SEUK partners
We work in partnership with a number of government departments, public bodies and private sector organisations, who are supporters of the work we do and the social enterprise movement.
Our partners have a strong affinity with the movement’s values and objectives, show commitment to supporting the sector and bring valuable skills, products and services to the market.
Find out more about becoming a Social Enterprise UK partner.
FOUNDING SPONSORS
PwC
PwC believes that social entrepreneurs are coming up with some of the best examples of new and sustainable ways of working, trying out new ideas which can create a stronger, more vibrant society and a stronger economy. More...
RBS
The Community Banking Team at RBS plays an active part in making and supporting the social enterprise market. More...
SUPPORTING PARTNERS
Santander
The Santander Social Enterprise Development Awards, helping businesses to grow. More...
Deloitte
Social Enterprise UK is supporting Deloitte Social Innovation Pioneers, a new programme for businesses and entrepreneurs with real potential for growth.
PROJECT PARTNERS
Social Stock Exchange
Plans are well underway to create a global social stock exchange based in London by 2013, an initiative backed by the Rockefeller Foundation. It is designed to improve access to finance for social ventures.
The Social Stock Exchange will be regulated by the UK's Financial Services Authority and will insist that any participating enterprise is subjected to a social audit before being accepted. The exchange will enable investors to ensure their money wins a combination of steady returns and demonstrable social impact.
The Exchange is being developed by social investment experts Mark Campanale and Pradeep Jethi. Only companies with a clearly defined social purpose would be allowed to list.
Social Enterprise UK is working to promote awareness and readiness for the Social Stock Exchange among social enterprises and potential investors across Britain.
The Co-operative Bank
Social Enterprise UK’s flagship report, Fightback Britain: A report on the State of Social Enterprise Survey 2011 is supported by the Co-operative Bank.
The Co-operative Bank is wholly member-owned, democratically run and reinvests a proportion of its profit back into local communities. Its approach to social responsibility demonstrates that it has a purpose beyond profit. The Co-operative Bank has seen a 79% increase in new customers since 2009, in the wake of the bank crisis, as more and more consumers decide to do their banking with an ethical brand.
Business in the Community
Social Enterprise UK is the lead strategic partner on the arc campaign, a Business in the Community initiative designed to create a lasting legacy for the Olympic host boroughs by stimulating the creation and growth of financially sustainable social enterprises – enabling them to provide jobs for 1,000 local people.
The Olympic host boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest are some of the most deprived in the country with high levels of unemployment and complex socio-economic issues.
arc aims to support 200 social enterprises over four years. One of the first social enterprises to receive support is Social Enterprise UK member, Bikeworks, an award winning social enterprise that offers a range of bicycle services while reducing landfill, and creating employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged communities.
www.buildingbetterbusiness.org.uk
Unity Trust Bank
Social Enterprise Explained, our best selling guide, is supported by Unity Trust Bank. As a social enterprise itself, Unity Trust is perfectly placed to provide dedicated, full-service banking to social enterprises of all sizes. More information.
GOVERNMENT STRATEGIC PARTNERS
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
We help to ensure that social enterprise is embedded across the department’s strategic priorities, from growth to higher education skills and enterprise. Minister Edward Davey recently attended the launch of the Fightback Britain report, our flagship publication, in the House of Commons. Secretary of State for Business Vince Cable gave a keynote speech to delegates at our annual event, Voice, at The O2 in 2011.
Office for Civil Society, part of the Cabinet Office
We have been a strategic partner to the Office for Civil Society (OCS) since its inception in 2007, when leader of the Labour party Ed Miliband was Minister for the Third Sector. We work with the OCS on policy, campaigning, to make it easier for social enterprises to start and grow. Our remit also includes encouraging social action through enterprise and developing the social investment market for social enterprises.
Department for Education
We have advised the Department for Education since 2008, and are currently running two programmes that have been funded by the DfE in collaboration with a number of other national organisations. Visit our programmes section of the website to find out more.
Department for Communities and Local Government
We sit on the third sector partnership board to the DCLG. We have been advising on the Localism Bill and provided guidance on how Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) can engage with social enterprises.
DEFRA
We are one of a number of organisations including Co-ops UK, the Plunkett Foundation and Locality, on a group that advises DEFRA on how social enterprise relates to its strategic objectives, and on issues including rural economies and waste management. We’ve worked with DEFRA since 2008.