Thought Leadership

His Majesty The King visited Impact Hub Yorkshire today (15 May 2025) to meet with individuals and organisations helped by the social enterprise and mark its transition to a Yorkshire-wide entity. During his visit, The King unveiled a special plaque to mark both the five-year anniversary of the Impact Hub, and its transition from Impact Hub Bradford to Impact Hub Yorkshire. Founded during the pandemic, over the past five years Impact Hub Bradford has helped thousands individuals and hundreds businesses. Part of a wider network of 120 Impact Hubs globally, Impact Hub Yorkshire is just one of four in the UK.  The Impact Hub network forms the largest collective of impact makers globally, and have a strong focus on people and planet, whether that be helping to connect different communities, or change the lives of individuals and businesses for the better, in a sustainable way.  Impact Hub Yorkshire’s CEO and founder, Kamran Rashid said: “It was an honour to host His Majesty The King at Impact Hub Yorkshire’s offices here in Little Germany, Bradford, and show him the work our organisation does. “Our members spoke passionately about their own experiences and the projects that Impact Hub has helped to facilitate. Having the recognition of this visit is an important milestone for us all, as we look towards an exciting future helping individuals and organisations throughout Yorkshire.” Amongst the organisations introduced to The King, and supported by the Impact Hub, were Green Street; Pandoras Box Deserts; Tasif Khan Community Boxing Academy; IK School of Tailoring; and the African Caribbean Achievement Project.  The work Impact Hub Yorkshire delivers is as varied as it is extensive.  The social enterprise has recently led a project focussed on bringing regeneration and inward investment to Little Germany, the area of the city centre that the Impact Hub is based in. This has included shining a spotlight on this important heritage asset, which has the highest density of listed buildings in Europe.  The King last visited Little Germany in 2008, then as Prince Charles, when he spoke passionately about the area’s rich architectural heritage.  Other projects led by Impact Hub Yorkshire have included supporting boxer Tasif Khan on a number of initiatives, which has included community outreach and education resources, aimed at inspiring young people to create a positive impact on the city.  The change to Impact Hub Yorkshire will allow the organisation to scale up what it is able to deliver, both in terms of size of project and geography. Impact Hub Yorkshire will further celebrate its five years of success at a special gala dinner in June – the first evening dinner to be hosted at the refurbished ballroom at Bradford Live.

Academic research shows how power dynamics between social investors and social enterprises can shift in the face of major economic and social shocks, such as COVID. Dr Julia Morley from the London School of Economics explains the key findings of her recent paper Talking Across Purposes. Social investing has become a transformative force, directing private capital towards social enterprises to achieve financial returns and social good. In the UK alone, the sector saw investments totalling £830 million in 2021, highlighting its significant growth and impact. However, the diverse backgrounds of stakeholders, including investors, social enterprises, and policymakers, often lead to communication challenges, particularly regarding the terminology used within the sector. Language and misunderstandings: The ambiguous nature of key terms is at the core of many misunderstandings in social investing. For instance, the definition of "social impact" can vary widely among stakeholders. For some, it might mean quantifiable outcomes like employment rates, while for others, it refers to more nebulous benefits, such as improvements in well-being. While initially beneficial in allowing varied parties to find common ground, this ambiguity can also lead to significant challenges as projects develop. Can ambiguity be useful? Ambiguity does have its advantages. It enables a broad range of stakeholders to engage with the idea of social impact without being bogged down by rigid definitions. This can foster collaboration across different sectors and viewpoints, facilitating initial agreements and partnerships that might not otherwise be possible. The Downside: Over time, however, the benefits of this ambiguity diminish. Different interpretations of the same terms can lead to misunderstandings and misalignments between investors and social enterprises. These miscommunications can create friction and inefficiencies, hindering the sector's overall effectiveness. Push for Precision: In response to these challenges, there has been a move towards standardisation and clarity in the language used in social investing. Investors, often holding greater power in these discussions, have led the push for defining terms and setting standards. This has included the creation of glossaries and training programs aimed at aligning the sector's language with investor expectations. Shifting Power Dynamics: The COVID-19 pandemic shifted power dynamics within the social investment sector. The crisis underscored the importance of knowledge of the operational realities of delivering services to beneficiaries and shifted the balance of authority over knowledge to social enterprises. During this period of instability and change, their local knowledge of beneficiaries’ needs and frontline operational issues gave their views more weight relative to the traditional financial expertise that investors had previously leveraged. This shift in the balance of power was short-lived, however. As the status quo returned, so did the perceived relevance and value of investors’ financial expertise in social investing. Conclusion: The experiences during the pandemic have provided valuable insights into the importance of language in social investing and how significant disruptions can shift the authority of knowledge, alter power dynamics, and shape how the meanings of terms – and hence practices within the sector - evolve. As the sector continues to grow, both investors and social enterprises must remain aware of these dynamics to foster an inclusive and effective social investing environment. Key Takeaways: While initially helpful, the ambiguity in social investing terminology can lead to challenges as misunderstandings become apparent. Standardisation efforts are crucial but do not reflect all stakeholders’ interests equally. Significant destabilising events, like the pandemic, can reshape power structures, offering lessons on how to manage and negotiate terms in social investing more equitably. The full paper which this piece summarises can be found here.  This article is part of SEUK’s Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre University Network – to find out more please contact research@socialenterprise.org.uk

The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) has been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, recognising its groundbreaking approach to Early Years Education and Care through the lens of social enterprise and sustainability. LEYF is one of only 197 organisations nationally to be recognised with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise. Announced on Tuesday 6th May, the accolade celebrates LEYF’s long-standing commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable Early Years Education and Care that prioritises access, inclusion, community and environmental impact. At the core of LEYF’s approach is the belief that education for young children can be a powerful force for building a more equitable, inclusive, and environmentally responsible society. Sustainability is fully embedded into every aspect of nursery life – from social enterprise business, our seasonal menus and using green energy across the sites, to designing a pedagogy that gives children a voice and nurtures their love for nature and their role as future changemakers. LEYF teachers are actively empowered to become sustainability informed and lead sustainability initiatives, making every team member a champion for long-term impact. This whole-system approach is driven by the London Institute of Early Years, LEYF’s dedicated research and training hub, and its: Action for Sustainability in Education, Community of Practice a vibrant network focused on embedding the three pillars of sustainability – economic, social, and environmental sustainability into daily practice. As pioneers in the sector, LEYF created the UK’s first Early Years Sustainability Strategy, aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It was also the first childcare organisation to achieve ISO 14001 certification and ongoing carbon footprint measurement and reduction through Planet Mark. With sustainability threaded through its governance, leadership, operations, and pedagogy, LEYF is actively working towards achieving net-zero by 2030. Its sector-first Level 4 Qualification in Sustainability in Early Years has already empowered 68 professionals, with many more set to follow. Founded in 1903, LEYF is the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise in Early Years education, employing over 1,000 staff and running a network of 43 nurseries across 13 London boroughs. Serving more than 4,000 children each year, LEYF combines business excellence with a powerful social purpose – reinvesting profits to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds and embedding sustainability into every aspect of its work. Dr June O’Sullivan OBE, CEO of LEYF, said: "We are thrilled to receive the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development. This is a powerful endorsement of our belief that Early Years Education and Care must be a force for social justice and environmental good. At LEYF, sustainability runs through everything we do – from how we run our nurseries, to how we teach and support our children, families and staff. From evidence-based pedagogy to sustainable practice, and from apprenticeships to leadership pathways, everything we do is about creating real, lasting impact. We hope this recognition inspires others across the sector to embed sustainable thinking from the ground up.” Nick Corlett, Sustainability Manager at London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) says:  "At LEYF, sustainability isn’t an afterthought – it’s at the heart of everything we do and shapes our pedagogy and practice, fuels our values, and guides our daily decisions. Powered by the London Institute of Early Years, LEYF’s pioneering research and training hub, and strengthened through our Action for Sustainability in Education community of practice, we embed the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental into everyday activity across all of our nurseries. "We are therefore honoured to receive the King’s Award and proud that our deep-rooted commitment to sustainability has been recognised at this level. This achievement is a testament to the dedication, energy, and teamwork of everyone across LEYF. We hope it sparks a wider ambition to reimagine Early Years Education and Care, where sustainability is a force for social good, builds community resilience, and a fairer future for every child." The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed in 2023 to reflect His Majesty the King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses. Now in its 59th year, the Award remains the most prestigious business accolade in the country, with successful organisations able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years. About LEYF The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) is the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise for Early Years Education and Care (EYEC) operating 43 nurseries across 13 London boroughs. For over 120 years, LEYF has successfully combined business excellence with social purpose to deliver high-quality, affordable early education to over 4,000 children each year with a focus on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. 75% of LEYF nurseries are situated in areas identified as having high levels of deprivation. 46% of LEYF nurseries are rated Outstanding by Ofsted, far exceeding the national average of 14%. The LEYF Pedagogy focuses on a placing the child at the centre of all business and pedagogical decisions so it can drive a consistent pedagogical approach, lead an ambitious curriculum underpinned by harmonious relationships and community engagement which together enhance the cultural capital of the children, families and staff and build resilient, curious and confident global citizens. LEYF’s business model is built on strategic oversight, operational efficiency, researched -based practice and strong purpose-led leadership. By blending business rigour with social ambition, LEYF offers a consistent, scalable model for delivering excellence in Early Years – one that is financially sound, socially responsible, and always child-focused. leyf.org.uk Photo Credit - LEYF Marsham Street Nursery and Pre-School - Francoise Facella

Articles and publications covering evidence on social enterprise in the UK and globally. If you’d like your publication to feature, please contact jess.lomax@socialenterprise.org.uk Social enterprise growth by design: using design to incubate and accelerate social enterprises - 2024 Authors/publication: Kwon, H., Choi, Y. and Hazenberg, R. Social Enterprise Journal Aims to understand the impact of design on social enterprise ecosystems and on improving outcomes for social entrepreneurs. The Purpose Dividend - 2023 Authors/publication: Demos Explores how shifting towards a purpose-led economy with better business at its centre would boost GDP, generate more capital investment, and increase wages for the lowest paid in society. Understanding the Contribution of Social Enterprise to the Social Care Sector: An Exploratory Study - 2023 Authors/publication: Dr Kelly Hall, Dr Philip Kinghorn, Dr Chloe Alexander, Kelly Hayward, Dr Janelle Kerlin, Meng Ye Explores the role of social enterprises in the social care sector, and how they compare to for-profit and not-for-profit providers. Do Social Enterprises Fulfil their Social Promise? Quality of Social Care CICs and Other Legal Forms - 2023 Authors/publication: Janelle Kerlin, Meng Ye, Kelly Hall Examines why social care social enterprises consistently outperform for-profit social care providers on all social care quality measures. Public service mutuals: Transforming how services are delivered through social enterprise and democratic governance - 2022 Authors/publication: Vickers, I., Lyon, F., Sepulveda Ramirez, L. and Brennan, G Demonstrates the effectiveness of the mutual model and how it has been adapted in diverse contexts to deliver public and community services. Financing Social Enterprise in the UK: Responding to New Challenges in Competitive Markets Authors/publication: Mswaka, W., Aluko, O., Hussein, S., Armindo dos Santos de Sousa, T. and Cai, H Scrutinises the operations of social entrepreneurs in resource-constrained environments, highlighting how opportunity spotting and innovation in financing strategies are central to effectively financing social enterprise. The Ecosystem of UK Social Entrepreneurship: A Meta-Analysis of Contemporary Studies Authors/publication: Gareth R. T. White, Robert Allen, Anthony Samuel, Dan Taylor, Robert Thomas, Paul Jones Examines social enterprises as both an alternative and addition to traditional enterprise ecosystems, and identifies constraints on the development and success of social enterprise ecosystems in areas of economic deprivation. Gender Empowerment in Social Enterprises in the UK Authors/publication: Maria Granados, Lilian Miles, Anastasia Alexeeva A gender empowerment guide for use by social enterprises, to empower the women they employ. Social Enterprise Places: A Place-Based Initiative Facilitating Syntactic, Semantic, and Pragmatic Constructions of Legitimacy - 2021 Authors/publication: Anthony Samuel , Gareth R.T. White, Kenneth Peattie, Robert Thomas, Aston University Examines how the Social Enterprise Place programme has legitimised social enterprises by enabling the identification of common social goals and the mobilisation of resources towards their resolution. Social Enterprise in the UK: Models and Trajectories - 2021 Authors/publication: Mike Aiken, Roger Spear, Fergus Lyon, Simon Teasdale, Richard Hazenberg, Mike Bull, Anna Kopec Massey Examines the landscape of social enterprises operating in the UK, including their models, fields of operation, and trajectories. Social Enterprise and Social Entrepreneurship: Developing the Evidence Base Using the UK Small Business Survey - 2020 Authors/publication: Catherine Robinson This review considers the developments amongst social enterprises in the UK. Using the Small Business Survey, it compares those small firms in the UK that declare themselves to be social enterprises with traditional for-profit firms.  The Contribution of the Social Enterprise Sector to the UK Economy - 2019 Authors/publication: Kah, S. European Journal of Business and Management Presents the development, scale, and scope of social enterprises, and examines their social, economic, and environmental contributions to the UK. Social Enterprises and their Ecosystems in Europe - 2019 Authors/publication: Stumbitz, B., Vickers, I. and Lyon, F Explores the growth of the social enterprise sector, and how public policy has supported the growth of social enterprise ecosystems in Europe. The Emergence of Social Innovation within the Social Economy: The Case of Social Enterprises in England -2019 Authors/publication: Irurita, M Examines how social entrepreneurs develop innovative ideas to solve important societal problems. The Evaluation of CSR and Social Value Practices Among UK Commercial and Social Enterprises - 2018 Authors/publication: Paul Agu Igwe, Afam Icha-Ituma, Nnamdi O. Madichie Evaluates the scope of CSR initiatives among corporations and social enterprises, finding that social enterprises embed social value initiatives during the enterprise creation stage. Progressive Business Models: Creating Sustainable and Pro-Social Enterprise - 2018 Authors/publication: O'Higgins, Eleanor and Zsolnai, László, eds An analysis of progressive businesses operating across the world. The Age of the Social Entrepreneur - 2017 Authors/publication: Mhairi Tordoff, Demos Argues that although it is early days, social enterprises are a dynamic and ambitious section of our economy that contribute billions to the economy and employs millions of people. Social Enterprises, Social Inclusion, and Positive Social Change - 2017 Authors/publication: Ute Stephan, Aston University Demonstrates how social enterprise can be a force for social inclusion and social change. The Place of Social Enterprise in UK Contemporary Policy - 2016 Authors/publication: Ian Buchanan Examines the role of the third sector in addressing perceived failures in state welfare provision. Social Enterprise as Hybrid Organisations: A Review and Research Agenda - 2014 Author/publication: Bob Doherty Assesses the influence of the dual mission (financial sustainability and social purpose) on social enterprise management. Measuring social impact in social enterprise: the state of thought and practice in the UK - 2013 Author/publication: Jim Clifford Kate Markey and Natasha Malpani Explores the common threads between impact measurement tools and approaches, and how measurement varies to meet differing commissioning areas for social enterprises working in public service markets.

A pioneering social enterprise in northern England offers a vision of what the NHS could be like if it took prevention seriously Why would a healthcare provider fund a cafe in a primary school? Or support a confidence-building youth club? And why on earth would the same organisation provide cash to help its employees repair their car, fix a leak, even set up their own tattoo business. From the perspective of conventional healthcare, this is all very puzzling. Until that is you understand the ethos animating FCMS - a social enterprise operating across northern England. The idea is simple: keeping and making people happy and healthy not simply delivering healthcare. In practice, that does mean providing some demanding healthcare services: urgent treatment centres, emergency dental care, the 111 helpline, diagnostic services, and many others.  But what makes FCMS different is its determination to set this work in a much wider context of health inequalities and the social conditions that lead to either good or bad health and well-being. Put simply, FCMS doesn’t think it’s enough to just patch people up who come through their doors - they also aim to stop people coming through their doors in the first place. And that means intervening elsewhere. Tea and cake The school cafe is a case in point. Based in Flakefleet Primary School in Fleetwood and set-up with funding from FCMS, the Strive cafe serves a number of purposes. It creates a very pleasant place for human connection in an area facing deep poverty and isolation. It acts as a welcoming hub where people can come to seek help from local public services and the voluntary sector. It gives pupils and their families a relaxing space to speak to school staff about challenges they may be facing. And, of course, it also serves excellent but affordable coffee, tea and cake. Is Strive a health intervention? In the conventional healthcare world, it most certainly is not. Getting a ‘business case’ to fund Strive approved within an NHS Trust would be a challenge to say the least. But from the point of view of FCMS, Strive is very much an investment in health. It is a direct way of providing the things that create good health and well-being: human connection, living in a friendly and supportive place, having easy access to local services and sources of help. And when such an intervention occurs in a place like Flakefleet, it is a direct response to the inequalities that damage health and well-being. The same can be said of FCMS’s other activities such as backing The Boat House Youth - a voluntary organisation designed to develop young people’s confidence, funding free breakfasts and holiday activities for school children, helping adults develop basic maths skills, and supporting Flakefest - a summer festival for the Flakefleet community. These and many other similar investments now total over £1 million into communities, largely, but not exclusively, across the Blackpool and Fylde coast. Oompf! Importantly, this spirit of using resource to address the underlying and holistic causes of good and bad health also informs FCMS’s own services. In recent years, the organisation has focused heavily on making sure healthcare can get to some of the most marginalised communities. Taking a highly flexible approach to how, when and where their services are delivered, FCMS has made it a goal through its Complex Lives programme to take healthcare to homeless people, asylum seekers and those removed from GP registration. But this holistic approach doesn’t stop at patients and service users. It is also committed to the health and well-being of its own team. An approach that includes a fund called Staff Wishes which offers hard cash to make the lives of team members a little bit better, or sometimes a lot better. That might mean helping repair a broken down car or troublesome plumbing but, in one case, it meant helping a staff member follow their dream of setting up their own business by funding the purchase of tattoo equipment. Not many organisations would pay to lose a valued member of staff but it simply displays FCMS’s commitment to placing health and well-being ahead of everything else. If the NHS is to become truly focused on prevention of ill-health rather than just its treatment, as the Government claims to want, then it has much to learn from an organisation like FCMS: working closely with the voluntary and wider public sector; developing highly flexible services designed around the reality of people’s lives; investing in community-based solutions to local challenges. These are all important but perhaps there is one lesson that overrides them all: doing whatever it takes to keep everyone as happy and healthy as possible. Staying true to such a principle means thinking and working well outside the boundaries of conventional acute healthcare. It also means always being ready to ask tough questions of one’s own organisation about whether it is using its resource in the most effective way to address the things that make people ill and unhappy. Such self-reflection, if done honestly, would certainly upend many of the practices across an NHS that seems unable to break out of its acute focus, overcome its aversion to frontline innovation, and respond adequately to a pressurised and unhappy workforce. A good place to start that learning is by looking at FCMS’s core values. The language, simplicity and the values themselves say something about the fundamentally different culture nurtured at the social enterprise: being awesome, having fun, remaining humble, having the courage to challenge norms, being go-getting, and my personal favourite, displaying natural, infectious “oompf”! These are values that speak to a culture that esteems creativity, collaboration and sheer damn impact above everything else. It’s an ethos of oompf we desperately need to spread rapidly across the NHS and whole public sector. By Adam Lent This case study forms part of a series we are producing together with the healthcare consultancy Baxendale and think tank King’s Fund, to demonstrate the innovation shown by social enterprises delivering health and social care.

Charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op GLL have announced 2,830 athletes from across the UK will benefit from the 2025 intake of its GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) – the largest independent athlete award programme in the UK. Now in its 17th year the GLL Sport Foundation has so far contributed over £17m worth of athlete funding and support and distributed over 30,000 awards to young and talented athletes in 70 areas of the UK where GLL operate and across 117 different sports.  At a National Launch Event held in the London Borough of Newham on 25 April, athletes and partners gathered to hear how this year's athlete award fund of over £1.4m will help support talented athletes on their sporting journey.  GLL added Newham to its list of leisure partnerships in 2024, extending the opportunity of the GSF Awards to east London's sports stars of tomorrow.   The GSF supports athletes through financial bursaries, access to physical rehabilitation and mental wellbeing support and all athletes are also given access to over 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its "BETTER" brand. Over 17 years, the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) has continued to be at the forefront of developing local young athletic talent with the majority of athletes under the age of 21 and on average 88% of athletes receive no other funding or athlete support, which underlines the importance of the scheme to up and coming athletes.  GLL’s recent research shows that many talented athletes struggle to realise their dreams of sporting glory due to rising costs of equipment, training, physiotherapy, travel and nutrition. For them, a GSF Award can be the lifeline to staying in training and meeting their potential. Current GSF National Ambassadors include Joe Clarke, Kimberley Woods, Tulley Kearny, Louise Fiddes, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson and amongst GSF Alumni are Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Daryl Neita and Anthony Joshua. GSF Patron Sally Gunnell OBE said: “Now in its 17th year, the GLL Sport Foundation continues to make a difference, extending support for young athletes just at the time when they need it - keeping them in training and helping them realise their sporting dreams. "It's fantastic to see so many young sportsmen and women accessing the scheme this year and I wish them the very best of luck in their sporting careers." GSF Chair and GLL CEO Peter Bundey said: “GLL is a unique organisation that over 32 years has expanded its public service offer, bringing measurable benefit to local communities. “Our GLL Sport Foundation is a key part of our remit to widen and deepen our social impact by offering unique opportunities to talented young athletes and build a legacy through sport. “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and our own purposed business model we are delighted to announce a record 2,830 athletes will benefit from the programme this year. I want to wish them every success and we look forward to seeing them in competition here and abroad in years to come." GSF Legacy Ambassador and Athlete Representative on the GLL Sport Foundation Abdul Buhari said: “As an athlete that's had a career in sport, I know firsthand for the impact the GSF has in both a practical and financial sense. "The cost of training and preparation remains high, and I know many athletes will be able to succeed because these awards remove another barrier to competition. "The ability to do something you are passionate about with the help of GSF is priceless”.                                             The GSF Annual Report will be released shortly.  For more information visit www.gllsportfoundation.org The GLL Sport Foundation's Patron is Sally Gunnell, OBE and partners involved in the programme include; SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, Mary Peters Trust, sponsors from GLL's supply chain and local authority partners.

Belu's latest Impact Report is an enlightening summary of everything they achieved throughout 2024 with the support of their ever growing network of partners and customers.  From impactful investments at both local and global levels to continued progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it’s a snapshot of a purpose-led business in action. Belu structures their work and their Impact Report around four key pillars: Purpose, People, Product, and Profit. Purpose comes first, shaping every decision they make and driving their mission forward. In 2024, against a backdrop of global uncertainty, from escalating conflict and the deepening climate crisis to rising living costs, Belu continued to make bold decisions and do business better. The UK saw a new Labour government, the Paris Olympics united us in sport and the hospitality industry powered on, showing resilience and strength. As well as heading up the business alongside Charlotte Harrington, Belu’s Co-CEO, Natalie Campbell ran for London Mayor, finishing as the leading Independent candidate. Meanwhile, Belu launched their innovative Curve Tap, expanded internationally into Singapore, and moved into a new London HQ.  Through it all, they stayed focused on bottling, filtering, and refilling with purpose. Achieving higher revenues than in 2023 and welcoming a host of new partners. Belu's 2024-25 Impact Report is well worth a read, offering inspiring insights into how a social enterprise like Belu is leading with purpose and creating measurable, lasting impact. Read Belu's latest Impact Report About Belu Belu is a drinks business that puts people and the environment first. Our purpose goes beyond our products, by 2030 we will change the way the world sees water. At Belu, we believe something as simple as water can make a difference to some of the local and global challenges we face. Our method is clear, we are powered by ethics and we give away all our profit in pursuit of our purpose. belu.org

Social enterprises had plenty of ideas about the different ways they could significantly increase their positive social impact during the first evidence session of the Social, Cooperative and Community Economy All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)’s inaugural inquiry into the government’s commitment to grow diverse business models this week. Co-op and social enterprise leaders also listed straightforward and low or no cost barriers that the government could remove.  Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL, which operates 254 of the UK’s leisure centres, explained how supporting social enterprises would help with the government’s economic growth ambitions. “A 10% increase in our company would get 100,000 people more active and create 1000 more jobs,” he said. In terms of productivity, this could help a lot with the £138bn lost to sick days, he added. Whilst acknowledging “commendable aspiration” around social value and procurement, Bundey said progress was being held back by “conservative legal restrictions on public service procurement” and asked that the guidance and legislation that surrounds public sector commissioning is clarified.  “We need clarification so that councils can be more agile, more innovative and more prescriptive about wanting civil society organisations rather than turning to lowest cost,” said Bundey.  Peter Westall, Chief Value Officer of the Midcounties Co-op (which runs travel and childcare services as well as the familiar local Co-op shops) told the inquiry “We could do more, but the biggest challenge we face is cost pressures.”   The inquiry heard that a more unified, strategic approach to supporting the social enterprise sector was needed, with greater support, legislative reform, better access to finance, and a greater understanding of the value social enterprises bring to the economy and society.  Legislation  With revenues of £850m, 650,000 members and 6000 employees, Mid Counties Co-op made a profit of £12.4m last year but faces an increased National Insurance bill of £9.3m following changes for employers introduced in April.  Westall thought the government could help by changing ‘one size fits all’ legislation that means Midcounties Co-op face similar business rates and taxes on plastic packaging for their shops as supermarkets that operate giant stores in retail parks. His view was echoed by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) CEO Peter Holbrook, who asked the government to consider how tax could be used to incentivise good behaviour for businesses, particularly around business rates and corporation tax.   Grace Harrison, Organisational Development Lead at Kitty’s Launderette (pictured above), a coop and community hub in Liverpool, asked that community right to buy legislation be tightened up so social enterprises could find properties to operate from.   Harrison also introduced an idea she’d encountered in Italy, where legislation requires both public and private employers with more than 15 employees to hire a certain percentage of disabled people. Employers can also fulfil the quota by entering into agreements with social value organisations. “This has massively transformed the access to work opportunities for disadvantaged groups,” said Harrison.  Access to finance  Finding investment to grow remains an issue for social enterprises irrespective of size. Midcounties Co-op is one of the biggest UK childcare providers offering nearly 4000 places and Westall explained they’d like to expand this service but “as a co-op we are unable, as other business types are, to go to the city and raise funds. How do we get additional finance backing to enable us to do the things that we want to do?”. The government has established an advisory group to look at ways of mobilising social impact capital.   Jonathan Atkinson of Carbon Co-op also called for a bigger spectrum of finance options to be made available and described having limited options for using an overdraft from banks unable to assess their business risk as a social enterprise.  More grant-making startup funds were requested by Harrison, who cited a reduction in non-repayable early-stage funding sources.    Support  More awareness and practical support across the board was also requested – for local authority commissioners looking to contract social enterprises and for business support for social enterprises. Westall also suggested that more co-op development agencies were needed, but this was challenged by Baroness Glenys Thornton who thought something broader was needed who said “this isn't just about developing cooperatives, this is about developing social enterprises and social businesses writ large.”  Holbrook thought government officials should establish “a single vision for how cooperatives, mutuals, and social businesses can collectively recover our economy.” He suggested this might take the form of a Social Business Unit so that every government department could benefit from a level of expertise and knowledge about these diverse business models.  This was the first of four evidence sessions for the Inquiry. All the evidence presented will now be collated and incorporated into a report that will be delivered to government and other stakeholders later this year.