Thought Leadership

Two new reports launched today set out recommendations for reforming NHS commissioning and public procurement to better support social enterprises, with Lord Victor Adebowale arguing the choice is "what kind of country we want to become. This morning, Social Enterprise UK launched two reports at the House of Lords containing recommendations for how the government can further support social enterprises to create fairer, more resilient, and healthier communities.  The British Government committed to using its supply chain to create social value back in 2012 with the Social Value Act. It then doubled down on that commitment in 2025, with the National Procurement Policy Statement stating that social enterprises “are more likely to generate diverse and thriving local economies, creating jobs and economic growth” and asking commissioners to maximise spending with them.    The legislation was an important step. But years after they’re first implemented, systems need updating to remain fit for purpose. By tackling issues such as too many short-term contracts, risk averse local government commissioners and lengthy, repetitive bidding processes, the potential of social enterprises - and the communities they work in - can be fully unleashed by the government.   And it’s the same in the NHS. 1,200 social enterprises deliver billions of pounds worth of vital NHS care across the country, employ tens of thousands of staff, and play a central role in community health, mental health and social care.   They got on with delivering the objectives of the recent NHS 10 Year Plan (from hospital to community; from sickness to prevention) for many years before it became policy. Yet social enterprises remain disadvantaged compared to other NHS service providers.  The All-Party Parliamentary Group of the Social Cooperative and Community Economy has been conducting a series of inquiries looking at the contribution to public services that social enterprises make, with many leaders attending meetings to provide that evidence. Mark Simms, CEO of P3, which works to prevent homelessness and support individuals with complex needs, was one of those who did so. As he put it at the launch of the reports today, “We have become very good at managing the consequences of social failure and far less ambitious about solving the causes.”   ‘Accelerating NHS reform: levelling the playing field to unlock social enterprises’ looks at the disadvantages that social enterprises encounter in delivering health and social care services. The report contains a number of recommendations for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) that doesn’t require new legislation – but does ask for parity when it comes to access to funding, capital and resources.  ‘A £400bn opportunity: unlocking social value for a fairer, more resilient UK’ is introduced by Patrick Hurley MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group of the Social Cooperative and Community Economy. It focuses on changes to procurement that could help the government achieve the kind of ‘good growth’ that raises living standards and reduces inequality.   “This is bigger than social enterprise,” said Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of Social Enterprise UK at the launch of the reports.   “It is about what kind of country we want to become. A country that extracts value, or a country that creates value. A country that waits for problems to become crises, or a country that invests in prevention and people. A country that concentrates wealth and opportunity - or one that shares both more widely.  “Social enterprises have spent decades proving what works. The evidence, innovation and leadership is there; the communities are ready. The only question that remains is whether policy and politics can catch up with practice.”  Thank you to our partners Access – the Foundation for Social Investment, Better Society Capital, Baxendale, Fusion 21, GLL and Locala for their support in producing these reports.

Helping disabled people to take rollercoaster rides, rock out or roar on their favourite team is the Access Card, created by UK Social Enterprise Award winners Nimbus Disability. We went to meet them. When you walk into the buzzing office of Nimbus Disability in Derby, you’d never guess that just a few years ago, the team consisted of just four people. Now home to 44 staff, the office feels like a fun, happy place to work, complete with a basketball ring and full sized (amputee) Star Wars stormtroopers looking on from one corner. The majority of staff at Nimbus are disabled, which reflects Managing Director Martin Austin’s view that they make the best employees for this kind of work because they've got lived experience. “But it’s also this constant message of ‘what is social impact?’ and having a proper methodology for giving meaningful employment opportunities to disabled people is a part of our social impact itself,” said Martin. The team is expanding, and just about to take up more space on the floor upstairs. How did it all go so right? Going viral In 1996 Austin was working at charity Disability Direct, when laws were passed which required both local authorities and private companies to take steps to avoid discrimination of people with disabilities. As a result, more enquiries came in asking for consultancy to help with the changes, and Nimbus was born as a trading arm to the charity. The gamechanger was the Access Card, launched in 2013. Ticketing agencies and entertainment venues needed a simple way to know that someone applying for disabled access was genuine. Disabled people needed a simpler way to access live entertainment without having to fill in lots of forms. The Access Card was the solution. And then it went viral. Customers started turning up at venues and showing them the card; those venues would then get in touch with Nimbus. “Over the last few years, I think we've just gotten to a point of saturation where the awareness of the scheme amongst disabled people and businesses has just flooded in,” said Martin. The technology behind the card means the experience of disabled people attending live events has been transformed. Venues can now provide nuanced, dignified, and personalised support for more than 1,000,000 members having over 5 million experiences each year. As well as venues, the Access Card helps holders get into festivals and theme parks such as Alton Towers. Award winning tech Little surprise then, that Nimbus Disability took the Technology Social Enterprise of the Year award home at the UK Social Enterprise Awards last year. Martin had applied to the awards previously seeking peer recognition, and the company had been listed as finalists in 2013. “We've won industry specific awards, and we've won disability specific awards, but the SEUK Award was always the one that was really special to us because it was the one that came from people that really understood who we are and what we do,” said Austin. He goes on to say that it felt particularly good because in some of the early years of the business, they couldn’t afford to attend the awards. Austin compares the value of the award to that of having SEUK membership – proof of their values to the businesses that they work with. For the individuals who take up the Access Card, he feels the award cements the fact that Nimbus is an impact first business. The process of applying, even when they’ve been unsuccessful in previous years, has also been useful, regardless of the outcome. “The hardest thing that we found over the years was talking ourselves up. But to be able to think about yourself in terms of celebrating what you do is really important. The ambition of being an award winner is a useful benchmarking exercise,” said Austin. “If you don’t get shortlisted, you get invited to a great night out with some great networking anyway!” nimbusdisability.com

The categories for the UK Social Enterprise Awards have been created to reflect the diversity within the social enterprise community. More information, including detailed category criteria, can be found on the application portal. Please note that for most of these awards, social enterprises need to have been trading for at least two years with the exception of the One to Watch Award. CLICK HERE TO APPLY UK Social Enterprise of the Year The overall award for a social enterprise that has a clear vision, excellence in impact, and that has demonstrated and promoted social enterprise beyond the sector. One to Watch Award Sponsored by PwC The One to Watch Award is for a social enterprise that has been operating for less than 2 years as of April 2026. Key to winning this award is an ability to clearly articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it. Prove It: Social Impact Award For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. This award is not comparing the scale of different enterprises’ impact, but their measurement and reporting process. ‘Buy Social’ Market Builder Award For a social enterprise, public sector body or private sector organisation that has demonstrably made efforts within its own organisation and remit to create more opportunities to buy from social enterprises. This could be a local authority implementing a council-wide Social Value Act strategy, a company changing its procurement processes, or a social enterprise seeking to support the movement through buying social. Social Investment Deal of the Year This is the award to enter if you have been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped a social enterprise to grow, create deeper impact for your community or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. Both the investee and investor will be recognised. Public Services Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by GLL For a social enterprise for whom the majority of their income comes from the public sector and which delivers public services (for central or local government, NHS, criminal justice or other statutory body). Consumer Facing Social Enterprise of the Year For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise of the Year For a social enterprise in the education, training or employment sectors that can demonstrate excellence in vision and strategic direction, and clearly evidence their social, environmental and community impact. Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year For a social enterprise in the green and environmental sector with a clear evidenced environmental impact. Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Award Social justice is fundamental to the social enterprise movement. This category is open to all social enterprises who are addressing issues around diversity, inclusion and equity. Social Enterprise Women’s Champion of the Year For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. International Impact Award For a social enterprise working internationally, and which are having a big impact in their field. This award is open to UK-based organisations only with existing international operations. Community-Based Social Enterprise of the Year Social enterprises are powerful actors in shaping local places and communities. Be it operating in remote rural communities or supporting in inner cities, this category is open to social enterprises that are locally rooted, trading for the benefit of their local community/place, accountable to their local community/place, and making local impact. Social Enterprise Technology or Innovation of the Year Sponsored by Fusion21 Social enterprises are more innovative than mainstream businesses – nearly three times as likely to have developed a new product or service in the past year than their mainstream business equivalents. This award open to social enterprises using new technology or bringing something innovative to the market in the past year. Co-op of the Year A new category this year, Co-op of the Year will recognise a co-operative of any size, model or type that best demonstrates a sustainable and successful business model, underpinned by the values and principles of co-operation.  The UK Social Enterprise Awards are co-produced by Social Enterprise UK and Co-operatives UK

Corporate spending by our Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners on goods and services supplied by social enterprises has now created nearly 8,000 jobs, according to the latest annual report looking at the impact of the programme. The Challenge, our flagship social procurement programme, is working with a group of 36 high-profile businesses with the aim of collectively spending £1 billion with social enterprise through their supply chains. In total, £864 million has been spent by corporate partners with social enterprise suppliers between 2016 and 2025, with £209 million being spent in the last year alone. If this trend continues, we are well on our way to hitting that ambitious £1 billion target! Since launching in 2016, more than 2,500 social enterprises have supplied services ranging from healthcare and facilities management to IT and catering.  Many of the jobs created have gone to people who faced barriers in finding work, including those who have a disability, have experienced homelessness, or been through the justice system.  “We’re hearing a lot in the news currently about the number of people out of work. Social enterprises have expertise in delivering the goods and services that private sector clients need while also supporting those most in need of a job into employment,” said Andy Daly, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Social Enterprise UK. “As well as proving that it’s easy for big business to have a positive social impact, 65% of the Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners also told us that working with social enterprise suppliers has helped them win new business.” Surveyed corporate partners also reported that sourcing from social enterprises supported their values and purpose, brought innovation into their supply chain and improved their environmental sustainability. Read the full Buy Social Corporate Challenge annual report here. Companies and social enterprises interested in joining the Buy Social Corporate Challenge can contact socialprocurement@socialenterprise.org.uk

The UK’s biggest celebration of businesses with a social or environmental purpose is moving to Manchester. The UK Social Enterprise Awards will take place on 12th November 2026 at New Century Hall in the city’s co-operative quarter, the first time the awards have taken place outside London. New Century Hall was originally the headquarters of the Cooperative Wholesale Society, a collective of around 300 cooperatives. The roots of the Society can be traced back to the Rochdale Pioneers, a group of workers who sold food at fair prices and shared profits among members. During the 1960s the hall hosted concerts by Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, and was also a mainstay party venue during the city’s MADchester era. The event will be co-produced by Cooperatives UK and Social Enterprise UK for the first time. Rose Marley, CEO of Co-operatives UK, said: "Greater Manchester is the perfect place to celebrate businesses that put people and purpose first. Co-operatives are owned by their members, rooted in their communities and built to share power, opportunity and impact. These are values we share with the wider social enterprise movement, so we’re proud to be working with Social Enterprise UK to bring the awards to Manchester.”  "When I think of the term 'northern powerhouse', I instantly think of the great city of Manchester. I'm delighted that we'll be working with Co-operatives UK to bring this joyful event to the birthplace of the first businesses specifically set up to benefit communities," said Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of Social Enterprise UK.  Following on from last year’s ‘Festival of Hope’, this year’s theme will be ‘All Together Now’. The awards recognise sector excellence in social enterprises of all sizes across a range of 15 categories, from innovation to impact. Amongst last year’s winners were Social Enterprise of the Year Change Please, a coffee company using profits to tackle homelessness, and ‘One to watch’ winners EcoCoach CIC, which provides inclusive PE and sports coaching for schools. More information about applications and tickets will be announced soon on social media channels. For now, enjoy the launch video below!

From online training and knowledge-sharing to in-person networking, our flagship UK Social Enterprise Awards to parliamentary receptions - this calendar shows what's coming up in our busy programme of events, so our members can plan ahead and make the most of the opportunities coming up this year. Most of these are exclusive to our membership community, but some are open to those outside our network. If you'd like to know more about membership, here is why you should join Social Enterprise UK. Scroll through our upcoming events on our online Members' Area. You can filter events using category fields at the top of the page.

Multi award-winning Oxford social enterprise brewery, bakery, and hospitality organisation Tap Social Movement appoints former Asahi Europe & International CEO Paolo Lanzarotti and former Punch Taverns CEO Giles Thorley to senior advisory roles as the company embarks on its next key growth stage and seeks to expand its impact on the lives of prison leavers. Lanzarotti brings extensive experience in the beer and brewing industry, with a particular focus on sustainably accelerating growth and scaling brewery operations while maintaining quality and consistency. At Asahi Europe & International Lanzarotti oversaw a group with 20 breweries and production facilities distributing across eight domestic markets and more than 80 internationally. He previously held a number of country Managing Director roles at SABMiller. Lanzarotti says: “For a number of years, I’ve admired how Tap Social have built a business balancing the delivery of growth in numbers alongside having a positive impact on people in prison and prison leavers. Now I’m excited to be part of the journey that will see this business having economic and social impact at greater scale. And the beer is pretty good too!” Currently CEO of Development Bank of Wales, Thorley joins Tap Social with nine years of hospitality management experience with Punch Taverns, which under his leadership became one of the largest pub groups in the UK. In both 2007 and 2008 Thorley earned the top spot in the annual “Top 50 Most Influential People in the Pub Trade” list. Thorley has a proven track record in backing exciting early-stage businesses in the hospitality, leisure and consumer goods sectors, including as an initial backer of Deliveroo. Thorley says: “Tap Social is a fantastic business that combines a great multi-function business model with a strong ethical stance – a model that encompasses a hugely innovative brewery, an award winning bakery, unique retail spaces, entertainment, and a principled brand.  Whether it is the support for the rehabilitation of offenders or sourcing of sustainable products and a focus on local suppliers, the Tap Social Movement is one to join and one that I am excited to support.” As senior advisors, backers Lanzarotti and Thorley will help strategically guide the scale and direction of Tap Social’s expansion into new markets. A recipient of two Great Taste 2025 awards for Time Better Spent (5.1% Juicy IPA – 2 Stars) and Jobsworth (3.4% Session Pale Ale – 1 Star), Tap Social distributes select beers to more than 240 Waitrose & Partners supermarkets in the UK. Tap Social currently runs three Oxfordshire community venues, including its award-winning wholesale bakery and café Proof Social Bakehouse. Later this year it opens Day Release, a purpose-built café, bar, bakery, and community venue at Milton Park, the UK’s largest science, business, and technology hub, as well as additional outlets later this year.  To date Tap Social has created more than 112,000 hours of paid employment for people in prison and prison leavers. It was named the UK’s “Consumer-Facing Social Enterprise of the Year” in 2024, and is currently the “Community-Based Social Enterprise of the Year.” Learn more about Tap Social Movement and its mission to reduce reoffending and turn lives around at tapsocialmovement.com. About Tap Social Movement With a shared passion for social justice and independent beer, Paul Humpherson and sisters Amy and Tess Taylor founded Tap Social Movement in 2016 to provide support, training, and fulfilling employment to people who have had contact with the criminal justice system. In addition to its commercial production brewery, Tap Social currently runs four community venues across Oxfordshire, including its bakery Proof Social Bakehouse and Day Release, its newest location opening in mid-2026 at Milton Park. It brews a range of modern, accessible beer highlighted by its award-winning core range, which includes its best-selling Juicy IPA Time Better Spent.

Nuneaton Signs has been manufacturing signs for Wates Group since 2018. The partnership has enabled the business to grow and sustain their mission of providing meaningful employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities. Nuneaton Signs Nuneaton Signs is a social enterprise which provides employment and training for people with disabilities through the manufacture and sales of signs. The company has been running for over 40 years, having been set up in 1982, and has grown to be one of the UK’s leading signage manufacturers. 100% of its profits are reinvested back into the business to create more impact.   The partnership with Wates Since 2018, Nuneaton Signs has been working with Buy Social Corporate Challenge founding partner, Wates, delivering on projects across the country. Wates is the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance company and supporting and scaling the social enterprise sector is at the heart of their social value delivery. After initially meeting at a networking event, the two businesses have developed a strong partnership, with contracts from Wates unlocking more opportunities for innovation and impact at the social enterprise.   “The impact of the partnership is a well-established relationship that delivers goods Wates would be purchasing, but with additional social value. Supporting the social enterprise sector and facilitating employment for those furthest from the workforce aligns with our purpose to reimagine places for people to thrive.”  - Su Pickerill, Head of Social Value, Wates Group The impact As Nuneaton Signs reinvests 100% of its surplus back into its core purpose, having consistent work is essential. Thanks to Wates’ partnership over the past years, the organisation has been able to support more individuals into meaningful employment than ever before. It now employs 89 people, 74% of whom have a disability, learning disability, life-impacting medical condition, or mental health condition. The regular work provided by Wates has been a major contributing factor to this success. Beyond buying commercial services, Wates has also supported Nuneaton Signs through participation in its ASSETS programme, a seven-month business support programme for social enterprises in the construction industry, which has helped grow skills and develop the business.  “Wates was one of the first construction companies that supported us and truly believed in our capabilities. From our first order with Wates to the present day, our turnover has trebled, we have employed a further 30 persons with disabilities and have opened a second manufacturing facility.”  - Becky Anderson, Commercial Sales Manager, Nuneaton Signs Additionally, Nuneaton Signs was able to increase their positive environmental impact. The social enterprise has grown and adapted to meet the environmental challenges faced by its customers, developing a 100% PVC-free, fully recyclable material range used by Wates, as well as materials made entirely from recycled content for environmentally focused projects. Its partnership with Wates has helped ensure it remains at the forefront of sustainability within an industry that can often be wasteful. nuneatonsigns.co.uk  wates.co.uk