) with a bell ringing ceremony at the bourse. The listing follows LCF’s public issue of Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Chief Guest Manisha Verma, additional chief secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Department, Government of Maharashtra, who delivered the keynote and rang the bell along with BSE and LCF leadership. BSE was represented by S. Gopalan, Executive Director, BSE, and Radha Kirthivasan, Head, Listing and SME, BSE Limited. Special remarks were delivered by Swapan Dhar, MD & CEO, SBI Foundation, and Aloka Majumdar, MD & Head of Sustainability, HSBC India. The audience included senior leaders from the BSE and Sebi, corporate CSR teams, philanthropic foundations, and LCF’s Board and Advisory Council. A Lighthouse youth shared their own journey with the gathering, and LCF felicitated the dignitaries, donors and key partners who supported its listing on the SSE.

For LCF, the listing places its work on a regulated platform built around transparency. A ZCZP instrument pays no interest and returns no principal, so those who subscribe are backing a defined social outcome rather than seeking a financial return. Following the recent amendment to India’s CSR rules, companies can also count these subscriptions towards their CSR obligations, opening a structured route for corporate partners to support organisations with documented results.

LCF’s Lighthouse programme starts with the young person rather than the course. Before any skilling begins, participants are guided to understand their aspirations and strengths and to see how these match what the job market offers, and only then choose a pathway from a wide range of vocational courses offered through partner organisations. With state and local governments providing infrastructure and corporate partners funding operations, the programme runs 51 centres across six states; women make up nearly 60% of its enrolments, and 77% of placed youth are still in employment a year later.

In Maharashtra, LCF works with the Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department and the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training under an MoU signed in January 2023, running a Lighthouse at ITI Mulund and Model Career Centres in Thane and Nagpur. The partnership has so far provided career counselling to 5,500+ young people, skilling to 2,075+ and placement to 3,200+, and its next phase will extend to more Model Career Centres and ITIs, including in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati.

Manisha Verma, additional chief secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Department, Government of Maharashtra, said: “Lighthouse’s listing on the Social Stock Exchange shows what becomes possible when the government, civil society, and industry work together for young people. Models that combine career guidance, skilling and employer linkages, supported by transparent funding, are exactly what our youth need to find stable livelihoods.”

Dr. Ganesh Natarajan, Co-Founder & Chairman, LCF, said, “Our team at LCF is delighted that our work with nearly 3 lakh underserved youth has led us to an important milestone—the SSE listing. Ringing the bell at BSE today is a proud moment for everyone who has been part of the Lighthouse journey, from our young people and partner organisations to the corporates and governments who backed us early. We are grateful to everyone who supported the issue, and we look forward to transforming a million youth, nationally - helping them choose and build the careers they aspire to.”

Viswamitra Hariharan, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Hurix Digital, said, “We believe that sustained social change requires models that combine measurable impact with accountability. Lighthouse Communities Foundation’s Social Stock Exchange listing creates an opportunity to support youth aspirations at scale and help more young people build dignified, independent futures through meaningful livelihoods.”

Ruchi Mathur, Co-Founder & Vice Chairperson, LCF, said, “This is a milestone day for us and we are deeply grateful to our government and donor partners and the BSE and Sebi for their support.”

Funds from the issue will be directed towards expanding Lighthouse’s work in Pune, where the fundraising aims to support 500 young people in building career awareness, confidence and the job-readiness skills they need to move into sustained livelihoods. LCF will report on progress through the exchange’s disclosure framework, giving subscribers a clear view of how the funds are used.

Shama Asnani, Partner, Alpha Alternatives, said, “At Alpha Alternatives, we believe that meaningful impact lies in creating opportunities for individuals and communities to realise their potential. Our association with Lighthouse Communities Foundation reflects this belief and our shared vision of a more inclusive future. We are glad to have had the opportunity to contribute to this initiative, which helps bridge the gap between aspiration and opportunity, empowering young people with the skills and confidence to work towards greater economic independence.”