Thought Leadership

North Northamptonshire has been officially named a Social Enterprise Place by Social Enterprise UK - marking it as a national hub for businesses tackling social and environmental issues through enterprise. This status – awarded to just 35 places across the UK - brings national recognition to the area’s thriving network of social enterprises – organisations that reinvest profits to benefit local people and the planet. Social enterprises are businesses that reinvest their profits to tackle social or environmental issues. In North Northamptonshire, they include community cafés, ethical retailers, arts organisations, employment services and transport schemes – all delivering local impact while supporting the economy. Alison Holland, Chair of North Northamptonshire Social Enterprise Network (NNSE) and founder of social enterprise Brightwayz, co-ordinated the bid to become a Social Enterprise Place. “This is a major step forward for North Northamptonshire,” said Alison. “Being recognised as a Social Enterprise Place gives our local businesses a stronger voice and a platform to grow their impact. “Social enterprises are amazing at addressing social and environmental issues in nimble, creative, ethical, effective ways. We know there is strength in numbers and that by being better connected to other Social Enterprise Places we will be able to learn a lot - and share a lot too. This award is not just about local social enterprises but also about those partners around us such as North Northamptonshire Council who collaborate with and support us”. Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “Congratulations to North Northants on being named a Social Enterprise Place. Social enterprises make a huge contribution to the county - from providing community energy and affordable housing to running leisure centres, creative projects, workspaces, credit unions and social care. “Of course, this isn’t possible without the strong resilient network of purpose-led businesses in the area, and North Northants’ social enterprises are already playing an incredibly important role in supporting communities, providing critical services to the public, improving the environment, and helping to grow the local economy. “We hope that getting Social Enterprise Place status will help act as a lightning rod to galvanise the social enterprise community, supercharge the sector's growth and deliver the economic transformation needed for the communities of North Northants so that they can realise their full potential.” Cllr Jan O’Hara, Executive Member for Planning and Economic Growth at North Northamptonshire Council, highlighted the importance of social enterprises in the local economy: “It’s great to see how our local social enterprises are coming together and thriving. Congratulations for achieving this status and we are proud to be supporting this. The newly published North Northants Economic Strategy recognises the importance of local social enterprises for the future growth of the county alongside all the community benefits and added social value these businesses bring.” The NNSE network connects, supports and promotes social enterprises in the county. The group currently has more than 40 social enterprises and welcomes new members from across the area. Its aim is to ensure these organisations have the financial, practical and collaborative support they need to grow and deliver real social and environmental benefit. NNSE is also one of six Aspire NN partner organisations. Aspire NN, funded by North Northamptonshire for three years, supports the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector across North Northamptonshire. Membership of the NNSE network is free to local social enterprises. See www.nnse.org.uk for more information.

A new zero-rate funding product has entered the UK social investment market. The product, which is the first of its kind in the UK, was developed by Kamran Rashid, CEO of Impact Hub Yorkshire, following consultation with organisations and social enterprises most affected by financial exclusion.  The Local Access Bradford District (LABD) programme, which is chaired by Kamran Rashid, will use the new interest-free loan to support social impact makers within the district to access investment to help them scale up and grow. Its purpose is to create investment models that better reflect the realities and needs of communities.   The product is not only the UK’s first zero-rate social investment tool, but also fully Shariah-compliant and open to all. Designed with ethical finance principles at its core, it offers a more inclusive approach to investment that removes interest-based barriers and supports values-led enterprises, regardless of sector, background, or faith.   Commenting on the new loan product, Kamran Rashid, CEO of Impact Hub Yorkshire, said: “Through this new type of investment loan we are prepared to lend organisations up to £250,000 to help them unlock potential to deliver social impact. This may take the form of taking on an asset, renovating an asset, or bringing in a team to help take on new work. Its purpose is to remove the financial barriers to enable businesses to generate an income through doing good.  “The product functions as a zero-interest, unsecured loan tailored to the social economy and is compliant with Islamic finance principles but it is open to all.”  The product is currently open to eligible organisations operating in the social economy, including CICs, charities and mission-led businesses. Social investment of between £25,000 and £250,000 are available, with flexible repayment terms supported by Key Fund and LABD. The model has been developed to comply with Islamic finance principles — ensuring no interest is charged — but it is designed to serve all communities, regardless of faith or background.  The first application of the product is supporting Brilliant Healthy Smiles (BHS), a new social enterprise dental care initiative in Bradford led by Dr. Fraz Ali. The practice aims to provide accessible, affordable treatment by mirroring NHS pricing structures while maintaining long-term sustainability.  Dr. Fraz Ali, founder of new Brilliant Healthy Smiles clinic, said: “Navigating social investment initially felt like a minefield, but working with LABD partners like Impact Hub Yorkshire made the process streamlined, transparent, and supportive, even with dentistry being a niche market.”  “This new lending product will help Brilliant Healthy Smiles give the people in our city access to the care they deserve.”  Andy Croft, investment manager at Key Fund, concluded: “There is every confidence across the stakeholders involved within this journey that Brilliant Healthy Smiles will be successful. We’re committed in helping Dr Fraz address the identified big gap in the market, particularly to help BAME communities who otherwise wouldn’t be able to access a dentist.” 

A big hole in the government’s coffers can be plugged by backing small businesses which reduce the gigantic cost of reoffending, saving us all money. Trying to rebuild your life after leaving prison is tough. A stable life needs income, but 74% of ex-offenders are unemployed six months after being released and if you’re not earning a wage, how are you supposed to keep a roof over your head?  A Ministry of Justice (MOJ) report found that financial problems and unemployment are a major factor in people reoffending and 59% of unemployed ex-offenders will reoffend within one year of release from prison.  A government focused on growth needs more people working and contributing taxes; what it doesn’t need is a £18bn hole - the cost of reoffending - in the budget.  One growing business has a simple answer to this: get people ready and qualified for work before they leave and employ prison leavers where they can. Tap Social Movement is proving this model works.  How a beer company reduces reoffending  Appropriately, the idea of Tap Social Movement was first discussed over a few beers; the difference is they still thought it was a good idea in the morning. Tap’s three co-founders all had experience of working in the criminal justice system. Tess Taylor had been working to clear criminal records at Canada’s National Pardon Centre, Tess’s sister Amy was formerly a Policy Advisor at the MOJ, and fellow co-founder Paul Humpherson worked as a criminal barrister.   In 2016, Tess Taylor was visiting different breweries while working for an early pioneer of the independent craft beer movement that has changed the name on beer pumps nationwide. She thought the welcoming, non-judgmental culture of the scene might be the right environment for people to re-enter society. Meanwhile, Amy Taylor had connected with Mark Edwards, Governor at Spring Hill prison, through her work at the MOJ. She’d successfully pitched the idea of getting prisoners on-day release ready for life outside prison by offering them employment while they served the final part of their sentence.    After convincing a brewing expert to join them, pooling their savings, finding a cheap business unit, and buying secondhand equipment, Tap Social Movement was up and running. They took their first employee from Spring Hill Prison six weeks after opening and have never looked back. In nine years, the business has grown to four venues: three tap rooms across Oxford and Banbury along with Proof Social Bakehouse, a bakery and cafe established in their first brewery premises. Plans are also well underway for the launch of an ambitious new venue in early 2026.  Around a third of their staff are ex-offenders and over the years they have employed 60 people with experience of prison.   "From day one Tap Social treated me like family. Nobody asked what I’d done, and nobody judged me. All they wanted from me was that I did my best. And my best is what I did. They brought me out of my shell, showed me I had skills I didn’t know I had, and treated me as a human - like I wasn’t just a number to be locked behind a door or another body counted at roll call," said Terry, who worked at Proof Social Bakehouse after leaving prison.  In stark contrast to the grim statistics at the top of this article, none of their employees reoffended within one year of release, and just 6% reoffended after one year. The conclusion is simple: having a reason to get up every day and earn money means it is less likely someone will reoffend. Some of Tap’s employees move onto other work, but 89% of them are still in employment one year after prison.    The next stage of growth  This year will see further growth for the business. A recent fundraise on crowdfunding platform CrowdCube saw Tap Social raise more than £600,000, part of which will help fund a planned fifth venue, but also to promote their beers being available in 220 stores of a well-known national retailer this autumn.    “It's the first time we've had a listing of this size, so we’re really excited, but we need to make sure the rate of sale is good and strong. We need a proper marketing and PR budget to ensure the beer shifts on the shelves and that people are picking it up,” Tess Taylor said.   Small businesses like Tap Social Movement are the backbone of the British economy, with 99% of all UK businesses being SMEs. The growth of the social enterprise will mean more employment opportunities for ex-offenders, reducing the cost of reoffending, and helping save taxpayers money. For a government intent on breaking down barriers to opportunity and one focused on good jobs and productivity, Tap Social Movement provides a blueprint for achieving the change the Labour Party successfully campaigned on.  tapsocialmovement.com

Growing an economy needs entrepreneurs, and long-term growth also requires sustainable use of resources.  One growing business ticks both boxes. After arriving from Australia as a backpacker in 2002, Michael Amos probably wasn’t expecting to be leading a recycling business 23 years later that has supported 1,500 schools in 44 countries. Waste to Wonder Worldwide offers a B2B ethical office clearance service, transforming redundant office furniture into life-changing resources. On average, 97% of furniture and equipment they receive is redistributed to schools, charities and community projects in the UK and globally. Any items not fit for reuse are responsibly recycled. Apart from the obvious feelgood factor, another attraction for clients, which include HSBC, IBM and Honda, is detailed ESG (environmental, social and governance) reporting based on the carbon saved and social impact it makes through its donations. Waste to Wonder report that, on average, their work has saved five million kilograms of CO2 being released into the atmosphere annually. In short, reusing furniture means less trees have to be cut down. “Not only does the Waste to Wonder solution help us to support charities and schools globally, but by donating waste furniture rather than sending it to landfill, we're significantly reducing our carbon emissions,” said Amy Baer, Global Executive Director ESG and Procurement at global commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE. “Our most recent report highlighting the benefits of the CBRE and W2W partnership demonstrated total savings of 1.3m kg of carbon across its projects.” A measure of Waste to Wonder’s growth is the success of their ‘School in a Box’ programme. Each ‘School in a Box’ is a 40-foot container packed with approximately £25,000 worth of redundant furniture cleared for companies who prioritise reuse rather than recycling. The first School in a Box was delivered to Morocco in 2003 and by 2010 the total had reached 100.  Fast forward to 2025 and 150 School in a Box shipments are now sent every year. Office furniture to the value of £45 million has now been donated and in 2024 Waste to Wonder reached a major milestone, donating its one millionth item. The company also supports many projects in the UK. It has provided kitchens for London’s Community Kitchen (LCK) which works to combat food poverty and reduce waste, including providing hot meals and food parcels for individuals and families facing crisis or hardship. LCK is guided by the belief that access to food is a basic human right. Waste to Wonder has also provided furniture for the University of East London’s Centre of Sustainability, which provides local people, businesses and UEL students and graduates access to affordable workspace alongside programmes to launch and grow businesses and develop the skills of East Londoners. “The natural thing was to talk to Waste to Wonder, and they just amazed us with the amount of quality second life furniture that they could bring into the space,” said Maxine Turney, Account Manager at Wagstaff Interiors Group, the commercial office company that fitted out the Centre of Sustainability. For Waste to Wonder’s Managing Director Michael Amos, the project offered the prospect of something more than furnishing a workspace. “This is an amalgamation of furniture that a large number of companies have decided they no longer need. For so many of our clients, potentially being able to come down and see the environmental impact of reuse is fantastic,” said Michael. There are many different kinds of growth. Waste to Wonder’s furniture is helping to grow a generation of entrepreneurs in East London. For their clients, seeing their office furniture reused shows them how their own businesses can create positive and social environmental impact, contributing to the communities outside of their offices. And Waste to Wonder’s ‘School in a Box’ programme is helping with the education of a new generation of citizens beyond the UK’s borders. To use the government’s own language, it’s the kind of growth that makes everyone better off. wastetowonder.com

One tea company has been ‘breaking down barriers to opportunity’ long before the phrase became part of an election-winning Labour manifesto.  The subject of refugees is part of the political hot potato that is immigration, the associated image for which is the flow of small boats that continue to make headlines. Of those coming across the English Channel in this way, 99% claim asylum once they arrive, according to Oxford University’s Migration Observatory. Small boat arrivals present a vivid image of desperate people taking risks to move from their home country to try and improve their lives, but refugees make up less than 1% of the UK population, according to UN figures.   Of those applying for asylum, 90% are accepted into the UK as someone forced to leave their country in order to escape war, violence and/or persecution for who they are or what they believe. The number of people claiming asylum in the UK rose by 17% last year. Refugees accepted by the UK need jobs to support themselves, and one growing business is showing how this might be done. NEMI teas is a London-based company providing employment to refugees, giving them local work experience and job readiness skills to enter the UK workforce and integrate into broader society. It supplies tea to large corporate offices, hotels, restaurants and cafes across the UK and Europe.  NEMI teas founder Pranav Chopra started the business in 2017 after speaking to refugees at a charity dinner and learning that a lack of UK work experience or references was holding them back from finding employment.  In response he started employing refugees selling chai on market stalls, a venture which eventually evolved to become NEMI teas.   Spotting a gap in the market presented by the shortage of hospitality workers following the pandemic, Pranav opened Trampoline Cafe in 2022 as an offshoot of NEMI, which hires refugees in London, providing them with opportunities to gain hospitality training and work experience, improve their English and better integrate into UK society. There are now two cafes, with the second open at the Royal College of Nursing. To date, Trampoline has successfully employed 28 refugees at the cafe with most trainees moving on to hospitality related jobs.   Ashkan has worked at Trampoline since 2022 after leaving Iran and it has enabled him to build a life here. A former accountant with a passion for coffee and Iran’s cafe culture, he had previously considered changing careers to work in hospitality.   “In a cafe you meet a lot of people and a lot of friends. My English was bad and now it is good. When I started to work in Trampoline, because I have a salary my life changed. I had more freedom to travel, for the cost of living, and I was happy,” Ashkan said. His ambition is to open his own small business – a cafe - in the future.   By strengthening collaborations with contract caterers and successful supplying to corporates across the UK, NEMI has experienced significant recent growth. Company turnover rose from £144,000 in 2020 to £1.74 million in 2024, with clients including PwC, Nationwide and UBS.   "Not only do NEMI provide us with high-quality teas, but we admire the work of Pranav and his team in supporting refugees with work experience, job readiness skills and integration into UK society. One of the values that guides PwC is 'make a difference', and one way we can do that is through our procurement of goods and services," said David Adair, Director of Community Engagement and The PwC Foundation UK.  Business success has enabled NEMI to double their team and significantly increase refugee employment opportunities at their Trampoline cafes. For a government with a mission to ‘break down barriers to opportunity’, NEMI and Trampoline offer a model for integrating new arrivals to the UK, enabling them to contribute to the government’s goal of economic growth.  nemiteas.com trampolinecafe.com

Not having access to a dentist can be life threatening. The growth of one Bedfordshire-based organisation is a result of offering real care to the community. Here at Social Enterprise UK, growth, which the government has focused on since inception, means everyone rises together, that everyone’s life is improved. For that to happen, we need to ensure we look after the most vulnerable members of our society.   Access to dental care is challenging for people. The government admitted as much in a 2024 policy paper. An aging population, more complex health needs and an increase in children with high levels of tooth decay are all creating a significant rise in demand for services. If you’re homeless, have learning disabilities, mental health issues or severe anxiety, finding a dentist can feel like a mountain to climb.   The growth of Community Dental Services CIC (CDS), which specialises in caring for vulnerable patients and operates 58 clinics across much of the East of England and the Midlands, is therefore no surprise. Patients with complex needs who require specialist treatment are referred to CDS by a general high street dentist or health or social care professional. Dental health is a key indicator of overall health and wellbeing but is often overlooked. Poor oral health contributes to chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory infections. And then there’s mental health; poor oral health can erode confidence, limit social interaction and damage mental wellbeing.    A business for the community CDS was formerly part of the public sector. After what one former Clinical Director described as “a never ending cycle of constant reorganisations and frequent cuts to our dental budgets to fund other parts of the health service,” senior leaders took up a ‘Right to Request’ option made possible by 2010 health service reforms, asking the Regional Health Authority to leave the public sector and set up independently. The founders wanted to control the destiny of the organisation and make changes to the service in the best interests of patients and employees. One of those founders is the current CEO Helen Paisley. It was the beginning of Community Dental Services Community Interest Company (CIC). CDS is a business which operates as a social enterprise. It is wholly owned by employees, who have representatives on the Board and can influence how it is run, especially concerning the care provided to patients. It is now commissioned by the NHS and local authorities to provide community dental services, oral health improvement, and epidemiology surveys in seven counties. CDS provide more than 63,000 patient appointments annually and 5,275 children have participated in supervised toothbrushing programmes.   Those concerned about NHS privatisation by stealth should know that, as a community interest company, any surplus is reinvested straight back into patient care, oral health improvement or into community oral health projects. Beginning with a single contract in Bedfordshire in 2011, CDS now provides special care and paediatric dental services in seven counties. Turnover has grown to £34m and a lot of jobs have been created: the workforce has grown to 500.    Growth through innovation  As an independent business, CDS has been able to innovate free of the bureaucracy of the public sector. It has invested in a mobile dental fleet to reach underserved communities, including partnering with local charities to support homeless people, a group that is notoriously hard to reach and who face many barriers to accessing healthcare.    Growth has also come from ‘flexible’ commissioning, where CDS has responded quickly in developing new micro services that address local commissioner priorities, enabling the business to test new service models that are potentially scalable.   A good example is a recent ‘pop-up’ clinic in Luton where CDS provided examinations, oral health advice and preventative treatment to 100 local children in a sports centre. Commissioned by Luton Borough Council to address the high levels of child oral health improvements needed locally, it supported a ‘Covid generation’ of children who have never seen a dentist, received preventative advice or had simple interventions such as small fillings.   Labour won the 2024 election promising growth, describing it as 'good jobs and productivity in every part of the country making everyone better off.' As a business, Community Dental Services are certainly productive and creating jobs. And if ‘health is wealth’ as the old saying goes, plenty of people are better off because of the work of this growing social enterprise. communitydentalservices.co.uk

Social Enterprise, Chocolate Films has been awarded a Royal Warrant by King Charles III for Video Production Services. Chocolate Films is currently the only video production company of its kind to hold a Royal Warrant. The warrant is in recognition of over a decade of service to the Royal Household and Royal Collection Trust. Video production company and social enterprise Chocolate Films, is proud to announce that it has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment by His Majesty King Charles III. This highly prestigious endorsement recognises Chocolate Films for its service to the Royal Household and Royal Collection Trust. Since its first commission in 2013, Chocolate Films has produced a diverse range of content for the Royal Household and Royal Collection Trust, working from its London and Glasgow offices. The Royal Warrant is granted to companies that have supplied goods or services to the Royal Household for at least five years and continue to uphold the highest standards of sustainability, quality and reliability. This appointment is not only a significant achievement for Chocolate Films as a creative agency, but also as a social enterprise. The company reinvests its profits into community filmmaking programmes across the UK, working with young people, underrepresented voices, and those with limited access to the creative industries. “This is a landmark moment for us. As a small business and a social enterprise we are beyond proud to be honoured in this way.” said Mark Currie, Director and Co-Founder of Chocolate Films. “It’s a testament to the creativity and commitment of our team, and to our unique approach to film production — combining storytelling, craftsmanship and a strong social mission.” Chocolate Films joins a distinguished group of Royal Warrant holders, including heritage British brands such as Fortnum & Mason, Barbour, and Twinings. It also shares the honour with luxury chocolate companies such as Prestat and Bendicks — a sweet alignment for a company named ‘Chocolate Films’. As a new member of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, Chocolate Films also looks forward to actively supporting the association’s charitable initiatives and promoting excellence and community service across its industry. About Chocolate Films Chocolate Films was founded in 2001 by creative partners Rachel Wang and Mark Currie, Chocolate Films was built on a belief that access to media careers should not be limited to the few. Its mission is to transform lives through film. Starting as a two-person team, the company has grown to a full-time staff of 22. It now delivers a wide range of content including documentaries, campaign films, animations and branded content across sectors such as heritage, education, and charity. Chocolate Films has two bases: the London HQ at the purpose-built Nine Elms Studio, and the Scottish office in Central Glasgow. As a social enterprise, Chocolate Films goes beyond production. Every year, it runs filmmaking workshops with over 3,000 young people from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds, opening doors to creative careers and helping shape the next generation of storytellers. In 2025 Chocolate Films relaunches its flagship project 1000Londoners, creating a portrait of a city through a collection of 1000 short documentaries about the people that live and work in the city. It is also a certified Living Wage Employer, committed to equality, inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Chocolate Films operates a net zero model, using electric vehicles, low-carbon equipment, and sustainable energy sources. It maintains a no air travel policy unless absolutely necessary, and works with local crews for international projects. chocolatefilms.com

Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept. It is already being used by many social enterprises in the UK to save time, improve services, and stay resilient. But how prepared is the sector for AI? And what kind of help is needed to ensure that adoption supports, rather than threatens, mission-led work?  Over the past few months, we surveyed 92 UK social enterprises. Some were already using AI, others were beginning to explore the possibilities, and a few were not planning to adopt it at all. Our goal was to understand these different positions and help shape better support across the sector.  A snapshot of AI adoption  60% of respondents said they already use AI. The tools in use include content generation software, automation systems, and chatbots. The main goals behind adoption were to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. Another 16% were preparing to adopt AI soon, while 24% said they had no current plans to use it.  Most AI adopters were micro or small enterprises, often working in education, healthcare, or business support. These organisations used AI for day-to-day operations that required speed, consistency, and scale.  The organisations preparing to adopt AI expressed strong interest in improving customer service and automating administrative tasks. However, they also raised concerns about unclear return on investment, ethical considerations, and a lack of implementation guidance. These barriers were not about values. They were about capacity and clarity.  Non-adopters reported few challenges directly related to AI. But this may reflect limited exposure rather than lower risk. Some said they were watching how others manage adoption before making their own decisions.  What challenges are emerging?  As organisations gain more experience with AI, they become more aware of practical and ethical barriers.  Among current users, 83% raised concerns about data privacy. Nearly 75% reported challenges integrating AI into existing systems. A large number also identified skills gaps within their teams. These are not hypothetical problems. They affect how effectively organisations can use new technology over time.  Future adopters, by contrast, were more likely to question whether the effort and cost of AI would deliver meaningful value. Their interest is real, but their concerns are about making the right choice, and not rushing into something unproven.  Non-adopters reported the fewest concerns. However, this should not be taken as a sign of readiness or resilience. It may simply reflect a lack of exposure to the realities of AI use. Many are still deciding whether this is something they need to prioritise.  Support must match need  Our findings revealed a strong link between where organisations are on their AI journey and what kind of support they require.  Nearly 80% of current users asked for more training. They are looking for help with strategy, technical skills, and data handling. Those planning to adopt AI wanted early-stage guidance, including case studies, onboarding materials, and ethical frameworks.  Non-adopters were least likely to request support. But this may be due to uncertainty rather than opposition.  The conclusion is clear. One-size-fits-all support will not work. A staged, modular approach is needed. Organisations at different stages need different forms of help.  What we plan to do next  We are using these pilot findings to inform a national research programme. The next stage will include case studies and interviews with social enterprises across the UK. We want to explore how organisations think about AI, how values shape their choices, and what helps build confidence.  We will then co-create resources with sector partners. These may include onboarding guides, training tools, or decision-making frameworks. We will test them through online experiments to find out what is effective, useful, and scalable.  This is not about promoting AI. It is about ensuring that if social enterprises want to use it, they have access to trustworthy and well-designed support.  Get involved  If you are working in a social enterprise and thinking about AI, whether you are already using it or just starting to consider it, we would love to hear from you.   We are currently looking for interviewees, workshop participants, and collaborators. Your insights will help shape a practical and inclusive approach to AI for the entire sector.  Please get in touch if you would like to be involved: gordon.liu@open.ac.uk This piece was co-authored by Alessio Antonini (Open University), Ali Ataullah (Open University), Francesca Calò (Open University), Joyce Ko (Brunel University), Gordon Liu (Open University), Micaela Mazzei (Glasgow Caledonian University), Fidele Mutwarasibo (Open University), Artur Steiner (Glasgow Caledonian University), and Simon Teasdale (Queen's University Belfast) This article is part of SEUK’s Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre University Network – to find out more please contact research@socialenterprise.org.uk