Winners of the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2023
The winners of the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2023 were announced at a gala reception at the Roundhouse in London on 30 November.
The UK Social Enterprise Awards are the country’s biggest celebration of social enterprises showcasing the strength and diversity of the UK’s social enterprise community across 15 categories.
The Winners of the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2023 are:
Social Enterprise of the Year
Sponsored by Keegan & Pennykid
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.
WINNER: Isle of Skye Ferry CIC – The Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company owns and operates the last manually operated turntable ferry in existence, from Glenelg on the mainland to Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye. All profits are reinvested into the preservation of the historic vessel and the ensuring sustainability of the ferry service as well as supporting other local groups and events.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Radius Housing – Radius is a not-for-profit voluntary organisation providing housing, care and support. It was launched in 2017 following the merger of Helm and Fold Housing Associations, bringing together 80 years of experience in the sector.
One to Watch
Sponsored by PwC
The One to Watch Award is for a start-up social enterprise. Key to winning this award is an ability to clearly articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it.
WINNER: Standing Tall – Standing Tall matches people experiencing homelessness into stable jobs and safe homes, helping them move away from the streets for good. 80% of the people Standing Tall help are still off the streets and in the same job one year later. The social enterprises finds people stable jobs in construction, hospitality, retail, or manufacturing.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Aban – Àban exists to improve lives by making healthy outdoor adventure part of their everyday routine. Their adventurous learning ethos is local, affordable and accessible to all.
Prove It: Social Impact
Sponsored by Linklaters
For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders.
WINNER: Cockpit – The UK’s only craft incubator, Cockpit is home to 166 of the most exciting makers in the world. With the mantra that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not, Cockpit gives makers tools to build their businesses from studio space to business advice so they can focus on what they do best: making.
Buy Social Market Builder
Sponsored by Wates
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.
WINNER: Circular Communities Scotland (Reuse Consortium) – The Reuse Consortium is a project of Circular Communities Scotland, a membership organisation working to empower Scottish communities to deliver a circular economy. Clients awarded community care grants in Scotland previously had limited choice of basic furniture with no option for quality reuse products but the Consortium has enabled a core group of reuse social enterprises to tender collectively.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Foodbuy UK&I– Foodbuy is a leading UK food procurement organisation and member of the Buy Social Corporate Challenge. With over £1.47bn of managed spend, they bring together the widest range of foodservice and hospitality clients on the planet.
Social Investment Deal of the Year
Sponsored by Big Society Capital
For an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish.
WINNER: Cornerstone Place – Cornerstone Place helps charities, housing associations, and local authorities unlock ethical and sustainable social housing for the most vulnerable in society. Their business models put the property assets in the hands of these impact makers, resulting in a consistent financial return for their clients, as well as providing a significant benefit to society as a whole.
Public Services Social Enterprise
Sponsored by The Connectives
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).
WINNER: Forward Carers CIC – Forward Carers is on a mission to create carer friendly communities, places that empower unpaid carers to thrive in all areas of care, life and work. They create and manage partnerships with other not-for-profits to deliver the highest quality carers hubs that provide wellbeing support and services.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Smile Together Dental CIC – An employee-owned social enterprise which is one of the South West’s largest NHS referral/emergency dental care providers. Smile Together Dental delivers oral health prevention and education to children in areas of high deprivation, treats fisherman from their mobile dental unit and works with partners to tackle oral health inequality. Profits are reinvested back into patient facilities, the community and environment.
Consumer Facing Social Enterprise of the Year
Sponsored by eBay for Change
For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public.
WINNER: Change Please– Change Please is a global social enterprise that trains homeless individuals to become skilled baristas. With a presence in eight countries, they offer a comprehensive
support system that includes a living wage, housing assistance, and mental health services. By selling high-quality coffee, Change Please is able to channel profits towards achieving their goal of eradicating homelessness.
Education, Training and Jobs Social Enterprise of the Year
Sponsored by Fidelity International
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.
WINNER: Women’s Work Lab– The Women’s Work Lab supports unemployed mums on benefits back into work. The 12 month bespoke classroom training, work placement and career coaching
programmes focuses on building confidence, ambition and employability skills through unlocking potential. The social enterprise has supported nearly 300 women since 2019.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mental Health First Aid England – Mental Health First Aid England® is the national authority on mental health first aid. Their market leading training is evidence based, fully inclusive and designed to promote equality for mental health in the workplace.
Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year
Sponsored by Landmarc
For a social enterprise in the green and environmental sector with a clear evidenced environmental impact.
WINNER: Merry-go-round – Merry-Go-Round is a business with a mission to empower families and contribute to sustainability. It runs a boutique shop offering high quality affordable pre-loved essential items. The shop is also a community hub for families to meet, learn, exchange ideas, relax and be supported.
Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice Award
Sponsored by Nestle
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.
WINNER: EVENBREAK– A social enterprise run by and for disabled people, EVENBREAK aims to reduce the disability employment gap in three ways – supporting employers to become more inclusive and accessible through training, consultancy and resources; offering inclusive and accessible careers support for disabled people looking for new or better work; and helping each group connect through an award winning disability job board.
Social Enterprise Women’s Champion
Sponsored by Bunzl
For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work.
WINNER: Norma Gregory, Nottingham News Centre CIC – Norma is the Director of Nottingham News Centre CIC. Founded in 2013 it is a successful leading diverse heritage social enterprise providing services and products for museums and heritage/arts organisations based in Nottingham with specialisms in diversifying heritage educational content and co-creating/co-producing heritage media content for new and diverse audiences.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Avye Couloute, Girls Into Coding – A rare social enterprise mother and daughter team, Girls into Coding was founded by Avye who is 15 years old and a multi-tech award winner. GIC provides free hands-on tech opportunities for girls, aiming to develop their confidence, sense of belonging in tech settings, and belief in their abilities to become future tech leaders.
International Impact Award
Sponsored by Zurich Insurance Group
For a social enterprise working internationally, and which is having a big impact in their field. This award is open to UK-based organisations only with existing international operations.
WINNER: Waste to Wonder – A social enterprise challenging people’s perception of waste by clearing its customers’ offices of unwanted furniture and equipment and redistributing it to communities in need across the UK and abroad. Waste to Wonder’s ethical approach is underpinned by its innovative School in a Box programme, which has already helped 1,300 schools in 30 countries and is expanding rapidly.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Stand4 Socks – Stand4 Socks is the direct-to consumer challenger brand in the sock market. The business has spent years developing socks that have enhanced comfort and durability without sacrificing style or ethics. For every pair of socks sold, a pair is donated to someone in need.
Community Based Social Enterprise
Sponsored by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
This award is for a social enterprise that trades for the benefit of their community, making a real local impact.
WINNER: Kitty’s Launderette – Kitty’s Launderette is a work integrated social enterprise in the Anfield/Everton area of Liverpool. They create access to quality, affordable and ecological laundry services tackling hygiene poverty and financial hardship, cross-subsidised by B2B laundry services which also enable local inclusive job creation. Kitty’s is also an accessible social space on the high street for hosting free film nights, knitting clubs, coffee mornings and children’s activities.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Galeri Caernarfon Cyf – Established in Caernarfon in 1992 to regenerate the town centre, Galeri Caernarfon Cyf has been creative in identifying opportunities to address problems and needs ever since. Its activities vary from property development and regeneration to arts and consultancy.
Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year
Sponsored by AXA
A new award is recognising a social enterprise that has brought something truly innovative to market in the past year.
WINNER: Fair for You CIC – A not-for-profit credit provider which lends to customers who otherwise wouldn’t be able to access affordable finance, Fair for You CIC is a social enterprise with a vision to “change lives through better lending” and remove the need for financially excluded people to turn to high cost or illegal lenders. It works to help individuals improve their credit score, gain better control of their finances, and enable them to purchase high-quality essential goods and services. Since 2015, it has served 80,000 customers.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bikeworks CIC – An inclusive-cycling organisation, Bikeworks believes everyone should have access to cycling. It uses cycling as a tool for good to increase physical activity, wellbeing and connectivity. Activities include All-Ability Clubs, where 14,000 free-to-access sessions are delivered in green spaces to provide opportunities to disabled people and carers, and a Ride Side-by-Side using a ‘cycle taxi’ to address loneliness and isolation.
Tech for Good Technology Social Enterprise of the Year
Sponsored by Mitie
For a social enterprise that uses technology to achieve social impact.
WINNER: Mobilityways – A tech-led social enterprise on a mission to make zero carbon commuting a reality. Mobilityways supports large employers to measure, reduce and report on their Scope 3 commuting emissions to meet net zero goals.
The Awards were delivered by Social Enterprise UK in partnership with:
If you’d like to find out more about the UK Social Enterprise Awards please contact jennifer.exon@socialenterprise.org.uk
The Awards were sponsored by:
