Blogs

How one social enterprise is using artisan bread to create jobs for refugees

Social enterprises will be vital to ensure that we build back better post coronavirus. Social enterprises are job creators but they do this in a way which brings people into the economy, helping reduce inequalities. Find out how one social enterprise, Breadwinners, is creating meaningful jobs for refugees.Read more

How Accelerate Optimises an Illness to Wellness strategy for our community

The wellbeing of patients is at the heart of how social enterprises working in health and care operate. For Wellbeing Week 2020 find out how AccelerateCIC optimises an illness to wellness strategy for the patients it supports to deal with wound, lymphoedema + mobility issues and how the social enterprise adapted its services during Covid-19.Read more

Refugee Week 2020

For Refugee Week 2020 and World Refugee Day, we’ve put together this shortlist of just a few of the incredible social enterprises working to ensure that refugees are welcomed, supported and their contributions acknowledged.Read more

None of us can pretend we really know what’s going to happen.

With the old economic model collapsing in the wake of the pandemic and the uncertainty ahead, Dan Gregory looks at the possibilities within the chaos and how the future of the economy lies in community, in co-operation and in social enterprise.Read more

Meet the Social Enterprise tackling the plastic problem in Uganda

Find out how Social Enterprise UK member Eco Brixs is taking on plastic pollution in Uganda with a solution that has social and environmental justice at it's core in this special blog written for Global Recycling Day 2020.Read more

Fair Trade and Social Enterprise: two sides of the same coin

Erinch Sahan, Chief Executive of the World Fair Trade Organisation gives his thoughts as to how without a truly mission-led business-model, Fair Trade becomes limited.Read more

Unfolding women’s power in India - Secret Projects Community Benefit Society

Secret Projects drives female led micro-enterprise and trains and empowers women in India through the making and selling of clothing and homeware.Read more

The public sector must focus on achieving all three pillars of social value

Senior Associate at Anthony Collins Solicitors, Gayle Monk, discusses the importance for public sector bodies to recognise synergies between the social, economic and environmental in order to maximise social value.Read more

Wates and social value

Social value at Wates is characterised by a focus on creating sustainable communities through employment and skills, and advocacy of trade with the social enterprise sector. Su Community Investment Manager at Wates Group, Pickerill explains more.Read more

Call to action from the National Social Value Conference - it’s Time to Act!

CEO of Social Value UK, Ben Carpenter, reflects on the 2020 National Social Value Conference, highlighting 10 key takeaways that will help to shape the strategic discussions of the Social Value Leaders Summit in March.Read more

Building a strong social purpose

Social enterprises represent the best that business can offer: innovative, commercially focused organisations that give back to society or the natural environment. Businesses that engage with social enterprises are helping to support this growing sector, with its strong social purpose. Amanda Williams, Sustainability Manager at Landmarc Support Services, explains how this is just a natural progression for a company that understands its place in wider society.Read more

Social Enterprise Community: it is time to talk about mental health

On Time to Talk day, CEO of of Mental Health First Aid, Simon Blake, talks about the importance of being open about mental health in the social enterprise sector.Read more

A day on the Rapid Response Team

SEUK's Public Services Lead, Nancy Towers, spent a day observing the Rapid Response Team at health and social care social enterprise, Your Healthcare. In this blog Nancy looks at how being a social enterprise allows it to empower staff to make decisions and create a way of working which puts the needs of service users at the heart of how it operates.Read more

Celebrating bringing outstanding care to our communities

Social enterprises are working across the country delivering quality health and social care services. In this blog Zoe Nicholson, co-founder of Social Enterprise UK member, Here, reflects on the brilliant news that their community services have been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.Read more

Working across systems and building partnerships to deliver more effective health and care outcomes.

Extract from Jo Pritchard’s speech to the Building Health Partnership’s Conference on working across systems and building partnerships to deliver more effective health and care outcomes.Read more

General Election 2019

A run through of our campaign for the 2019 General Election which involved guerrilla light displays, an ad-van and a message that business as usual isn't working.Read more

General Election 2019 Brexit Policy

The third of our election blogs is all about Brexit. What are the parties saying and what might it mean for social enterprises?Read more

General Election 2019 Key Policy Battlegrounds

The second in our election series of blogs looks at some of the key battlegrounds in this election and what they mean for social enterprises from the future of public services to how we do business.Read more

How serious are politicians and media about changing this country?

Our External Affairs Director on our campaign to push the message that business as usual isn't working. With an election immanent, we need to make sure that we change how we do business if we're to take on the climate emergency and build a fairer economy,Read more

General Election 2019 Manifesto Analysis

The first in a series of blogs from our Director of External Affairs, Andrew O'Brien, looking at what the upcoming election will mean for social enterprises.Read more

The Greatest Show

Our Chief Executive, Peter Holbrook offers his thoughts on this year's momentous Social Enterprise World Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia which was a showcase of our global social enterprise movement.Read more

Politics trumps economics – social enterprises must take this election head on

Our Director of External Affairs, Andrew O'Brien on why this upcoming election will probably matter more than most.Read more

Can Early Years be the Bridge to Helping Combat Loneliness and Isolation in Local Communities?

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is not an education at all.” In this blog CEO of London Early Years Foundation, June O'Sullivan, talks about their upcoming Margaret Horn debate which asks the question: Can early years be the bridge to helping combat loneliness and isolation in local communities?Read more

The public sector must lead by example in Buying Social

On Thursday 9th October, the #BuySocial for a Better World campaign is focusing on the impact that can be made when public sector bodies buy from social enterprises. VCSE Crown Representative, Claire Dove, writes of the importance of government leading the way in buying social.Read more

10 tips to win at online video

Video is now a much preferred way to share any type of information online. In this video and blog post, The Chocolate Films Glasgow team shares their advice on how to create great video content for Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.Read more

Anti-Economist

The Economist ran a leader titled "What are companies for?" In this blog SEUK's Andrew O'Brien takes on the key arguments in the article arguing that businesses don't need to choose between social purpose and financial successRead more

Whatever happened to public service reform?

Our Director of External Affairs makes the case that we need to grow social enterprises in the public sectorRead more

Social enterprises need to be political entrepreneurs if we want to grow the sector

SEUK's Director of External Affairs makes the case that we need social entrepreneurs to also be political entrepreneurs and how growing our sector’s political influence will do more than anything else to turbo charge our impact.Read more

Housing: property or home?

Tessa Gooding from Urban Patchwork writes about how social enterprise can help bridge the gap between housing as property and housing as home to help address the housing crisis and contribute to a more sustainable society.Read more

We need to invest in markets – not impact

SEUK’s Charlie Wigglesworth on why we should be investing in markets not impact.Read more

How to win more contracts with the public sector? - Talk to Procurement Pt 3

The final blog in this series looks at the benefits of embedding social value into corporate supply chains to help boost sales and win contracts.Read more

How to attract and retain talent? Talk to procurement - Pt 2

The second blog in our 'Talk to Procurement' series looks at how companies can use their supply chains to attract and retain talent.Read more

How to engage consumers and drive up revenue - Talk to Procurement Pt 1

The first in a series of 3 blogs from Andy Daly, who works on our Corporate Partnerships, which looks at the potential of corporate procurement to increase their impact through their supply chain.Read more

Stop right now - the Spice Girls and big business aren't the answer to equality

Our Marketing and Communications Officer, Kate, argues that we shouldn't be fooled by big business co-opting feminist campaigns. Instead we should be supporting businesses set up to build a more equal society.Read more

Government must ask itself: what are we getting for our tax cuts?

Following news that corporation tax cuts will cost billions more than previously suggested, SEUK's Andrew O'Brien argues that tax cuts just don’t cut it anymore.Read more

Autumn Budget 2018 - Government is running out of road with its out of date economic thinking

Andrew O'Brien, our Director of External Affairs, gives his thoughts on the Autumn Budget, arguing that to boost productivity and build inclusive growth the government needs to back social enterprise.Read more

Social Investment: It’s not just about the money

Big Society Capital's Social Sector Engagement Director, Mel Mills looks back at the UK Social Enterprise Awards and those organisations shortlisted for the Social Investment Deal of the Year Award making the point that when it comes to social investment it's not just about the money.Read more

We can’t wait for Brexit to begin the difficult job of reforming our economy

SEUK's External Affairs Director, Andrew O'Brien argues ahead of the Budget that we cannot ignore the the difficult but necessary job of reforming our economy.Read more

‘Trading with organisations that support local communities is a powerful opportunity to make a difference

Wates Construction recently confirmed £313,010 of spend with social enterprises in the year to date from its Bedfordshire base in Luton. As MD of the Home Counties region, Ian Vickers discusses the role social enterprises play in building successful, sustainable communities when part of a local supply chain.Read more

A Hidden Revolution is transforming the UK economy and everyone must take notice

SEUK's Charlie Wigglesworth argues that Government cannot afford to ignore social enterprise following on from our latest research which showed social enterprises contributing £60bn to the UK economy.Read more

Workers on boards alone won’t stop reckless corporate culture

SEUK's External Affairs Director, Andrew O'Brien, takes a deep dive into the announcement at the 2018 Labour Party Conference for more worker representation on corporate boards, and argues for social enterprise as an avenue to improve corporate culture and its impact on society.Read more

Social Enterprise UK – Going Global

SEUK's Director of International and Sustainable Development, Dan Gregory shines a spotlight on our work around the world, learning from other countries and sharing knowledge to grow the global social enterprise movement.Read more

Being Brave and Bold in Durham and Darlington

Jane Hartley (VONNE), Lee Mack (CDDFT), Catherine Parker (PHE) and Jenny Steel explore the opportunities offered by three CCGs and two Local Authorities committing to a new five year contract for community health services.Read more

We must turn the Civil Society Strategy into a coherent plan to support social enterprise

SEUK's External Affairs Director, Andrew O'Brien looks into the Government's Civil Society Strategy, what it means for social enterprise and how we can make it work for our sector.Read more

Swimming with a social conscience

Power to Change's Communications Coordinator, Matt McKeown, looks at a social and environmentally conscious way of cooling off in the heat.Read more

I was very privileged to have this week away to learn more about the morals of the organisation I work for

Graham Organ is a driver for Bristol Community Transport, part of HCT Group. In May, he took part in the HCT Champions Programme, which involved a group of front-line employees visiting social enterprises in Bristol and London to learn about the world of social enterprise and the social impact their own organisation has.Read more

I felt inspired to make more of my colleagues aware of how HCT/CT Plus operates as a social enterprise

Caroline Wilson is a Travel Care Assistant at HCT/CT Plus in Fulham. She joined the Champions Programme for HCT Group in May 2018, which involved a group of their front-line staff visiting a broad range of social enterprises in Bristol and London to understand the world of social enterprise and the social impact of their own organisation.Read more

Why I'm looking forward to sitting next to the CEO of NHS England at Fit For The Future

Gina Rowland will be sharing the keynote plenary at Fit For The Future with CEO NHS England Simon Stevens. Here she explains why she's using it as an opportunity to get NHS leaders to pay more attention to the outstanding health and social care services provided by social enterprises.Read more

Mixing water, energy and ethics

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Social Enterprise Summit in Salford

Gareth Hart, Director, Iridescent Ideas CIC and Chair, Plymouth Social Enterprise Network reflects on the Social Enterprise Summit in Salford held in April.Read more

SEUK visits the Yorkshire Coast

David Stone from Coast and Vale Community Action reflects on a jammed packed couple of days of social enterprise activity and a visit from Social Enterprise UK.Read more

Joining the dots: the role of corporates in addressing societal employment challenges

Mark Hicken, Managing Director of Janssen UK & Ireland, a pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson, gives his perspective on the importance of working with social enterprises.Read more

World Water Day 2018

Karen Lynch CEO of Belu Water talks about the importance of World Water Day and how it inspires Belu to do business differently.Read more

Seriously, we must have a purpose beyond profit. Here’s how.

Laura Kekuti, Policy Officer at UnLtd UnLtd (the foundation for social entrepreneurs), shares the top tips from some of the UK’s most purpose-driven businesses on how to make purpose work in practice.Read more

We Must End Exploitative Lending Practices And Make Credit Fair For Those Who Need it

Social Enterprise UK Patron Michael Sheen explains why he has launched the 'End High Cost Credit Alliance' - a project designed to back fair alternatives to high-cost credit providers.Read more

Social value – no longer lip service, just good business sense

Ahead of the Social Value Summit, Josh Steiner, Social Value and Sustainability Manager at Wates Construction looks at the social value landscape and the new opportunities open to businesses looking to maximise their impact and capitalise on the prospect of effective social value.Read more

#BuySocial this Fairtrade Fornight

26th February until 11th March is Fairtrade Fornight. We encourage you to #BuySocial this Fairtrade Fortnight to support both the Fairtrade and social enterprise movements.Read more

Achieving Social Value through Effective Contract Management: The importance of a holistic approach

Associate at Anthony Collins Solicitors, Gayle Monk, discusses the need for a holistic approach to social value procurement.Read more

"Building Health Partnerships has been about culture change within the NHS and beyond"

We interviewed Emily Holloway from the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust about her involvement in Building Health Partnerships (BHP), a programme that facilitates collaboration between STPs, local people and the voluntary sector. Find out more about the focus of work in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the challenges of working across sector and how these have been overcome, and what they would do differently in the future.Read more

100 years on - how social enterprises are driving the fight for gender equality

On the centenary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act becoming law, we take a look at some of the social enterprises that are tackling gender inequalities and empowering women through who they work with.Read more

Maximising social value – it’s a mindset – just follow the Principles

Dr. Adam Richards from Social Value UK touches on the third 'M' of social value, ahead of his workshops at this year's Social Value Summit.Read more

Social Enterprise and the Industrial Strategy - Lord John Bird's comments on the Industrial Strategy

"If Government were to get behind social enterprises and take us from a niche into the mainstream, that would do all sorts of wonderful things " Our Patron, Lord John Bird's comments in the debate on the Industrial Strategy on 8 January in the House of LordsRead more

SEUK Awards 2017 – Social Investment Deal of the Year

Geetha Rabindrakumar Head of Engagement at Big Society Capital and a judge for the 2017 UK Social Enterprise Awards looks back at the inspiring stories behind the Social Investment Deal of the Year Award.Read more

How embedded is social value and social enterprise in Government?

Our Public Affairs Manager, James Butler, looks at how Government is using the Social Value Act.Read more

Social Enterprise: all aboard?

Should social enterprises have a monopoly on ‘social’? Are they in danger of losing territory to other kinds of businesses that are adopting a version of social enterprise primarily because it offers access to new markets? Or perhaps there really are ways that business can deliver social good and we should welcome this changing landscape? Hempson's Simon Lee considers some of these issues.Read more

What makes you feel good?

Our Deputy CEO, Nick Temple, reflects on the first partnership session of the Building Health Partnerships Programme for the Humber Coast and Vale STP region.Read more

Autumn Public Affairs and Policy Update

Our Public Affairs Manager, James Butler, looks back at this year's conference season and what is on the horizon.Read more

Celebrating Social Saturday by June O’Sullivan, CEO of London Early Years Foundation

CEO of pioneering social enterprise the London Early Year's Foundations, June O'Sullivan celebrates Social Saturday 2017Read more

Access for all: promoting an inclusive society with social enterprises

As we enter National Inclusion Week Emily Davies, Head of Social Impact at Amey writes about how their work with social enterprises is creating opportunities for those who need them most, promoting a more inclusive society.Read more

Putting the social (impact) in social investment

Social Enterprise UK's Deputy CEO reports on an initiative aimed at improving social impact practice in social investment intermediaries.Read more

An Open Letter to the UN Security Council to intervene to end the human crisis in Myanmar from Nobel Laureate, Muhammad Yunus

Nobel Laureate and social entrepreneur, Muhammad Yunus has written this open letter to the UN Security Council to end the crisis in Myanmar faced by the Rohingya people.Read more

Tackling inequality requires us to re-imagine business - Erinch Sahan, Oxfam

Erinch Sahan, Acting Head of Private Sector, at Oxfam GB on why the current reality of mainstream business isn’t cutting the mustard when it comes to tackling inequality.Read more

Building Health Partnerships: Self-care

Our Programmes Officer, Nancy Towers explains the BHP: Self-care programme supporting Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) footprints to engage with the VCSE sector and citizens on wellbeing and self-care priorities.Read more

Summer Policy Briefing

Our Public Affairs Manager, James Butler, looks at what the policy agenda may hold for social enterprises as Parliament breaks for the Summer recess.Read more

Urgency and ambition: what the social sector needs now

A blog post from SEUK's Deputy CEO looking at how organisations should think about influence and making change in the current political landscape.Read more

What the Queen’s Speech means for the social enterprise movement

Our Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Butler, discusses what Her Majesty's speech means for the sector of social enterprise.Read more

Election Reflections

Our CEO Peter Holbrook looks back at the shock General Election results and what changes in Government may mean for the sector.Read more

Creating a Powerhouse that’s about people

What started as a Twitter discussion around the lack of female speakers at the Northern Powerhouse Conference in February rapidly became something much bigger, writes Tracy Fishwick.Read more

HCT Champions 3: balancing commercial and social

HCT Group is a leading transport social enterprise seeking to embed a culture and understanding of social enterpriseRead more

General Election Viewpoints: 6 - Creating people-powered housing

In the run-up to the General Election, Social Enterprise UK is providing a platform for its members to share their views in key policy areas. This blog is from Rob Greenland, co-director of Social Business Brokers CIC. They are best known for their Empty Homes Doctor service, and Rob is also a founder member of Leeds Community Homes.Read more

General Election Viewpoints: 5 - Transport, social enterprise & requests for an incoming government

In the run-up to the General Election, Social Enterprise UK is providing a platform for its members to share their views in key policy areas. This blog is from Dai Powell, CEO of HCT Group, a leading transport social enterprise.Read more

General Election Viewpoints: 4 - On education for sustainable development

In the run-up to the General Election, Social Enterprise UK is providing a platform for its members to share their views in key policy areas. This blog is from Jen Baughan, CEO of Solutions for the Planet, a social enterprise working with businesses, schools and communities to promote education for sustainable development, social enterprise, and STEM careers for young people.Read more

General Election Viewpoints: 3 - The Fourth Industrial Revolution; social impact at a human scale

In the run-up to the General Election, Social Enterprise UK is providing a platform for its members to share their views in key policy areas. This blog is from Rose Marley, CEO of Sharp Futures, a social enterprise supporting young people into employment.Read more

Here - Investing in HiSBe through our start-up fund

Zoe Nicholson, Chief Executive of Here writes about their investment in fellow SEUK member, HiSBe through their start-up fund.Read more

General Election Viewpoints: 2 - Six steps to a world-leading childcare strategy

In the run-up to the General Election, Social Enterprise UK is providing a platform for its members to share their views in key policy areas. This blog is from June O'Sullivan, CEO of LEYF, a leading social enterprise delivering childcare.Read more

General Election Viewpoints: 1 - A mutual solution for social care

In the run up to the General Election we will be featuring blogs from SEUK members across the social enterprise sector, sharing their viewpoint on key issues that need to be addressed by the new Government. The first blog is from Dr Guy Turnbull from CASA: Care and Share Associates.Read more

Everything you need to know about the General Election

What does the election mean for social enterprise?Read more

What would an inclusive industrial strategy look like?

SEUK's Deputy CEO thinks about what an industrial strategy aiming at an inclusive economy might look like...and what it might mean for social enterprise.Read more