
News and views
Shortlist announced for the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2025
We're delighted to announce the shortlist for the UK Social Enterprise Awards! The Awards are a celebration of everything that makes the social enterprise sector so special, and this year's shortlist really does show the strength, impact and diversity of the social enterprise movement up and down the country. The current shortlist will be joined by some of the winners from the Northern Irish Social Enterprise Awards, the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland, and the Social Business Wales Awards. Here's who's made the shortlist this year: UK Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Keegan & Pennykid The overall award for a social enterprise that has a clear vision, excellence in impact, and that has demonstrated and promoted social enterprise beyond the sector. Centre for Information Resilience CIC Change Please London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) Platfform Tarem Services Limited Useful Simple Trust One to Watch Award Sponsored by PwC The One to Watch Award is for a start-up social enterprise. Key to winning this award is an ability to clearly articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it. BALDILOCKS Circular Design Forests With Impact Little Green Change Remade Worcestershire CIO Prove It: Social Impact Award Sponsored by Linklaters For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. ChangeKitchen CIC Change Please Community Shop The Skill Mill Turning Point Waste to Wonder Worldwide ‘Buy Social’ Market Builder Award Sponsored by Corps Security For a social enterprise, public sector body or private sector organisation that has demonstrably made efforts within its own organisation and remit to create more opportunities to buy from social enterprises. BDO LLP CBRE Global Workplace Solutions Ernst & Young LLP Foodbuy National Highways Siemens Plc Social Investment Deal of the Year Sponsored by Good Finance For an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. Big Issue Invest - Great Oaks College Charities Aid Foundation - Oaks Rise CIC Firstport - Farmer Jones Academy CIC Livv Investment - Make CIC Resonance - Community Ventures Ltd Middlesborough Social and Sustainable Capital (SASC) - Social adVentures Wales Council for Voluntary Action - The Community Impact Initiative CIC and Tai Heulwen CIC Public Services Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by GLL For a social enterprise for whom the majority of their income comes from the public sector and which delivers public services (for central or local government, NHS, criminal justice or other statutory body). Cumbria Health East Coast Community Healthcare FCMS (NW) Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise Platfform The National House Project (NHP) Consumer Facing Social Enterprise of the Year Available to sponsor For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. Community Shop Oakhaven Care Tea People Ltd The Dusty Knuckle Bakery Y.O.U Underwear Zaytoun Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise of the Year Available to sponsor For a social enterprise in the education, training or employment sectors that can demonstrate excellence in vision and strategic direction, and clearly evidence their social, environmental and community impact. Britain's Bravest Manufacturing Company ICENA LTD Social Enterprise Kent CIC The Community Impact Initiative CIC Well Grounded Jobs CIC WYK Digital Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Landmarc For a social enterprise in the green and environmental sector with a clear evidenced environmental impact. ChangeKitchen CIC Seagulls Re-Use Ltd The Skill Mill Useful Simple Trust Waste to Wonder Worldwide Y.O.U Underwear Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Award Available to sponsor Social justice is fundamental to the social enterprise movement. This category is open to all social enterprises who are addressing issues around diversity, inclusion and equity. Growing Well Hatch Enterprise Nemi Teas QueerAF CIC Signalise Co-op Wonder Women CIC Social Enterprise Women’s Champion of the Year Available to sponsor For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Felicia Mattis-Rome - Business Launchpad/Tooting Works Dawn Hewitt - CHUMS CIC Anna Lane - Women in Banking and Finance Camilla Rigby and Rachel Mostyn - Women's Work Lab Ria Hebden - Wonder Women CIC Hannah Oyewole - Young Ladies Club International Impact Award Available to sponsor For a social enterprise working internationally, and which are having a big impact in their field. This award is open to UK-based organisations only with existing international operations. Change Please Stand4 Socks Tea People Ltd The Centre for Information Resilience CIC UK Starfish Project WildHearts Office Ltd Community-Based Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation This award is for a social enterprise that trades for the benefit of their community, making a real local impact. Bath Spa University Social adVentures Social Enterprise Kent CIC Spark York CIC Tap Social Movement Therapeutic Activities Group CIC Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year Sponsored by Fusion21 A new award is recognising a social enterprise that has brought something truly innovative to market in the past year. Amplify Goods CHUMS CIC City Health Care Partnership CIC GLL Tarem Services Limited WYK Digital Tech for Good: Technology Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Mitie For a social enterprise that uses technology to achieve social impact. Beam Up Ltd Digital Boost Nimbus Disability Pocket Power Signalise Co-op Talent People We are pleased to be working with Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland and Social Enterprise Scotland to deliver the Awards. Awards Sponsors If you're interested in sponsoring the Awards read through our sponsor pack or contact christopher.morgan@socialenterprise.org.uk.
4 min