356 blog articles for ‘social enterprise’

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

If the government was in any doubt about the challenges facing those starting social enterprises, a mixed group of stakeholders presented it with a vivid picture this week.   It was the most recent evidence delivered to the second roundtable of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Social, Cooperative and Community as part of their ongoing inquiry into growing diverse business models.   The highs and lows of social enterprise  Give Your Best (pictured above) was a side hustle that grew into a business for founder Sol Escobar and was supported by ‘tech for good’ grants from organisations such as Innovate UK. Escobar told the inquiry she didn’t know what a social enterprise was as her initiative first began to flourish and described how vital the support ecosystem was.   “I did every single incubator and accelerator I could possibly find, because … I didn't know how to grow this organisation, and they really have just taken me from step to step and taught me how to run this organisation and scale it to become revenue-generating,” Escobar said.  Now 800 to 2000 items of donated clothing are chosen by people in clothing poverty every week through the social enterprise, helping to tackle the £140m worth of clothing that is thrown away annually.   Starting a social enterprise might be an option if you have certain advantages, but what if you don’t? The financial implications for those in this situation were made stark by Bayo Adelaja, founder and CEO of Do it Now Now, which annually supports approximately 150 Black leaders of organisations with business training and grant funding. "Most of the people in our community are earning under £18,000 a year and 27% of them didn't attend university, but they remain pillars of their society and are leaders and changemakers within their community," Adelaja said. "The income they're receiving each year is approximately £32,000 and around 40% of that comes from the salary sacrifice of the directors themselves. The vast majority of them are working full-time jobs and about 40% of them have never received grant funding.”  Adelaja asked the APPG to consider how the government could put in places systems and processes that empower people who don't have the access, schooling or business training of others, but are creating social enterprises in response to communities that need services delivered annually. In particular, she recommended that funding not be project-based, with multi-year funding schemes introduced instead.   “We’ve limped our way through”  Escobar had earlier credited School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) as being instrumental in her development as a business founder. Whilst acknowledging that the “nudge economics” of SSE’s match trading grants and bringing social entrepreneurs together in supportive cohorts to bolster confidence had both worked well, SSE CEO Alistair Wilson was less optimistic about the support ecosystem in general.  "It is interesting to reflect that second-tier support organisations in this country are hanging by a thread. We've limped our way through the last 15 years, and many organisations have gone bust. If the government wants to see this sector thrive, they've got to get behind it in a more serious way," Wilson told the inquiry.  He went on to say that he thought the UK had slipped from being world-leading in social enterprise to “being in tenth place, if you’re lucky” and that he hoped the government would consider how to get the UK’s leading status back. Wilson was backed by Louise Cannon, Director of Social Entrepreneur Support at UnLtd, who also asked that long-term ecosystem building be considered by the government.   Matt Smith, CEO of social investor Key Fund made the point that support organisations like SSE were crucial for equipping passionate social entrepreneurs with the skills and experience to run a business. Like Wilson, he expressed concern at the lack of support organisations that existed now compared to 15 years ago.   Smith also thought that more grant funding could level the playing field in areas of unequal opportunity such as those described earlier in the session by Adelaja. “There's a gap where grants should be playing the role that friends and family would in more affluent communities,” he said.  Fellow social investor Seb Elsworth, CEO of Access called for more mainstream providers to participate in social investment, particularly the state-owned British Business Bank, which manages loan guarantee schemes aimed at SMEs and targets a rate of return of 1.5% for its overall portfolio. “We know most social enterprises are looking for relatively small-scale, flexible, patient, unsecured lending. Providing that kind of finance is difficult to do on a purely commercial basis,” said Elsworth.  Two further evidence-gathering sessions will be conducted before the APPG delivers a report to the government later this year.

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.

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.  

Introducing an exclusive offer for Social Enterprise UK members from cyber insurance specialist Coalition and the team at Keegan & Pennykid Imagine opening your laptop one morning to check the accounts of your social enterprise, only to see a number of transfers have been made to a supplier you don't recognise. You try to open your email to check the notifications you're always sent when you make payments but you're locked out. What's going on?  According to insurer Coalition, the average claim from not-for-profits resulting from cyber breaches (when someone gains unauthorised access to your data) is £86,500. That covers the cost of investigating the breach, removing criminals from your systems, and restoring data and functionality. It doesn’t include legal fees, business disruption, or the potential reputational hit.  When you’ve bought off-the-shelf security software, it’s easy to assume your data is safe. But how many of us take the time to ensure that software is properly configured to suit our organisation's needs?  A big part of cyber security is simply knowing what to look for. For instance, many social enterprises rely on email to communicate with supporters, clients, and staff. But are those emails encrypted? Is two-factor authentication enabled for logins?  If hackers gain access to your inbox, they may also get hold of customer details, intellectual property, and other sensitive information. In the worst cases, this can create serious legal and reputational risks.  More broadly, who’s actually responsible for cyber security in your organisation? Are their responsibilities clearly defined? Have you allocated any budget to this area?  If you’ve got concerns about your cyber security, we’re here to help.  Taking control of cyber risk  Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) members can now access Coalition Control, a cyber security risk management platform, for free, thanks to our long-standing supporter member, Keegan & Pennykid.  Keegan & Pennykid are independent, family-owned insurance brokers with a UK-wide reputation for ethical, expert advice to individuals, businesses, social enterprises, and charities.  This is just one of the many benefits of SEUK membership. By joining, you're not only part of a business network committed to social justice and sustainability – you can benefit from offers like this from supporter members. Your membership also supports research that helps demonstrate the value of social enterprise to government, which has led to favorable policy. Members also gain access to exclusive events and resources. Learn more about SEUK membership.  Here’s how the cyber security risk platform works. Coalition Control scans your organisation’s entire digital footprint - including your domains, IP addresses, apps, and services - and flags potential risks like data leaks and phishing vulnerabilities. It then highlights data leaks and phishing risks.  The platform provides a clear view of your most pressing cyber threats and helps you take action before they turn into problems. It gives you a prioritised list of vulnerabilities, so you can focus on the ones most likely to cause damage.  This means you can build your cyber resilience in a practical, step-by-step way—making your organisation more secure and less vulnerable to attack. In fact, Coalition has found that users of its platform experience 64% fewer claims than those who don’t have access.  To help you explore this further, we’re running exclusive SEUK member webinars to demo the platform and answer any questions. Here are the details To register, sign into our Members' Area and click on RSVP. If you're a member but have not yet registered to our online community please get in touch with us at membership@socialenterprise.org.uk  1. Taking Control of Cyber Risk – 22 May, 12pm  Cyber-attacks against non-profit organisations are increasing at an alarming 63% year on year. During the first of our free webinars on cyber security presented alongside our colleagues at Coalition, we will provide practical advice on what your organisation can do to better protect itself.   2. Cyber resilience and Coalition Control – 5 June, 12pm   As mentioned above, Coalition Control provides a clear view of your most pressing cyber threats and helps you take action before they turn into problems. In this webinar we’ll show you how the Coalition Control platform works, demonstrating how straightforward and easy it is to use. We’ll also be considering what you can do to make your organisation more cyber resilient.   3. Cyber insurance – 12 June, 12pm  The focus for this session will be the vital role that cyber insurance plays within the cyber risk management process and how better protecting your organisation may not be as daunting as perhaps you might think. Remember, these webinars are exclusive to members. Join the world’s largest social enterprise network. 

The Chancellor is in an almost impossible position, faced with high government debt, low growth, unprecedented pressures on public services at home, and conflict and trade wars abroad. In response, Rachel Reeves’s spring statement announced cuts to the welfare budget, increases in defence, and reductions to overseas aid. For many, this will all feel pretty depressing. Yet real hope lies in every community across the country. As Neal Lawson of Compass puts it, “one critical area to boost is the alternative economy, of co-ops, social enterprises, employee-owned workplaces…  Not only can these organisations help kick start economic renewal, but they can do so in a way that is fairer and more democratic.” We welcome the Government recently committing £10m to community energy, and £20m to co-operative housing. But these relatively small drops won’t double the size of the co-operative and mutual sector, as Labour’s manifesto promises. You can’t grow diverse businesses by investing less with one hand than you are taking away with the other. National Insurance rises for public service providers - without either shareholders or customers to absorb the costs - are undermining viable, mission-led alternatives to the outrageous profiteering and negligence we see in the water industry, in children's care and beyond. Social enterprises, co-operatives and community business are delivering real prosperity that people can feel on their high streets, in their neighbourhoods, and in their pockets. This is where hope lies.

On the fifth anniversary of the first lockdown, academic research shows that social enterprises not only survived during the pandemic - they thrived. Professor Richard Hazenberg and Dr Claire Paterson-Young from the University of Northampton explain.  At the five-year anniversary of Boris Johnson’s lockdown announcement in March 2020, there remain many questions as to the impact of the pandemic on the country’s economy and society.  One area that we still know relatively little about is the impact that the pandemic had on social enterprises and their ability to serve their communities.   Social Enterprise UK research in 2021 found that social enterprises proved resilient, retaining staff and having lower closure rates than other forms of business. But our team at the University of Northampton’s Institute for Social Innovation and Impact (ISII) has now found that social enterprises performed even better than previously thought.  With our new research, we found that not only were social enterprises resilient, but they also grew their turnover and increased staff numbers. Despite the challenges of operating during a pandemic, they also increased the number of people they were helping.   We looked at the financial performance and social impact of 1,507 social enterprises both before and during the height of the pandemic, covering the years 2019-2022.  It used data from the Social Enterprise Support Fund (SESF), delivered by Big Issue Invest and partner organisations, through funding secured from the National Lottery Community Fund.   Misson makes for resilience   Our analysis revealed that in the three years between 2019 and 2022, social enterprises in the sample increased their turnover by 28% and their profits by 89%. As social enterprises, those profits were largely reinvested into their social missions, supporting the groups and communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Not only did the financial statements make for good reading, but staffing levels and the number of beneficiaries supported both rose by 11%.   Moreover, these figures did not come at the expense of trading income. Whilst there was an increase in grant funding, overall proportions of trading income barely changed (-0.7%), illustrating that increases in turnover was balanced between both income streams (grant funding accounted for just over one-third of turnover increases).   How did the sector achieve this during a time of such immense challenge? It should perhaps not come as a surprise, as previous studies during earlier crises (such as the 2008 financial crash), have shown that the nonprofit sector tends to be resilient.   As part of our research, we held interviews with 17 social entrepreneurs and 16 stakeholders from the wider social enterprise ecosystem. These revealed that, for social enterprises, their inherent hybrid focus on both financial and social missions aided their reactions to the pandemic.   Indeed, it was their social focus, commitment to their communities, and ethical approach, which alongside their ability to problem solve and reshape their offers, allowed them to continue to deliver support. Community support offered by social enterprises was significant in reducing isolation, including the delivery of support to enable people to access technology, expansion of counselling for children, and online educational provisions.  It was therefore the multi-mission focus that lies at the heart of social enterprise approaches that supported this resilience.  Lessons to learn from   What does this mean for the social enterprise sector and those seeking to support it? Our sample is not illustrative of the social enterprise sector as it did not contain many micro social enterprises. The data also only runs through to 2022, so doesn’t determine how the organisations developed through the remainder of the pandemic and beyond.   However, the data does show that focusing on both financial sustainability and benefiting communities can prove an asset for organisations, at least when reacting to crises. Supporting more businesses to improve the integration of social mission at strategic levels and critically assess their community operations can support not only their resilience and sustainability but deliver wider economic and social benefit.    Perhaps most importantly, the data shows that social enterprise proved resilient and focused on delivering for their communities, despite the many challenges faced. As the UK faces ongoing challenges in public services delivery, spending cuts, and social tensions, support to allow social enterprises to expand further is vital, not least as a protection measure against the next big crisis.  The full, open access paper with the complete findings of the research, 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

On the fifth anniversary of the first lockdown, academic research shows that social enterprises not only survived during the pandemic - they thrived. Professor Richard Hazenberg and Dr Claire Paterson-Young from the University of Northampton explain.  At the five-year anniversary of Boris Johnson’s lockdown announcement in March 2020, there remain many questions as to the impact of the pandemic on the country’s economy and society.  One area that we still know relatively little about is the impact that the pandemic had on social enterprises and their ability to serve their communities.   Social Enterprise UK research in 2021 found that social enterprises proved resilient, retaining staff and having lower closure rates than other forms of business. But our team at the University of Northampton’s Institute for Social Innovation and Impact (ISII) has now found that social enterprises performed even better than previously thought.  With our new research, we found that not only were social enterprises resilient, but they also grew their turnover and increased staff numbers. Despite the challenges of operating during a pandemic, they also increased the number of people they were helping.   We looked at the financial performance and social impact of 1,507 social enterprises both before and during the height of the pandemic, covering the years 2019-2022.  It used data from the Social Enterprise Support Fund (SESF), delivered by Big Issue Invest and partner organisations, through funding secured from the National Lottery Community Fund.   Misson makes for resilience   Our analysis revealed that in the three years between 2019 and 2022, social enterprises in the sample increased their turnover by 28% and their profits by 89%. As social enterprises, those profits were largely reinvested into their social missions, supporting the groups and communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Not only did the financial statements make for good reading, but staffing levels and the number of beneficiaries supported both rose by 11%.   Moreover, these figures did not come at the expense of trading income. Whilst there was an increase in grant funding, overall proportions of trading income barely changed (-0.7%), illustrating that increases in turnover was balanced between both income streams (grant funding accounted for just over one-third of turnover increases).   How did the sector achieve this during a time of such immense challenge? It should perhaps not come as a surprise, as previous studies during earlier crises (such as the 2008 financial crash), have shown that the nonprofit sector tends to be resilient.   As part of our research, we held interviews with 17 social entrepreneurs and 16 stakeholders from the wider social enterprise ecosystem. These revealed that, for social enterprises, their inherent hybrid focus on both financial and social missions aided their reactions to the pandemic.   Indeed, it was their social focus, commitment to their communities, and ethical approach, which alongside their ability to problem solve and reshape their offers, allowed them to continue to deliver support. Community support offered by social enterprises was significant in reducing isolation, including the delivery of support to enable people to access technology, expansion of counselling for children, and online educational provisions.  It was therefore the multi-mission focus that lies at the heart of social enterprise approaches that supported this resilience.  Lessons to learn from   What does this mean for the social enterprise sector and those seeking to support it? Our sample is not illustrative of the social enterprise sector as it did not contain many micro social enterprises. The data also only runs through to 2022, so doesn’t determine how the organisations developed through the remainder of the pandemic and beyond.   However, the data does show that focusing on both financial sustainability and benefiting communities can prove an asset for organisations, at least when reacting to crises. Supporting more businesses to improve the integration of social mission at strategic levels and critically assess their community operations can support not only their resilience and sustainability but deliver wider economic and social benefit.    Perhaps most importantly, the data shows that social enterprise proved resilient and focused on delivering for their communities, despite the many challenges faced. As the UK faces ongoing challenges in public services delivery, spending cuts, and social tensions, support to allow social enterprises to expand further is vital, not least as a protection measure against the next big crisis.  The full, open access paper with the complete findings of the research, 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

After 20 years, at the end of March 2025, Richard Beard will be handing over the reins as Chief Executive of JERICHO, a leading Birmingham charity and family of seven sustainable social enterprises.  JERICHO is an award-winning charity that provides supported work opportunities for people facing extreme challenges in getting a job. The organisation primarily supports marginalised young people and survivors of modern slavery. What is truly different about the JERICHO model is the combination of vital support and activities which are offered alongside supported work placements. The person-centred JERICHO approach helps reduce isolation, support recovery, promote inclusion and ultimately supports people to become more employable and transform their lives.  JERICHO’s people are the key to success, and Richard learnt from the ground up. After a career in engineering, he joined the JERICHO staff team in October 2004 to lead a project training people with lived experience of substance misuse, homelessness or offending in construction skills. In 2005, he was appointed Deputy CEO and then taking on the role of Chief Executive in 2006.  His aspiration was to scale and grow the charity, further develop the social impact and to increase the proportion of income that came from trading rather than grants.  In Richard’s first year, JERICHO trading income was less than 10% of £420,000 annual income. As Richard steps away from JERICHO, group income is above £4 million with 80% trading income…. So, mission accomplished!  Incoming Chief Executive, Katie Webb, says, “The work to create a fairer society doesn’t stop. There is still so much to do to help level the playing field and providing supported work placements for people who need them most must continue so we can help change lives and improve life chances. My aspiration for my term leading JERICHO is to build on Richard’s amazing legacy, continue innovating and to keep trying to build a fairer society.”  “We are already developing new employability-focused projects and programmes that will help us support more people with barriers to entering the workforce. Going forwards, as well as focusing on training and supporting people to progress to roles in foundational sectors, we would love to create new supported work opportunities that equip and upskill people for the ‘jobs of tomorrow’ as well enable routes into mainstream work in key areas where we are already seeing labour shortages such as health and social care, childcare and manufacturing.”  Richard’s contribution to the West Midlands regional social economy is not to be underestimated. In the November Social Economy Awards 2025, supported by West Midlands Combined Authority,  he was shortlisted for Overall Contribution to the Social Economy (Individual) category.  Under Richard’s stewardship, JERICHO employment outcomes currently range from 84% to 100% annually for people progressing into employment, education or other positive outcomes, and has generated £2million of added social value in 2023/24.   Richard Beard says, “I’m truly delighted to be handing the Chief Executive baton onto an incredibly talented and capable successor who I’m confident will lead JERICHO to the next level.”  “What am I proud of, aside from all those people who have been involved with JERICHO over the last 20 years, is that JERICHO is now known as leaders in the fields of supported employment and modern slavery.”   Colin Marsh, Chair of Trustees, says, “Huge thanks to Richard for his many years of excellent service to JERICHO. I am looking forward to working with Katie Webb in the months ahead.”  jericho.org.uk

RIFT Social Enterprise is a Community Interest Company (CIC) that delivers self-employment services across the UK, with its main focus being on a 12-month one-to-one support for people interested in working for themselves. Its vision is to be the leading provider of self-employment support for marginalised people, and its mission is to empower participants to achieve sustainable self-employment and raise awareness that this is a viable option for many. The business has been trading for seven years, delivering a series of courses and webinars beyond its main support programme as well as accredited workbooks. From a team of two, it’s grown to 15 staff members, and in the last year alone supported more than a thousand people on their journey to self-employment. Working to support those in the criminal justice system For the first four years of RIFT Social Enterprise’s existence, the government department it’s worked with most has been His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). It has delivered services via the dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for the prison service and through CFO3 (Co-funding Organisation Round 3), which supported people with convictions to overcome barriers to education and employment. This funding ended in July 2024, but the social enterprise has been onboarded by the majority of prime providers delivering the programme's next iteration, CFOE. Two years ago, RIFT Social Enterprise diversified its services and started delivering for the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Restart Scheme. This works with people who have been long-term unemployed, giving them specialist tools and support to get back into the job market. The scheme is primarily contracted out to a series of prime organisations, such as Maximus and Ingeus, and RIFT Social Enterprise currently delivers for 20 different Restart providers all across the country. What are the benefits to government of working with Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations (VCSEs)? RIFT Social Enterprise’s chief executive Andy Gullick emphasises the additional value that comes through partnering with organisations dedicated to creating a positive social or environmental impact: “Social enterprises have social value at their core. The work that we do is founded in doing it for the right reasons, and profits have to be reinvested back into the business for the greater good of the work we’re doing. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that’s only going to lead to long term benefits for the participants, the local community, and that government contract as a whole.” What challenges have you faced in the contracting process?   Process, transparency and the role of relationships One of the big challenges RIFT Social Enterprise has found when applying for contracts is the time it takes to get onto portals such as the DPS for the prison service. Organisations wishing to deliver government contracts submit eligibility to deliver a service onto a DPS, with the relevant department going to those who have made it onto these procurement platforms to decide who to contract with. Whilst these are set up to simplify the contracting process, getting on the DPS “took hours and hours for a relatively new social enterprise at the time”. For smaller VCSEs, the amount of detail required can prove to be a challenge: “When you don’t have a big team or the experience of bidding for government contracts, it’s quite difficult in terms of bid writing , having to have two years’ worth of audited accounts, or if not providing management accounts and references. Having to go through 90 different questions as part of the due diligence process is really time consuming!” Once on a procurement portal, Andy highlights that many organisations “expect to sit back and wait for call-off opportunities to be published which they can bid for” but in reality it’s often “more about the relationships that you had or forge with particular prison governors of prison leadership teams, rather than it being an equal process”. This focus on forging relationships with commissioning bodies can lead to criticisms about the transparency of the process, and service deliverers sometimes approaching commissioners with ideas on what kind of services to commission. Compared to work with HMPPS, the Restart work through DWP was easier - but there were common challenges around the onboarding process, primarily around working with primes (organisations applying directly apply to DWP to deliver the bulk of the contract). In the example of Restart, a prime organisation would deliver a certain percentage of the contract and subcontract a supply chain to deliver another percentage, then both subcontract RIFT Social Enterprise on a spot purchase arrangement to provide specialist self-employment provision. Each layer required separate due diligence processes. Working with so many primes meant RIFT Social Enterprise had to fill out the same information multiple times and often in different ways; Andy said: “I wish that there was one standard proforma that was used for all VCSE providers that captured all of the information that all the primes need for due diligence.” Capturing broader impact Andy raised concerns that contracting processes don’t capture well the broader impact created by VCSEs, which are set up to tackle social and environmental challenges. He stressed how “stories of change” and the impact of RIFT Social Enterprise’s programmes on individual participants are key to its work, but often beyond the specifications of many contracts. With Restart, prime organisations draw down funding every time RIFT Social Enterprise can evidence that someone is self-employed as a result of the organisation’s work, but what is not counted are the “many softer outcomes for that individual such as an increase in confidence, better relationships with family and the wider community”. “There’s a real dichotomy between us being a not for profit, doing things for the right reasons, but working on a contract, where in a way, they encourage us to screen people out that aren’t going to get to the point of trading because they won’t be able to draw down any funding for that person – it’s a constant battle.” One possible solution to making it easier for VCSEs to apply for government contracts suggested by Andy is to influence primes to work with more VCSE suppliers: “With any new government procurement opportunities, the prime should be mandated so that a percentage of delivery has to fall within VCSE organisations. We add so much in terms of social value and impact but, at the moment, it’s a nice to have.” Based on a conversation with Andy Gullick, Chief Executive at RIFT Social Enterprise riftse.co.uk

RIFT Social Enterprise is a Community Interest Company (CIC) that delivers self-employment services across the UK, with its main focus being on a 12-month one-to-one support for people interested in working for themselves. Its vision is to be the leading provider of self-employment support for marginalised people, and its mission is to empower participants to achieve sustainable self-employment and raise awareness that this is a viable option for many. The business has been trading for seven years, delivering a series of courses and webinars beyond its main support programme as well as accredited workbooks. From a team of two, it’s grown to 15 staff members, and in the last year alone supported more than a thousand people on their journey to self-employment. Working to support those in the criminal justice system For the first four years of RIFT Social Enterprise’s existence, the government department it’s worked with most has been His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). It has delivered services via the dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for the prison service and through CFO3 (Co-funding Organisation Round 3), which supported people with convictions to overcome barriers to education and employment. This funding ended in July 2024, but the social enterprise has been onboarded by the majority of prime providers delivering the programme's next iteration, CFOE. Two years ago, RIFT Social Enterprise diversified its services and started delivering for the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Restart Scheme. This works with people who have been long-term unemployed, giving them specialist tools and support to get back into the job market. The scheme is primarily contracted out to a series of prime organisations, such as Maximus and Ingeus, and RIFT Social Enterprise currently delivers for 20 different Restart providers all across the country. What are the benefits to government of working with Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations (VCSEs)? RIFT Social Enterprise’s chief executive Andy Gullick emphasises the additional value that comes through partnering with organisations dedicated to creating a positive social or environmental impact: “Social enterprises have social value at their core. The work that we do is founded in doing it for the right reasons, and profits have to be reinvested back into the business for the greater good of the work we’re doing. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that’s only going to lead to long term benefits for the participants, the local community, and that government contract as a whole.” What tips do you have for other VCSEs looking to work with government? Andy recommends trying to secure contracts with key performance targets, rather than spot purchase arrangements, as this offers a much more stable source of revenue: “When we secured our first contract on the CFO3 provision across the prison service, the fact that we knew we were guaranteed that revenue every month for two years gave us the financial stability to be able to build and look to the future. Yes, we had some tough targets to meet and to evidence, but we knew exactly where we were. At the moment a lot of our contracts are on spot purchase arrangements, so we don’t know from one month to the next how many referrals we’re going to get in and how many successful outcomes we’re going to be able to draw down funding for. See if you can persuade the contracting body or prime to put you on a fixed-term contract with a guaranteed minimum revenue stream every month. It certainly was the building block for us to be able to continue with our growth.” Another top tip is to “network, network, network – get your name out there, go to as many events as you can, get your pitch deck in order and get it done professionally”. One big piece of advice given to Andy when it comes to promoting your business to a contracting organisation is to make sure you focus on the specific issues you can address and how you can work with them to deliver the solutions needed, rather than on broadly talking about what you do: “When talking about promoting your business to primes and to government organisations, start off with the problem you’re going to solve as opposed to what a lot of people do which is saying who we are, what we do, how great we are then at the end talking about the problem. Turn it on its head, go to the prime and tell them - this is a problem I’ve identified that you could potentially face with this contract and this is how we can support you to resolve it.” Based on a conversation with Andy Gullick, Chief Executive at RIFT Social Enterprise riftse.co.uk

Supplying services to the government or intending to? Here’s everything you need to know about the government’s new Procurement Act and how it will affect you.  Many of our members supply goods and services to local and national government, which is why the Procurement Act 2023 finally coming into force on 24 February is big news for social enterprises. The government is telling us that “the rules that shape how public bodies buy goods and services will change,” so if you’re a supplier or aspire to be, read on. We’ll tell you what’s changing, what you can do to prepare for it and why this is good news.  What is the new Procurement Act? According to the government, the new Act will simplify bidding and negotiating for contracts with the public sector by introducing a more flexible process that will reduce bureaucratic barriers for social enterprises. Payment will be more prompt, with 30-day payment terms on more contracts being promised, and suppliers can also expect feedback on their tenders from public bodies.   Key to this slicker way of working will be a new central digital platform, which is being positioned as ‘an enhancement to the existing Find a Tender service’. Registration will be simpler, and you’ll be able to store your core business details, making it easier to share your information with contracting authorities and use it for multiple bids. If you’re interested to see the new platform, the section below tells you how. All public procurement opportunities will be visible and searchable, and you’ll also be able to set up alerts, making it easier to stay aware of relevant available tenders.   The Act also promises a new regulator to ensure everyone plays by the new rules. The slightly Orwellian sounding Procurement Review Unit (PRU) will ‘enhance public sector procurement practice by ensuring adherence to the Procurement Act and safeguarding public procurement from suppliers deemed to pose risk’. Should you feel you were treated unfairly through the procurement process, the PRU will be the people to speak to, including anything to do with late payment.   How to get ready for the changes The government has done a good job in providing lots of resources to help you prepare for this new procurement process. It’s put a wealth of written information at your disposal, but also a library of 'Knowledge Drop' videos, as well as the training materials they are supplying to public sector buyers. You can find links to all of these on the government website. If you can set aside an hour, this video gives an overview of the new Procurement Act, along with key benefits and a demonstration of the new central digital platform. Join one of our practical webinars  We’ll be hosting a series of webinars to support organisations make the most of the opportunities being created by the new procurement landscape. 13 March, 12-12:40pm – Support for social enterprises Join our Deputy CEO, Charlie Wigglesworth, who’ll run through the key requirements for social enterprise suppliers. This webinar will be taking place in our Members’ Area and SEUK members will be sent a sign-up link in advance. If you’re not a member but would like to find out more, please fill out this expression of interest form. 12 March, 11am-12pm – Support for government suppliers VCSE Crown Representative, Claire Dove will run through the governments plans to increase spend with social enterprises and charities, providing practical examples and advice. 11 March, 12-1pm – Support for local authorities This webinar, explicitly tailored to local authority commissioners, will outline why it is important to involve social enterprises in the commissioning process. Why is this an opportunity for social enterprises?  The government has prefaced the Act going live with a National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) which provides transparency to the expectations they have of commissioners.   In it, it’s particularly pleasing to see recognition that social enterprises “are more likely to generate diverse and thriving local economies, creating jobs and economic growth”. Even better, that the number one requirement for economic growth in the NPPS is to “maximise procurement spend with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs)”.  Read our full response to the NPPS. Overall, we see the new Procurement Act and accompanying statement as a good direction of travel towards our aim of all public sector procurement creating social value. If you’re interested in knowing more about this, you can read about our Social Value 2032 Programme.

Social Enterprise UK welcomes the publication of the government’s National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS), which recognises the power of public procurement, and how social enterprises “are more likely to generate diverse and thriving local economies, creating jobs and economic growth".  The new Procurement Act, launching on 24 February, will mean the biggest change to public procurement in a generation. It is particularly pleasing to see the NPPS recognise the value of voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs). The number one requirement for economic growth in the NPPS is to "maximise procurement spend with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and VCSEs".   As the national voice for social enterprise, we have long been building the evidence and making the case for procuring goods and services from businesses with a social and environmental purpose. The Future Economy Alliance, led by us, called for public sector procurement to give greater consideration to purpose, use of profits, paying taxes and employment practices. The NPPS does just that.  We also welcome the government’s commitment to mandatory targets for spending with voluntary, community and social enterprises from April 2026, something we've long called for.   However, we note that this applies to direct spending only. Given that nearly 50% of government spending with SMEs is indirect, we hope the government will consider applying these targets to all procurement (direct and indirect) in future. From our work on the Buy Social Corporate Challenge, we know that there is a genuine appetite from large business to work with VCSEs in their supply chains.  We would like to thank Claire Dove CBE DL for her work as VCSE Crown Representative driving public procurement to create social value, and to Georgia Gould and the Cabinet Office team for their leadership.   Our organisation has worked with 12 central government departments in the past three years to benchmark their VCSE spending. We look forward to supporting more departments and agencies in the future to achieve fairer and more sustainable use of taxpayers’ money that delivers the greatest economic and social value.  

The government has announced that a Social Impact Investment Advisory Group will ‘review existing work on impact capital ... and provide views on the long-term future and direction of this work.’   As this comes hot on the heels of Lord Adebowale’s recent report into social investment, this should be welcome news. There’s only one problem: they’re not talking to social enterprises – the customers for social investment – about it.  To try and address this oversight, we’re publishing an open letter to the government pointing out some of the flaws in social investment uncovered by the Adebowale Commission and offering to work with them, connecting them with social enterprises to talk to as part of their work.   Our open letter Dear Chief Secretary and Secretary of State,  As representatives of social enterprises across the UK, we were interested to see the promise of a new Social Impact Investment Vehicle announced in the Autumn Budget, which we hope can support the Labour government to deliver on its key missions.  As you will be aware, social enterprises work in every sector of the UK economy. Government figures report 131,000 social enterprises, with a collective turnover of £78 billion and employing around 2.3 million people. These businesses are growing local economies, delivering high quality public services, running creative arts and leisure services, hospitality and restaurants, cleaning, recycling, clean energy and waste management businesses.  We know that investment can be a powerful tool which enables mission-led businesses to thrive – evidence tells us that social enterprises which receive investment experience higher growth and make an even greater contribution to our economy and society.  Yet too often over the last decade, the promise of social impact investment has failed to reach its full potential. This is especially true for marginalised social entrepreneurs.  In 2023, while 40% of social enterprises did not think the finance available to them was suitable, this number rose to 51% among Black-led social enterprises. Similarly, while 60% of social enterprises reported that financial barriers were impeding their growth, 71% of Black-led social enterprises felt this applied to them.  We were particularly pleased to see, therefore, that the new Social Impact Investment Advisory Group will review existing work in the field and provide views on the long-term future and direction in this area. We hope the Advisory Group can play a deliberate role in reducing these inequalities and ensure social entrepreneurs from all backgrounds have access to flexible, sustainable finance.  To ensure that this new impetus does not replicate the existing inequalities found within social impact investment, it is critical, therefore, that membership of the Advisory Group is balanced by those with less power in the market. We urge you to engage not only with existing investment providers and financiers, but also with those on the demand side - with social entrepreneurs, with those who struggle most to attract finance, and with those who have yet to see the benefits of shared ambitions.  We would like to support you with the development of a new, shared direction for the future of social impact investment – one which engages with social enterprises up and down the country and from all backgrounds, and which can unlock the potential of those who are often left behind by existing initiatives.  We would be happy to recommend social entrepreneurs and social enterprises to engage with as part of the Advisory Group, and throughout their work, to ensure this new impetus addresses imbalances in the social impact investment field and delivers inclusive economic and social value in support of the government’s missions.  We want to see mission-led businesses work hand in hand with your mission-led government to deliver sustainable social and economic impact across the UK. We look forward to supporting your work further and welcome the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience.   Yours sincerely,  Bethan Webber, Colin Jess, Chris Martin, and Peter Holbrook  CEOs of Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland, Social Enterprise Scotland, and Social Enterprise UK 

More diversity at leadership level could mean more money for the economy. Our latest report found that social enterprises are playing their part – particularly those led by women.  Whatever your views on the diversity of Britain's workforce, there's a good reason to consider the findings from our last State of Social Enterprise report: it's been estimated that better gender and ethnic diversity in executive teams would be good for the economy.  For example, the business charity Business in the Community has worked out that race equality could boost the UK economy by £24 billion per year, which works out at an incredible £481 million a week. For anyone interested in economic growth like this, our deep dive into diversity amongst social enterprises should make for interesting reading.   Beyond the bottom line, more diversity can help stimulate a culture that draws on the experiences, perspectives and knowledge of different groups. Embracing different views and nurturing talent, while combatting biases and prejudices that can hold a business back, can contribute to a better business culture and enhance performance. When we interviewed more than 700 social entrepreneurs, their answers around the diversity of their businesses were incredibly revealing.  Social enterprises lead the way when it comes to representation on staff and leadership teams. More social enterprises are led by women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds than is the case for the wider business community. More than half of social enterprises are run by women (59%) and they’re making more than double the money of their male counterparts; average reported profits among women-led social enterprises are £160,000 compared to £70,000 by those led by men. For comparison, in the wider business community, just 18% of SMEs are run by women.   Another result that leaped out from the report is that one in every 20 businesses run by someone from an ethnic minority background in the UK is a social enterprise. Social enterprise leadership is closer to representing the national ethnicity makeup of the UK than the rest of the business world. The UK’s last census (in 2021) found that 18% of the population is from an ethnic minority background and our research found that 13% of social enterprise leaders identify as being so. In the wider business community, just 6% of leaders are from an ethnic minority background.  Social enterprises strive to address different social challenges and lead the way when it comes to representation on staff and leadership teams. Further, a substantial proportion actively tackle issues of gender and racial discrimination as their core social mission.  While there are several reasons to be optimistic about the contribution social enterprises make to a more diverse and representative workforce, challenges remain. As with all businesses led by women and people from minoritised groups, there remain concerns that certain social enterprises can face persistent barriers that hold their business back. The Adebowale Commission on Social Investment, for example, found that Black-led social enterprises faced a disproportionate struggle to access and secure financial support from social investment firms.  Black female-led social enterprises are significantly less likely to raise finance sought than the average, and female-led social enterprises are less confident that their organisations have the required skills to secure finance and investment.  It is critical that we improve our understanding of the challenges experienced by different groups within the social enterprise community. Through improving diversity and representation across social enterprise, economic gains can be made, and the ability of social enterprises to recognise and meet the needs of the communities they serve can be strengthened.   This report explores data collected by the Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre – in particular the State of Social Enterprise, the largest UK survey of social enterprises. It maps the demographic profile of social enterprises and explores differences in performance and experiences for women-led and ethnic minority-led businesses.  We’d really love your help with the next State of Social Enterprise, which we’ll be compiling this year. In February we’ll be launching our biannual survey, which is open to all social enterprises. It will give us more valuable data to help showcase the difference social enterprises are making. If you’d like us to send you the survey, let us know here.  

The winners of the UK Social Enterprise Awards were announced at a gala reception at the Roundhouse in London on 4 December. Find out more about our winners, who showcase the strength, diversity and innovation of the social enterprise community. 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. The Workspace Group Workspace is a ‘profit for purpose’ social enterprise, founded in Draperstownm a small village in Mid Ulster, in 1985, by 170 members from the local community. The organisation emerged as a direct response to local decline, deprivation, and rising unemployment. The initial business model aimed to generate rental income from business units, which was then used to fund the provision of free business advice to support local entrepreneurs to start businesses and create jobs in the area. Workspace has grown significantly since 1985 and, in addition to providing incubator units, has diversified its operations to include several commercial businesses. These generate surpluses, which are gifted back to the parent company, Workspace Draperstown Ltd, to enable it to carry out its social mission. @TheWorkspaceGro HIGHLY COMMENDED: Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust One to Watch Sponsored by PwC The One to Watch Award is for a start-up social enterprise. Key to winning this award is an ability to clearly articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it. Half the Story Half the Story is a social enterprise biscuit business started in 2023. Its biscuits taste great – but as it says on each packet: ‘It’s not about the biscuit…it’s about the people who bake them’. Half the Story creates life changing employment for people with major barriers to work including homelessness. Wrapped in ecofriendly packaging its biscuits can already be found in retail outlets, on boardroom tables, at conference centres and hotels. These are biscuits that taste good and do good! @halfthestoryuk Prove It: Social Impact Award Sponsored by Linklaters For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. Breadwinners Breadwinners is a not-for-profit social enterprise that provides artisan organic bread and pastries while supporting refugees through employment and work experience programmes. By operating market stalls and a wholesale model, it gives refugees jobs and creates a community of customers, socially responsible partners, and producers that promotes the integration of newly arrived individuals into the UK. All while offering the best sourdoughs, natural levains, and organic pastries! @wearebreadwinners HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Skill Mill ‘Buy Social’ Market Builder Award Sponsored by Clear Voice 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. Co-op Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, owned its by millions of members. It’s the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer with more than 2,500 local convenience stores, the UK’s number one funeral services provider, a major general insurer and a growing legal services business. Alongside clear financial and operational objectives the Co-op is a recognised leader for its social goals and community led programmes. It exists to meet members’ needs and stand up for the things they believe in. @coopuk HIGHLY COMMENDED: McLaughlin & Harvey Social Investment Deal of the Year Sponsored by Better Society Capital For an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. British Land/Impact Hub London Impact Hub London secured a transformative deal with British Land who provided £3.5m of CAPEX and managed the Cat-A/B fit-out for a 10,650 sqft affordable workspace in Regent’s Place. Repayment for CatB and peppercorn rent with a profit share arrangement enabled what would otherwise have been unaffordable. Not only did this secure a world-class space for inclusive innovation in Camden, with free memberships for underserved residents, but built aligned interests and a true collaboration to enable community and global impact. @impacthublondon @britishlandplc HIGHLY COMMENDED: Impact Finance Consulting/ARK Resettlement Services 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). Simon Community Scotland Simon Community Scotland has focused on responding to the causes and consequences of homelessness. It is a community of staff, volunteers and people who are homeless that combine to reach, respond and resolve the challenges and circumstances people find themselves in. Its ambition is that everyone has a safe place to live and the support they need. In any given year, Simon Community Scotland supports over 7000 people with 300 staff, 140 volunteers and over 70 partners across Scotland working with people living on the street, temporary accommodation and in their own homes. @simoncommscot Consumer Facing Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by The Company Shop Group For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. Tap Social Movement Oxford-based Tap Social Movement is an independent social enterprise, craft brewery, and hospitality organisation that provides training and employment opportunities for prisoners and prison leavers. It believes that everyone benefits when no one is excluded from the job market, and to date has created more than 85,000 of paid, meaningful employment for leavers. It runs four Oxfordshire community venues, including Proof Social Bakehouse, named by The Telegraph Food as one of the 13 best bakeries in Britain. @tapsocialmovement Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by BDO 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. Change Please CIC Change Please is an innovative social enterprise revolutionising the approach to tackling homelessness through its holistic programs. By training individuals experiencing homelessness as baristas and providing them with essential support services, Change Please creates pathways to stable employment and housing. Its “Driving for Change” initiative repurposes buses to deliver comprehensive health, social and employment services across London. Partnering with organisations like Colgate and HSBC, Change Please supports thousands annually and champions social change through impactful scalable solutions. @changeplease HIGHLY COMMENDED: Cockpit 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. Finance Earth Finance Earth is an employee-owned social enterprise with a mission to scale up funding into nature conservation, climate, and communities. Current investment to tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss falls billions of pounds short of what is required. Finance Earth works with leading environmental charities, governments, and businesses to secure investment in projects that deliver real social and environmental impact. This year, it facilitated the UK’s biggest ever transfer of energy assets into community ownership. @finance.earth HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ethstat Ethical CIC Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Award Sponsored by Nestlé 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. City Health Care Partnership CIC Providing the highest quality health and care services, City Health Care Partnership CIC’s vision is to lead and inspire through excellence, compassion and expertise in all that it does. CHCP helps to keep people healthy, happy and out of hospital in Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire and Merseyside. It generates social value through reinvestment in colleagues, communities and services, with a social return on investment of £55 for every £1 spent. @chcphull Social Enterprise Women’s Champion of the Year Sponsored by Bunzl For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Maggie Gordon-Walker – Mothers Uncovered (Livestock charity)  Maggie directs Mothers Uncovered but she’s never not on the job. She’s constantly generating ideas to reach out to mothers, and ways they can make money in these times of austerity. Social obstacles to a woman succeeding in the business and voluntary sector are well known – hence the importance of Maggie’s focus on the lived experience of mothers, especially their mental health. The context in which she is working is tough but Maggie remains undaunted, vibrant and vital. @mothers_uncovered HIGHLY COMMENDED: Paula Jennings – Stepping Stones International Impact Award Sponsored by Zurich Insurance Group 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. IDEMS International CIC IDEMS builds open technology and digital public goods for social impact, delivering services in partnership with local organisations to build equity in the place of exclusion. An international team working globally, it has developed not only cultural competences to identify analytic methods from new perspectives, but also a collaborative approach to delivery that can be as transformative as what is actually delivered. This approach, and the values on which it is based, are codified in its organisational principles. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Stand4Socks 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. Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise CIC PDSE is committed to improving oral health in the Southwest through the provision of treatment, education and engagement with communities. Its unique model brings together dental education, high quality patient care and community outreach to deliver demonstrable social impact. The clinics were established to tackle oral health inequalities in underserved areas and to address the lack of availability of dental care, treating patients who may not otherwise have access to a dentist. Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year Sponsored by Barclays Business Banking A new award is recognising a social enterprise that has brought something truly innovative to market in the past year. Change Please CIC Change Please is an innovative social enterprise revolutionising the approach to tackling homelessness through its holistic programs. By training individuals experiencing homelessness as baristas and providing them with essential support services, Change Please creates pathways to stable employment and housing. Its “Driving for Change” initiative repurposes buses to deliver comprehensive health, social and employment services across London. Partnering with organisations like Colgate and HSBC, Change Please supports thousands annually and champions social change through impactful scalable solutions. @changeplease Tech for Good: Technology Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Mitie For a social enterprise that uses technology to achieve social impact. Hope 4 The Community CIC Hope For The Community CIC is a Coventry based social enterprise empowering people living with long term conditions and carers to take control of their health and wellbeing. Its Hope Programme courses enhance participants’ knowledge, skills, and confidence, enabling them to actively participate in their care, leading to improved quality of life and reduced healthcare burden. Organisations across the public, voluntary and private sectors license a range of evidence based peer-led self-management programmes delivered in-person and online across the UK. @hope4tc HIGHLY COMMENDED: WYK Digital Awards Sponsors

An update on our collective policy campaigning from Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland, Social Enterprise Scotland and Social Enterprise UK  Although the new UK Government’s first Budget marked positive shifts like investment in public services, many social enterprises have concerns about how it could affect their business, which we’re currently working to urgently address.  Social enterprises are committed to paying a living wage and providing good jobs, often for those furthest from the labour market and in the most deprived areas – but many will struggle with additional costs from increased wages and employer National Insurance Contributions, particularly those reliant on public sector contracts. It’s not yet clear if some providers will be exempt from additional costs, or reimbursed in some way, or neither.   Different departments have given contradictory messages, so we’re seeking clarity on details of the plans and their potential impact; Scotland’s First Minister has also committed to pressing the UK Government on this. To deliver manifesto commitments around community services and prevention, government must recognise the essential role of social enterprises in their delivery across the country. We’re liaising urgently with politicians and policymakers in all four nations to ensure they understand these issues and work towards a fair resolution.   We’re also engaging partners and wider stakeholders impacted by the changes to maximise our collective impact, as this could have serious consequences for social enterprises who provide vital services every day. There are calls to protect GPs and social care providers, but we know this issue goes further – from healthcare to hospices, school meals to children’s homes, leisure facilities to community transport, all over the country.   To help shield the many vital social enterprises reliant on public sector contracts from these potentially crippling costs, please add your voice to our petition.  We hope the Chancellor will use her additional spending power to create the conditions where mission-led businesses like social enterprises can thrive, which will ultimately build a stronger and fairer economy – but we won’t just wait and see. We exist to be a strong voice for social enterprise, so we’ll make sure that central and devolved governments understand our needs on this budgetary issue and beyond. 

To mark Social Enterprise Day (Thursday 21 November) LNER announced a new partnership which will bring life-changing biscuits to the London King’s Cross First Class Lounge. The special snacks have been handcrafted by talented bakers at Half the Story, a social enterprise formed by two charities working together to provide employment and help tackle homelessness. Grace Enterprises and Green Pastures set up Half the Story to offer meaningful job opportunities to people who have experienced barriers to work, such as homelessness and addiction. By providing a Real Living Wage, stable hours and mentoring support, employees can take control of their future and start to move forward in their lives. Thanks to the new relationship with LNER, eight new part-time roles have been created to produce the tasty provisions for the King’s Cross First Class Lounge. Speaking about the impact of Half the Story, Baker Anthony said: “Half the Story has changed my life. I’d experienced homelessness and addiction problems and found holding down a job difficult. But Half the Story has not only given me a job, they’ve provided real and useful support which has enabled me to break away from addiction and live independently. They’ve set me free, and I can’t thank them enough.” Richard Judge, Head of Customer Experience at LNER, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer Half the Story biscuits to our customers. Not only are they delicious, but every bite also makes a real difference to someone's life. We're really excited to be working with Half the Story, helping to offer positive employment opportunities." About Half the Story Half the Story is a joint venture between two charities: Grace Enterprises and Green Pastures. Working together they have started Half the Story to multiply their impact and make an even greater difference in the lives of those people they’re called to help. Half the Story is a social enterprise employing people facing major barriers to work, including homelessness. The whole team is paid the Real Living Wage, and everyone is offered holistic support and mentoring. About LNER  LNER is on a mission to transform rail travel. Our new modern Azuma fleet of trains continue more than a hundred years of LNER tradition - setting new, higher standards in comfort, reliability and customer experience. LNER calls at more than 50 stations along almost a thousand miles on the East Coast route, including major towns and cities between London, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East of England and Scotland.   

Makerspaces in Liverpool that bring creativity to communities and provide hubs for budding artisans and entrepreneurs to flourish in business has become the first beneficiary of a brand new social investment fund ringfenced for the Liverpool City Region. Livv Housing Group, a social-impact focussed housing association based in Knowsley, has launched Livv and Flourish, a significant social investment fund with £4.25 million of support in the form of blended finance available for social enterprise and charities across the Liverpool City Region over the next three years. The fund’s first social investment of £175,000 is set to ‘make’ a meaningful difference to a purpose-driven social enterprise that works across the region. Make, a Community Interest Company set up in 2012, unites and enriches communities through creativity, art and culture at its makerspaces that create places for makers and artisans to turn their passions into prosperity. Making social impact that matters Make CIC applied to the Livv and Flourish fund to support the development of their new premises in Birkenhead, helping to ensure the overall sustainability of the organisation and enabling its network of makers hubs to increase social impact. The social investment from Livv includes a blend of finance, a loan of £150,000 and a grant of £25k, funding that’s helping to make a difference to Make’s residents in turn, creating opportunities to support their livelihoods. That’s residents like Agnieszka, Paul and Cathy’s creative and entrepreneurial endeavours, real life stories, with chapters marking opportunity, collaboration and growth, working out of Make’s Huyton Village location. Budding entrepreneur Agnieszka Holubik opened Once Upon a Plant in May this year, the perfect place for her business to be located in to be part of her local community - and a home for opportunity and ambition to grow with her plant merchant and lifestyle brand business start-up. Sweet entrepreneur Paul Doyle had the idea for his business in the pandemic, starting out in his spare room at home. His vegan-friendly personalised gummy and jelly sweet pouch business has grown from spare room start-up to market scale-up with his venture The Tuck Shop UK. Animator and illustrator Cath Garvey saw the perfect ‘blank canvas’ for her creative business at Make - at the same time as being a place to enjoy working alongside other artisans, being inspired by them and enjoying a true collaboration culture. Liam Kelly, Make CIC’s CEO, said: "This investment from Livv will help to support Make CIC with its work across the Liverpool City Region. Social lending, like Livv and Flourish, is a critical part of making impact work happen in communities. Traditional finance options are often not available to organisations like Make CIC, despite the significant societal impact they generate. So thank you to all those in Livv who have put together this fund to ensure that Make, and organisations like ours, can continue to grow the impact our communities desperately deserve." Tony Cahill, Executive Director at Livv Housing Group, said: “Make’s hubs are places that nurture life-changing social impact, spaces where opportunity meets ambition and true collaboration. They’re spaces for ideas to incubate, for business start-ups to literally start up, to grow and to flourish into established business enterprises that support livelihoods. It’s in recognition of this genuine spirit of social impact that the first investment from our new fund has been made to Make.” Livv Housing Group’s social investment heritage Livv Housing Group’s new Livv and Flourish fund is offering a blend of grant and unsecured loan finance of up to £200,000 per application, with tailored support offered to recipients throughout the process from its team. It is ringfenced social investment for Knowsley and the Liverpool City Region, with the fund open for three years. Socially-driven organisations keen on receiving investment through Livv and Flourish can visit www.livvinvestment.com to find out more and express an interest. Livv and Flourish is part-funded by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, which works to make sure that charities and social enterprises can access the finance they need to sustain or grow their impact. Access provides patient and flexible investment through blended finance and boosts the resilience of charities and social enterprises through enterprise development. It is supported by funds from the Dormant Assets Scheme, which redirects money from forgotten accounts to good causes, and is distributed via Access. Seb Elsworth, Chief Executive of Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, said: “The Dormant Assets Scheme puts forgotten money to better use, rather than letting it gather dust in inactive accounts. It’s fantastic to see how the scheme is making a real difference in the Liverpool City Region – creating jobs and boosting the local economy by helping social enterprises like Make CIC and the entrepreneurs they support. By combining grants with loans into a blended package, social investors like Livv can offer the kind of small scale, patient and flexible finance that charities and social enterprises need.” Livv and Flourish is the latest in Livv’s social investment fund portfolio, with over £5.2 million of support in loans and grants generating £222 million of wellbeing value in the last eight years. Organisations who received funding previously have used the finance to support thousands of people into employment. Hundreds of jobs were created or sustained, and over 50 new apprenticeships were introduced. Over 29,000 people were supported with training and developed new skills, while 28,000 more were supported with their physical and mental health. About Livv Housing Group Livv Housing Group is a housing business and more. We provide around 13,000 homes across Liverpool City Region and the North West, plus apprenticeships, training, health and local projects to build flourishing communities. We’re positive, respectful partners who take the lead, do what we say and help others to unlock their potential. About Make CIC Make CIC is a social enterprise, founded in 2012 by Kirsten Little and Liam Kelly. It supports its residents to turn their passion into prosperity by providing studio space for people who might otherwise be working at home, composed of artists, makers, creatives and small businesses. It runs a programme of workshops, public classes and courses, exhibitions and support, across sites in Birkenhead, Liverpool’s North Docks and Knowsley’s Huyton Village, which are collectively home to over 147 residents.

Today (21 November) we mark Social Enterprise Day - a time to raise awareness and understanding of our global movement - with new research that shows the impact of business putting people and planet first. Unlike traditional businesses, social enterprises reinvest profits in vital missions, from bringing communities together and creating employment opportunities to tackling environmental issues and stimulating local economies. New analysis on our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre provides regional breakdowns of our sector across the country - overall painting a vibrant picture of the many and varied social enterprises from Cornwall to Cumbria, driving positive change despite complex economic challenges. We’re proud to shine a spotlight on the great work of our movement. Read the new research

As our new government maps out its “mission-based” approach, the Cabinet Office is looking at how public procurement could support this – and as part of our work to build markets for social enterprise, we’re seizing this opportunity to show political leaders the added value unlocked when we work in partnership. Procurement is one of the government’s most powerful economic tools, with public sector bodies spending over £400bn to deliver vital public services and critical infrastructure in the last year alone. Unfortunately, the current system is failing to achieve its full potential, as evidenced by our Social Value 2032 research. With a more effective strategy, these funds could help shape markets to improve business behaviours and social outcomes. We hope this new government consultation is the start of a journey to making public sector procurement more collaborative and innovative, so that it delivers greater value – and we know social enterprise can help accelerate progress here. Our business model naturally aligns to a mission-driven approach, putting people and planet before profit. However, system change is needed to really unleash the procurement power of social enterprise suppliers. Having given insight and advice directly to government as part of the consultation, we also wanted to publicly share the highlights of our response, as we continue to push for more engagement and understanding. A key point is making legislation work better. Our research found £56bn in added value has been lost since the Social Value Act came in, so this must be strengthened alongside updates to the National Procurement Policy Statement. It’s promising that guidance on the upcoming Procurement Act expresses a specific intention to benefit social enterprises, and we’ll share our sector insight with policymakers to ensure they understand our needs and expectations. Going further, commissioners must recognise the intrinsic value of organisations in their supply chain. Rather than narrow measurement processes that relegate social value to a tick-box exercise, commissioners should consider how suppliers in their supply chain might advance wider strategic goals. Ultimately, commissioners need the responsibility and guidance to play the role of market stewards; procurement spending should be recognised as investment, with commissioners obliged to consider how such funds can be used to deliver more for the communities they serve. This should also mean actively limiting opportunities for profit in certain areas. When vulnerable individuals are dependent on specific services like social care, there should be no opportunity to make profit at the expense of investing and providing the highest quality service. The government’s new plans to prevent profiteering in children's homes are a very welcome step in the right direction – but there are concerns about whether profit-driven businesses would make voluntary changes, and questions about how mandatory legislation would work in practice. Where possible, commissioners should look to reserve more contracts for suppliers that have adopted business models where surplus funds are used to invest in services, rather than enriching shareholders. Overall, more transparency is needed across the procurement system. Commissioners need to understand what colleagues across the public sector are doing and pursue best practice in line with their own goals. Similarly, they need to understand how suppliers are using their funds, so they can get an accurate sense of the costs needed to deliver vital services. Procurement can enhance public wellbeing and deliver shared prosperity – but it must be approached in a way that prioritises collaboration and transparency, with greater appreciation of what different organisations may bring to the table. This will allow commissioners to better embed suppliers whose practices, values and interests are aligned with the people and places they serve. Ultimately, this will not only improve services and outcomes but cultivate a more inclusive and dynamic economy. If you want to share your experiences of public sector procurement, and/or get involved with our Social Value 2032 work, contact policy@socialenterprise.uk.

Today’s Budget marked a decisive shift to higher levels of public investment - welcome after more than a decade of austerity. This is particularly on capital spend, but social spending investment is also vital. So how can this additional spending can deliver a fairer, more sustainable and inclusive economy? Resource spending in health and social care is crucial. There have been numerous occasions in recent years when social enterprises delivering core NHS community services have been (and are still) unfairly excluded from government policies, programmes and funding. If the new government is serious about its manifesto commitments to prevention and community services, then it must recognise the essential role social enterprises already play in their delivery across the country every day. Many social enterprises will be concerned with some of today’s announcements. The rise in employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will particularly impact social enterprises that create jobs, often for those furthest from the labour market. While Employment Allowance has been increased, which will reduce pressures on smaller businesses, this still raises questions over whether this is the fairest way to distribute the increased tax burden. Social enterprises that provide vital public services may be particularly impacted by the Budget. The minimum wage will rise alongside NICs. While social enterprises are committed to paying a living wage and offering better working conditions, those reliant on public sector funding may struggle with these additional costs if they do not receive a fair funding settlement from the public sector bodies they work with. However, there are clear signs this is a Budget that recognises aspects of the contribution of social enterprises and other mission-led business models. Pledges to reform the taxation of Employee Ownership Trusts and deliver a strategy for growing the co-operative economy demonstrate that there will be more support for diverse, mission-led business models going forward. Social Enterprise UK will continue to work with members and partners to ensure the Government understands the needs and aspirations of social enterprise. We do need investment - but we also need businesses that create high-quality employment, invest in their communities, and offer innovative ownership models that share wealth. We hope that the Chancellor will use her additional spending power to create the conditions in which social enterprises, as businesses committed to more than just profit, can thrive.

Beth Vecchione, founder of the social enterprise Care to Dance, is running an ultramarathon just over 6 months after a car accident left her with a broken back to raise money for the care-experienced young people the organisation supports. Young people’s mental health is at an all-time low, exclusions at an all-time high and services unable to keep up with demand. For the 15th year in a row, the number of children in care has continued to rise; in March 2023, there were over 80,000 children in the system. Most of these children and young people will have experienced instability and trauma, and will be living with the effects of this, and finding creative ways to support them is crucially needed. So, to raise money for Care to Dance and the young people it supports, Beth set herself the challenge of not just recovering, but running an ultramarathon before the end of the year. Care to Dance uses dance to support care-experience young people - to help them feel a sense of belonging and freedom, but also to process what they’ve been through. By building inclusive communities where young people feel safe, are among people they trust and can express themselves freely, it aims to provide the stability and consistency they likely missed growing up and help them develop relationships built on trust so they have people to turn to. Beth, CEO and founder of Care to Dance, says “Breaking my back really brought home for me how hard it must to be to go through dark times alone without anyone to turn to or support networks to rely on. This is often the case for care-experienced young people. I’ve seen the transformational impact the Care to Dance community has for them, the improved mental well-being, motivation and self-belief. I want to show all our young people just how much is possible if you put your mind to it, what you can overcome with mental strength and determination, and people backing you. I want to support as many young people across the country as possible, especially at a time when so many young people are struggling.” Lucy, a young person who attends Care to Dance, says “Life was a struggle until I came to Care to Dance. I started to express myself and trust the staff. Learning new skills and being part of a team made me a brighter person. Care to Dance supported me at my worst, and inspired me to be my best. It made me a better human.” You can find out more about Care to Dance on their website, and support Beth’s fundraising efforts via her Just Giving page. Beth can be contacted directly at beth@caretodance.co.uk.

Sponsored by Keegan & Pennykid. This award recognises the leading social enterprise in the country. It is presented to a business that has a clear vision, excellence in impact, and that has demonstrated and promoted social enterprise beyond the sector. Find out who has made the shortlist below: Bath Spa University Bath Spa University is a dynamic and creative institution located in a World Heritage City. With a strong focus on professional creativity, the University offers a diverse range of courses to 14,000 students. As one of Bath's largest employers, it drives regeneration, business innovation, and community engagement. The University incubates creative microbusinesses, collaborates with the third sector and actively grows the social economy in the South West. @bathspauni Change Please CIC Change Please is an innovative social enterprise revolutionising the approach to tackling homelessness through its holistic programs. By training individuals experiencing homelessness as baristas and providing them with essential support services, Change Please creates pathways to stable employment and housing. Its "Driving for Change" initiative repurposes buses to deliver comprehensive health, social and employment services across London. Partnering with organisations like Colgate and HSBC, Change Please supports thousands annually and champions social change through impactful scalable solutions. @changeplease Community Impact Initiative The Community Impact Initiative (Cii) is an award-winning not-for-profit organisation that strives toachieve positive socio-economic change in disadvantaged communities through its innovative propertyregeneration cycle. It purchases long-term empty homes in communities affected by the housing crisis, where residents face high levels of poverty, unemployment, and social isolation. With each housing renovation, community members are supported to learn new skills, improve their wellbeing, achieve qualifications, and find a path to employment, or a future to look forward to. Once completed, properties are either sold, with all profits reinvested into the social enterprises's community activities, or used in partnership with local authorities to house vulnerable people. @theciiuk Community Shop Community Shop, the UK’s first social supermarket, delivers measurable social and environmental impact by offering deeply discounted food and life-changing development initiatives. By providing high-quality fresh and affordable food, and equipping members with the skills they need for the future, this unique social enterprise helps build stronger individuals and more confident communities. Its sustainable partnerships with businesses ensure that surplus stock is effectively redistributed, tackling food waste and creating a lasting positive impact for communities. @communityshops Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust (IGHT) celebrates 22 years of community ownership of the island of Gigha, which was purchased by the community in March 2002. It has not always been easy, managing a considerable asset with a population of about 110 people but by working collectively and bringing in expertise and support from a range of stakeholders they continue to shine as an example of community wealth building. IGHT demonstrates collective leadership and sustainable development throughout and across their broad range of activities. Their business model and inter-company accounts, including Gigha Trading, Gigha Renewable Energy Limited, Gigha Green Power Ltd and Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust, as parent company, operate to support the community now and for the long term future. London Early Years Foundation The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) is now one of the UK’s largest children’s charitable social enterprises, operating 40 nurseries for over 4,100 children, with a specific focus on supporting disadvantaged children in the most deprived areas. Under the leadership of June O’Sullivan OBE, LEYF nurseries provide high-quality education and care to children because of its unique pedagogy for social justice, which ensures all children will exceed, whilst also going above and beyond to support families and communities. @leyfonline Turning Point Turning Point is one of the UK’s leading health and social care providers. From detox treatment to supported living, its services help people tackle substance use and mental health issues, and those with learning disabilities lead independent lives. @turningpoint_uk Waste to Wonder Worldwide Waste to Wonder Worldwide is challenging people’s perception of waste. It does this by clearing unwanted furniture and equipment from its customers’ workplaces and redistributing it to schools and hospitals in the UK and abroad. This innovative programme, called School in a Box, has helped over 1,400 schools in 40 countries and provided vital supplies to people following natural and humanitarian disasters. It’s also driving generational change in disadvantaged communities by helping to address keyenvironmental and social challenges. @_wastetowonder_ The Workspace Group Workspace is a ‘profit for purpose’ social enterprise founded in 1985 in Draperstown, a small village in Mid Ulster, by 170 members from the local community. The organisation emerged as a direct response to local decline, deprivation, and rising unemployment. The initial business model aimed to generate rental income from business units, which was then used to fund the provision of free business advice to support local entrepreneurs to start businesses and create jobs in the area. Workspace has grown significantly since 1985, and in addition to providing incubator units, it has diversified its operations to include several commercial businesses. These generate surpluses, which are gifted back to the parent company, Workspace Draperstown Ltd, to enable it to carry out its social mission. @TheWorkspaceGro

Sponsored by Bunzl. 58% of social enterprises have leadership teams that are at least half female. This award recognises a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Find out who has made the shortlist below: Elysha Paige - Bloody Good Employers Elysha is Director of Bloody Good Employers who are revolutionising the way that people think about menstrual and gender equity at work. As a mentor and volunteer she has supported numerous women and marginalised people with their careers and access to resources to support survivors of gender-based violence. She lives with Adenomyosis - a menstrual health condition that causes severe pain and heavy bleeding which further fuels her ambition to create a more inclusive society for women and people who menstruate. @bloodygoodperiod Viviene Bish-Bedeau – Construction and Engineering Opportunities (CEO)      Viviene Bish-Bedeau, Founder and Director of Construction and Engineering Opportunities (CEO), is a trailblazer in empowering disadvantaged youth and promoting diversity in the construction and engineering sectors. With a commitment to breaking down barriers, she provides mentorship, training, and support to individuals from all backgrounds. Her leadership and innovative programs exemplify her dedication to social change and creating opportunities for personal and professional growth. @ceo_cic Dee Murray - Menopause Experts Group   Dee Murray, CEO and Founder of Menopause Experts Group, is renowned for her groundbreaking work in menopause education and support. Her initiatives have empowered women globally, offering comprehensive training programs that reduce stigma and promote workplace equality. With a background in psychotherapy, Dee combines her expertise to advocate for mental and physical health during menopause. Her leadership and vision have made significant impacts, inspiring women and fostering diversity in over 20 countries. Nicola Pollock – MorphFit Gentle Movement Project Nicola has been central to the planning and delivery of MorphFit Gentle Movement's projects from launch at the height of the pandemic. Nicola supported the development of sessions which centre around light to moderate chair-based, and where appropriate, standing exercises and lifestyle interventions. With a passion for working with people, Nicola has worked tirelessly to create sessions and adapt movements to ensure that programmes are accessible for all in need. @morphfitgentlemovement Maggie Gordon-Walker – Mothers Uncovered (Livestock charity)  Maggie directs Mothers Uncovered, constantly generating ideas to reach out to mothers, and ways they can make money in these times of austerity. Social obstacles to a woman succeeding in the business and voluntary sector are well known – hence the importance of Maggie’s focus on the lived experience of mothers, especially their mental health. The context in which she is working is tough but Maggie remains undaunted, vibrant and vital. @mothers_uncovered Hayley Hulme - Starts With You Hayley is an exceptional leader renowned for her dedication, resilience, and innovation. She inspires andmotivates others, ensuring a collaborative and inclusive work environment that empowers individuals toreach their full potential. Her innovative strategies have significantly influenced organisations andindustries. Committed to social responsibility, Hayley actively engages in sustainability, diversity, andinclusion initiatives. Her mentorship has uplifted numerous women, making a lasting impact on theircareers. @startswithyoubolton Paula Jennings – Stepping Stones Paula joined Stepping Stones NI in 1998 when it was a small pilot project. She was determined from day one that people with learning disabilities should have the equal opportunity to gain skills, qualifications and employment. Paula’s vision was always very clear – people with disabilities and barriers to learning and employment can thrive if given the right support. Over the last 26 years, Paula has built a robust and successful organisation that now includes six social enterprises and four core services. Jasmine Cannon-Ikurusi, The Sapphire Wellbeing and Employability Academy     Sapphire is a dedicated social enterprise focused on empowering marginalised and ethnic minority communities. Jasmine, CEO of Sapphire aged 30, has transformed countless lives through her dedication to empowering marginalised communities. Despite overcoming racism, dyslexia, autism, and dyspraxia, her unwavering commitment has fostered inclusion, economic growth, and mental wellbeing, making her a true champion for women and social justice. @scommunitygroup Sarah Jordan - Y.O.U Underwear         Y.O.U Underwear is a multi-award-winning ethical business who make stylish, organic cotton underwear for men, women and girls. Sarah, a multi award-winning social entrepreneur, moved from the world of charity digital and tech to underwear in 2016. With previous experience including more than 25 years in senior leadership roles across the not-for-profit, commercial and publishing sectors, Sarah’s passion lies in empowering women and girls. A regular public speaker at universities and business start ups, Sarah is also Trustee of The Beam Foundation and is on a mission to inspire the next generation of social entrepreneurs. @youunderwearuk

Sponsored by Barclays Business Banking. This award recognises a social enterprise that has brought something truly innovative to market in the past year. Read on to find out more about the pioneering work of the various social enterprises from across the UK that have made the shortlist this year: Big Issue Group The Big Issue Group is a social enterprise and B-corp which looks to unlock entrepreneurial solutions for people living in poverty. It started as a magazine sold by vendors on the streets of the UK and now has many different ways of helping individuals and communities to earn, learn and thrive. @bigissueuk Change Please CIC Change Please is an innovative social enterprise revolutionising the approach to tackling homelessness through its holistic programs. By training individuals experiencing homelessness as baristas and providing them with essential support services, Change Please creates pathways to stable employment and housing. Its "Driving for Change" initiative repurposes buses to deliver comprehensive health, social and employment services across London. Partnering with organisations like Colgate and HSBC, Change Please supports thousands annually and champions social change through impactful scalable solutions. @changeplease Clear Voice Clear Voice is an award-winning language services provider, delivering a complete suite of interpreting and translation solutions. Its services are relied upon across the private, public, and non-profit sectors. As a social enterprise, Clear Voice returns 100% of profits to its parent charity Migrant Help, helping support refugees, asylum seekers, and the survivors of modern slavery. Clear Voice also runs an initiative called the InPower Project which fully-funds unemployed refugees through the education they require to become professional interpreters.  @ClearVoiceUK Even Even’s low-cost period underwear is the first of its kind in the humanitarian sector. For the same cost as two packs of disposable sanitary pads, Even’s pioneering period underwear, lasts for five years when washed and reworn. Its mission is to ensure women in the most vulnerable circumstances have free, long-lasting access to the products needed to take care of themselves safely and with dignity. Qualia Law CIC Qualia Law CIC, is the only non-profit in the UK providing Court of Protection Deputyship by qualified and regulated solicitors to help safeguard and protect the property and finances of people who lack capacity, or are unable to manage their own financial affairs.  This service takes the duty away from the local authority, the worry away from the individual, and the cost away from the taxpayer.  @qualialawcic RAW RAW was born to prove that people who have walked and survived life's toughest challenges have the power to transform those experiences into assets that any employer would love. Powered by its amazing Crew, 75% of whom have overcome issues such as addiction, mental and physical health issues, incarceration and societal exclusion, RAW has grown to provide furniture products and circular economy services to some of the UKs leading brand and institutions. @raw_workshop St Helena Hospice St Helena is a Colchester based charity which provides palliative and end of life care to local people facing incurable illness in north east Essex, supporting them, their families, friends and carers. It provides individual care and total support wherever it is needed; at home, over the phone via a 24/7 advice line, and at the hospice. St Helena also provides bereavement support to adults and children, regardless of where or how their loved one died. @sthelenahospice

Sponsored by Nestlé. 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. Read on to find out more about our pioneering shortlist who are embedding these principles across their work: Built By Us Built By Us is an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to positively impacting the construction sector by increasing inclusion and diversity in the built environment. Its work breaks down barriers to opportunities for industry students, practitioners, and founders who are underrepresented in the sector. Built By Us creates links between individuals and organisations to proactively address inclusion throughlearning, strategic support, talent search, and mentoring. Its goal is to create a world built for all, by all. @builtbyusUK City Health Care Partnership CIC Providing the highest quality health and care services, City Health Care Partnership CIC’s vision is to lead and inspire through excellence, compassion and expertise in all that it does. CHCP helps to keep people healthy, happy and out of hospital in Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire and Merseyside. It generates social value through reinvestment in colleagues, communities and services, with a social return on investment of £55 for every £1 spent. @chcphull Community Renewal Trust Rom Romeha Rom Romeha means “For Roma, By Roma”. This team employs 12 Roma staff speaking 15 languages and has supported at least 75% of all the Roma migrant families in Glasgow over the last five years. It started from tiny beginnings almost exactly ten years ago, with a test of an “Open Door” drop-in session for local migrants in Govanhill. Over time this has grown and grown, becoming more impactful, more ambitious and more sustainable. Founders and Coders Founders and Coders offers an accessible educational pathway that opens doors to careers in software development. Its mission is to diversify the tech industry by removing barriers for underrepresentedgroups and providing support from school age to old age. Founders and Coders' unique peer-led learning model hones soft skills and deepens software development knowledge, fostering a thriving community of lifelong learners. Grange Pavilion Youth Forum Grange Pavilion Youth Forum is incredibly popular with the young people of Grangetown with children of all ages attending sessions every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The Grange Pavilion Youth Forum aims to connect children and young people’s social and emotional wellbeing through companionship, having their own space to be comfortable, and where they would experiment playfully and imaginatively, supporting young people in empowering, innovative, and challenging sessions that can be delivered throughout the year. Money A+E Money A+E is a social enterprise transforming lives through money advice and education. It promotes diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice, empowering disadvantaged groups, diverse ethnic communities, and young people to achieve financial stability. Its initiatives include the Racial Justice in Finance project, consultancy services, and the Grow Your Own project. Rooted in lived experience, the team ensures services are relevant and impactful, significantly reducing poverty and fostering inclusive financial systems. @moneyaande Nuneaton Signs Nuneaton Signs are a social enterprise, with a core purpose is to “provide meaningful employment andtraining for people with disabilities through the manufacture and sale of signs.” It designs and manufactures a variety of signage solutions for a wide range of sectors and valued customers. Nuneaton Signs opens its doors every day to provide opportunities and training for those furthest from the work marketplace and reinvests 100% of its surplus into this purpose. @nuneatonsigns Women in Banking and Finance Women in Banking and Finance (WIBF), established in 1980, is a volunteer-led social enterprise dedicated to promoting diversity, gender equity, and inclusion in UK financial services. Pioneering debates, lobbying, and policy-making, WIBF collaborates with corporate partners and industry bodies to implement practical solutions for industry challenges. WIBF's initiatives, such as development programs, leadership opportunities, and networking events, empower women to advance their careers and demonstrate the significant benefits of diversity and inclusion within the financial sector. @womeninbankingandfinance

Sponsored by BDO. 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. Find out more about the impactful social enterprises who have made the shortlist below: Change Please CIC Change Please is an innovative social enterprise revolutionising the approach to tackling homelessnessthrough its holistic programs. By training individuals experiencing homelessness as baristas and providing them with essential support services, Change Please creates pathways to stable employment and housing. Its "Driving for Change" initiative repurposes buses to deliver comprehensive health, social and employment services across London. Partnering with organisations like Colgate and HSBC, ChangePlease supports thousands annually and champions social change through impactful scalable solutions. @changeplease Cockpit Cockpit is London’s centre for excellence in contemporary craft and home to 175+ independent creative businesses. For over 30 years, it has nurtured and supported craftspeople at all stages of their careers and opened pathways into creative employment for young people from all backgrounds. As the UK’s only business incubator for craft, its provides funded studio space and in-house business coaching, enabling makers to thrive and become leaders in their fields. Cockpit is where careers in craft are made. @cockpitstudios Money A+E Money A+E is a social enterprise transforming lives through money advice and education. It promotes diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice, empowering disadvantaged groups, diverse ethnic communities, and young people to achieve financial stability. Its initiatives include the Racial Justice in Finance project, consultancy services, and the Grow Your Own project. Rooted in lived experience, the team ensures services are relevant and impactful, significantly reducing poverty and fostering inclusive financial systems. @moneyaande The Dusty Knuckle Bakery The Dusty Knuckle is a prestigious bakery and café in London. It uses its busy, seven day operation to train young people facing barriers to becoming independent adults. This centres largely on young offenders, care leavers and those in insecure accommodation. Through the training they take stepstowards fulfilment, employment and independent living. @thedustyknuckle WYK Digital WYK Digital is revolutionising access to tech careers in the UK. Founded in 2020, this social enterprise ensures "What You Know" outweighs "who you know" in the digital sector. Through free 10-week courses combining skills training with real-world projects, WYK empowers young people from diverse backgrounds to secure well-paying tech jobs. With over 600 lives transformed and impressive employment outcomes, WYK is changing the face of the digital industry. @wykdigital  

Sponsored by GLL. Social enterprises are often on the frontline of delivering innovative ways to deliver the services we rely on. This award is 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). Find out who made the shortlist below: CDS CIC CDS CIC brings dental care to people who cannot be treated in general dental practice; its patientstypically have learning disabilities, mental ill health or very severe anxiety. They may be in situations orlocations that traditional dental services cannot reach such as homelessness centres or secure settings. It is also contracted to provide oral health improvement and epidemiology programmes. CDS's social purpose is to enable the communities it supports to enjoy a better quality of life. @CDS_CIC Family Fund Business Services Family Fund Business Services (FFBS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Family Fund, a national charity supporting families of disabled and seriously ill children. FFBS is a grant administration service, which enables clients such as local authorities to distribute welfare support to those in need across the UK. FFBS gift 100% of profits to Family Fund, having generated over £15 million since 2013. As Family Fund’s largest source of unrestricted funding, FFBS help sustain the vital work of the charity. @FF_Business Mastercall Healthcare Mastercall Healthcare is an award winning social enterprise organisation providing a range of ‘out ofhospital’ healthcare NHS services across the North-West of England and nationwide. It is rated ‘Good with Outstanding for Caring’ by the Care Quality Commission. With over 28 years’ experience as an innovative, highly performing, social enterprise organisation, it is passionate about providing the very best patient care at the very best place for the patient. @MastercallH SH:24 CIC SH:24 is a multi-award-winning digital sexual health service partnering with the NHS to provide online sexual and reproductive health services across the UK. SH:24 offers STI testing, contraception, and photo diagnosis, and was rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. The service has significantly increased access to sexual health services and received accolades such as The Queen's Awards for Enterprise and The Guardian Public Service Awards. A not-for-profit, SH:24 focuses on social good, innovation, and sustainable growth. @SH24_NHS Simon Community Scotland Simon Community Scotland has focused on responding to the causes and consequences of homelessness. It is a community of staff, volunteers and people who are homeless that combine to reach, respond and resolve the challenges and circumstances people find themselves in. Its ambition is that everyone has a safe place to live and the support they need. In any given year, Simon Community Scotland supports over 7000 people with 300 staff, 140 volunteers and over 70 partners across Scotland working with people living on the street, temporary accommodation and in their own homes. @simoncommscot Social Interest Group Social Interest Group (SIG) is a leading national charity that provides person-centred health and social care services through its member subsidiaries: SIG Equinox, SIG Safe Ground, SIG Penrose, SIG Housing Trust, and SIG Pathways to Independence. SIG’s purpose is to develop innovative solutions to bridge local health and social care gaps for people facing complex disadvantages. Through every interaction, program, and initiative, it provides diverse opportunities for employment, training, and education, addressing social value, health, and economic disparities. @socialinterestgroup Turning Point Turning Point is one of the UK’s leading health and social care providers. From detox treatment tosupported living, its services help people tackle substance use and mental health issues, and those withlearning disabilities lead independent lives.

Sponsored by The Company Shop Group. Social enterprises are selling quality products on our high streets and online, selling gifts which give back. This award recognises a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. Find out which pioneering consumer facing social enterprises have made our shortlist below: Nemi Teas NEMI Teas is a London-based specialist tea company that offers Organic tea blends as loose tea and in plastic-free, compostable teabags. The company is a strong believer in creating positive change through business and provides employment to refugees to help them better integrate in the UK. It provides training and employment to refugees which allows them to gain local work experience, boost their English skills, regain confidence and work on the hospitality skills required to enter the UK job market. @nemiteas Stand4Socks 16 hours. That's the average amount of time spent wearing socks every day, yet socks are typically dull, poorly made, and standardized. Despite existing since ancient Egyptian times, there's been very littleinnovation…until now. Stand4 Socks is the direct-to-consumer challenger brand in the sock market. Thebusiness has spent years developing socks that have enhanced comfort and durability without sacrificing style or ethics. Every pair of socks sold, means a donated pair to someone in need. @stand4socks Tap Social Movement Oxford-based Tap Social Movement is an independent social enterprise, craft brewery, and hospitality organisation that provides training and employment opportunities for prisoners and prison leavers. It believes that everyone benefits when no one is excluded from the job market, and to date has created more than 85,000 of paid, meaningful employment for leavers. It runs four Oxfordshire community venues, including Proof Social Bakehouse, named by The Telegraph Food as one of the 13 best bakeries in Britain. @tapsocialmovement Tea People Tea People is a speciality tea focused social enterprise. Its vision is to eliminate poverty in tea growingregions of the world. It procures, curates and sells a wide range of high quality whole-leaf tea and herbalinfusions many of which have won the prestigious Great Taste Awards. Tea People tea is sold to consumers and businesses in eco-friendly packaging and is available in loose leaf form and in pyramid teabags which are 100% plastic free. @teapeopleltd The Dusty Knuckle Bakery The Dusty Knuckle is a prestigious bakery and café in London. It uses its busy, seven day operation to train young people facing barriers to becoming independent adults. This centres largely on young offenders, care leavers and those in insecure accommodation. Through the training they take steps towards fulfilment, employment and independent living. @thedustyknuckle Zaytoun CIC Zaytoun CIC is a social enterprise inspired by a love of Palestinian culture, communities and cuisine and a passion for sharing it with people in the UK. For twenty years the company has supported Palestinian producers through fairly trading their produce – 100% of profits being reinvested into delivering this mission. Palestinian farmers have been cultivating their lands for thousands of years and continue to do so despite the challenges of farming under occupation in the West Bank. @zaytoun_cic

Sponsored by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Social enterprises are often found at the heart of their communities - creating wealth, jobs and opportunities for the areas in which they work. This award is for a social enterprise that trades for the benefit of their community, making a real local impact. Find out who has made our shortlist below: Breadwinners Breadwinners is a not-for-profit social enterprise that provides artisan organic bread and pastries while supporting refugees through employment and work experience programmes. By operating market stalls and a wholesale model, it gives refugees jobs and creates a community of customers, socially responsible partners, and producers that promotes the integration of newly arrived individuals into the UK. All while offering the best sourdoughs, natural levains, and organic pastries! @wearebreadwinners CAIS Social Enterprises and St Giles Cymru CAIS Social Enterprises (CSE) is the well-established trading subsidiary of Adferiad. To maximise the social impact achieved in the community, CSE actively collaborates with community groups and works in partnership with like-minded organisations, to develop and deliver innovative projects. An example of this is St Giles Trust, a charity whose mission is ‘to see a society where everybody – no matter what their background – has a positive future’. This partnership has led to the successful roll out of St Giles’ first Welsh social supermarket - Y Pantri in Station Court. Since opening in June 2023, Y Pantri has supported 453 people (to March 2024) to access healthy and nutritious food; this equates to 34,938 meals. @adferiad @st_giles_trust Esports Youth Club CIC Esports Youth Club (EYC) is a pioneering social enterprise, empowering marginalised young people through gaming and esports. With hubs in Lambeth and Lewisham, EYC offers engaging activities that develop social skills, teamwork, and career opportunities in the gaming industry. EYC’s innovative approach prepares young people for a changing future of work and enhances inclusion, addressing gaps in access left by mainstream education and created by systemic inequities. It creates pathways to high-demand skills and helps break cycles of poverty. @esportsyouthclub Homebaked Bakery Described by Frank Cotterell Boyce as ‘a social enterprise that was once just a very good pie shop , is now a portal to a vision for a better world’. Homebaked Bakery is community-owned, occupying a 100-year-old Anfield bakery building saved from demolition. Open daily, providing a safe space for the community to gather, to purchase quality affordable food, train and volunteer. Employing local people, spending locally it is a beacon on a boarded up high street. @Homebakedbakery_ Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise CIC PDSE is committed to improving oral health in the Southwest through the provision of treatment, education and engagement with communities. Its unique model brings together dental education, high-quality patient care and community outreach to deliver demonstrable social impact. The clinics were established to tackle oral health inequalities in underserved areas and to address the lack of availability of dental care, treating patients who may not otherwise have access to a dentist. Social Enterprise Kent Since 1985, Social Enterprise Kent has been supporting communities, individuals and businesses shaping a better tomorrow. It works in partnership with the whole community to build the skills and relationships needed to create positive change. As they phrase it - "Our story is intertwined with the stories of the people we touch. We don’t just dream of change; we roll up our sleeves and make it happen, hand in hand with our community, creating a legacy of compassion, support and community." @SocEntKent Trivallis Trivallis, a community mutual housing association and registered social landlord, offers safe and secure affordable housing to low-income families and individuals in Rhondda Cynon Taff and Cardiff Bay, South Wales. Managing over 10,000 properties, Trivallis provides homes for about 25,000 people, along with high-quality tenancy support services. As a major employer and procurer in the area, Trivallis is committed to improving the well-being of its communities and residents. @wearetrivallis

Sponsored by Mitie. Social enterprises are often pioneering new ways of using technology to create positive social and environmental impact. This award recognises those businesses that are pioneers in using the power of tech to transform lives and protect our planet. Read on to find out which visionary businesses have made our shortlist: auticon UK First established in Germany in 2008, auticon now operates in 15 countries across three continents making it the largest majority-autistic business in the world. Leading by example, auticon continues to address the inequalities in employment for neurodivergent adults, highlighting the benefits of hiring neurodivergent talent and helping other organisations to follow suit. auticon is challenging outdated assumptions on who can and can’t contribute to a workplace. @auticon_uk Beam Beam’s mission is to give everyone access to human-centred welfare services. It delivers tech-poweredemployment and housing services to homeless people, refugees, prison leavers, and other disadvantagedgroups. @wearebeam Green Machine Computers Green Machine Computers is a technology recycling company focused on saving the environment andending digital poverty. It works with corporations of any size to relieve them of their obsolete ITequipment; ensuring 100% data security in the process. In doing so, it helps these businesses reduce their carbon footprint, free up space in their offices, and remain GDPR compliant, whilst giving them thesatisfaction of knowing that their unwanted equipment will go on to benefit less fortunate people. @greenmachinecomputers Hope 4 The Community CIC Hope For The Community CIC is a Coventry based social enterprise empowering people living with long-term conditions and carers to take control of their health and wellbeing. Its Hope Programme courses enhance participants’ knowledge, skills, and confidence, enabling them to actively participate in their care, leading to improved quality of life and reduced healthcare burden. Organisations across the public, voluntary and private sectors license a range of evidence based peer-led self-management programmes delivered in-person and online across the UK. @hope4tc Pocket Power Pocket Power was created to tackle the Poverty Premium and provide a financially sustainable solution to helping people on low incomes access the savings and discounts they are entitled to on their household bills. Its hybrid phone/digital service brings savings and discounts to the consumer, overcoming barriers such as digital exclusion and lack of trust. To date it has saved more than £1 million for 4,000 individuals, averaging £250 saving for each person. @_PocketPower Showcase the Street Showcase the Street is dedicated to making sports, technology, employability training, fashion design, and dance accessible to all members of its community. Situated in Dundee, within one of the highest areas of deprivation in Scotland, it specifically targets families experiencing high levels of poverty. Its mission is to break down barriers to participation and ensure that everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances, has access to enriching activities and opportunities. Showcase the Street's Tech Hub is a purpose-built technology arcade designed to engage young people in technology-based activities and learning. @showcasethestreet WYK Digital WYK Digital is revolutionising access to tech careers in the UK. Founded in 2020, this social enterprise ensures "What You Know" outweighs "who you know" in the digital sector. Through free 10-week courses combining skills training with real-world projects, WYK empowers young people from diverse backgrounds to secure well-paying tech jobs. With over 600 lives transformed and impressive employment outcomes, WYK is changing the face of the digital industry. @wykdigital

Sponsored by Landmarc. Social enterprises are on the frontline of dealing with the climate crisis from setting up community energy schemes and recycling schemes to educational projects to raise awareness about the best ways to support our planet. This award recognises a social enterprise in the green and environmental sector with a clear evidenced environmental impact. Read on to find out who has made the shortlist: Eco Drama Eco Drama is an award-winning Scottish theatre company founded in 2007, dedicated to creating high-quality, inventive theatre and creative learning experiences for children that nurture and inspire a sense of curiosity, wonder, and care for our natural world. As Scotland’s first ecological theatre company, it has a profound commitment to environmental sustainability and the transition to net zero. Central to its operations is its eco-friendly touring approach. Eco Drama's environmental education and sustainability programs enhance understanding of environmental issues and food production - for instance, since 2012, ‘The Forgotten Orchard’ has been performed 233 times, reaching 13,423 people, facilitating the planting of 43 school orchards across Glasgow and Renfrewshire. @ecodrama Ethstat Ethical CIC Ethstat is a sustainable procurement company that supplies the products and services customers need to run their offices while reducing their ecological footprint. Through its operations and profit-making investments, Ethstat supports some of the most vulnerable communities, including those facing housing insecurity, mental health issues, and families caring for parents with dementia. 2024 will be Ethstat's 20th year of climate positivity. Finance Earth Finance Earth is an employee-owned social enterprise with a mission to scale up funding into natureconservation, climate, and communities. Current investment to tackle the twin crises of climate changeand biodiversity loss falls billions of pounds short of what is required. Finance Earth works with leadingenvironmental charities, governments, and businesses to secure investment in projects that deliver realsocial and environmental impact. This year, it facilitated the UK’s biggest ever transfer ofenergy assets into community ownership. @finance.earth Gloucestershire House Clearances CIC Gloucestershire House Clearances are making the circular economy a "now-reality" by unlocking the items in people's homes through house clearances. Repurposing unwanted items after someone leaves a home means it can pass on their items to someone who was going to buy new. Having recycled 140 tonnes last year and with a target of 300 tonnes this year, it is a social enterprise looking to change the entire way people buy "stuff" by opening up a new green circular model for all. @gloucestershirehouseclearances Green Machine Computers Green Machine Computers is a technology recycling company focused on saving the environment andending digital poverty. It works with corporations of any size to relieve them of their obsolete ITequipment; ensuring 100% data security in the process. In doing so, it helps these businesses reduce their carbon footprint, free up space in their offices, and remain GDPR compliant, whilst giving them thesatisfaction of knowing that their unwanted equipment will go on to benefit less fortunate people. @greenmachinecomputers REMO (CCORRN – Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network Ltd) REMO are specialists at building community resilience by repurposing resources. For nearly 20 yearsit has been on the frontline of developing a circular economy. REMO has applied its methodology to finding purpose for surplus to all manner of materials from reusing or remanufacturing paint, workwear, homewares or even movie props. Through its colourful umbrella of initiatives REMO doesn't just save litres and tonnes, it helps bring colour to its community and creates a place-based approach to reimagining waste. @remo_trading The Compliance People Through its innovative software solution and expert consultancy offering, The Compliance People hasbeen helping organisations manage their environment, health and safety and quality-related complianceobligations for more than 25 years. Through its social enterprise model, it delivers professional environment, health and safety and quality compliance services in a competitive marketplace but instead of its profits going to shareholders, they are gift-aided into its charity, Newground Together, to support environmental, social and community projects. @CompliancePpL

Sign up for this webinar from Turning Point with the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt as well as others looking into the challenges facing the health and social care sector Health and care social enterprise Turning Point is hosting a series of webinars looking at some of the challenges facing the health and social care sector as part of a programme of activities to mark its 60th year.  The series will feature leading thinkers including Professor Sir Michael Marmot, former Labour Health Secretary Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt and broadcaster and academic Tom Shakespeare. For more information on the series and secure your free place at one or more of the webinars register here The webinar series in full: Can (and should) charities and social enterprises play a bigger role in the delivery of public services?  With the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt and Social Enterprise UK chief executive Peter Holbrook. Monday 14 October, 1.30-2.30pm The future of social care With writer, broadcaster and disability campaigner Tom Shakespeare CBE. Friday 18 October , 9-10am Synthetic opioids – how does the drug and alcohol treatment sector need to work differently to respond to the changing drug supply?  With harm reduction and local intelligence systems expert Michael Linnell and Turning Point Safer Lives Lead, Deb Hussey. Friday 18 October 4-5pm How can we shift the dial on health inequalities?  With Professor Sir Michael Marmot and Coventry and Warwickshire Grapevine chief executive, Clare Wightman. Tuesday 22 October 9-10am Mental health services - imagining a better future With co-production specialist and campaigner Isaac Samuels and Peter Devlin, Director of Adult Services at Essex County Council and ADASS Mental Health Policy Lead. Thursday 24 October 3-4pm Unblocking the system – how can we move more people with a learning disability out of long stay hospital? With Professor Robin Miller from the University of Birmingham.Friday 25th October 9-10am How can we reduce alcohol harm?  With Dr Richard Piper, Chief Executive of Alcohol Change UK.Wednesday 6th November 10-11am. For more information on the series and to secure your free place register here: https://www.turning-point.co.uk/news-and-insight-detail/health-and-care-futures-webinar-series

Following our successful campaign for social enterprises to be included in the NHS pay deal, which won central government funding last year, we’re launching a new programme to support our members working in health and social care. Social enterprises deliver more than £1bn of vital NHS care across the country, while reinvesting any profits in the communities they serve. Yet the recent fight for equal treatment is a reminder that this contribution is not well recognised, even in the NHS itself. Over the next three years, our new programme will build awareness and understanding of the crucial role social enterprise plays in the NHS family. As the leading national voice for our movement, we strive to address the key issues and ambitions of our members, to ultimately create an environment where social enterprise can thrive. While we continue to champion social enterprise across governments and industry more widely, this new programme will focus on health and care specifically, engaging system leaders to ensure they have us in mind when making relevant policy and funding decisions. We know from our previous research that social enterprises are pioneering ways of integrating health and social care services that deliver huge value. Part of our work now is collecting more data and stories on the social enterprise solutions to issues in public services – providing real inspiration for the wider NHS, local authorities and central government. This growing evidence base will then support our policy advocacy on sector issues where social enterprises just want a fair playing field, such as access to digital funding or recruitment and training. We aim to build on regional workshops we held in recent years to foster constructive engagement between social enterprises, commissioners and system leaders in local and national government. It’s promising to see the ministerial appointment of Paul Corrigan, an architect of the Community Interest Company model and longstanding champion of social enterprise in healthcare, as we look to grow such recognition among key decision-makers. Our events calendar is always busy, as the world’s largest social enterprise network, but this programme will also curate specific networking and peer learning opportunities for our health and care members. We will collaborate with relevant sector leaders like the NHS Confederation, the Local Government Assocation and the Centre for Mental Health to help deliver for our members and the NHS more widely. If you’re a social enterprise health or social care provider and would like to get involved, contact our team on membership@socialenterprise.org.uk.

The shortlist has been announced for the UK Social Enterprise Awards – the country’s biggest celebration of social enterprises, which recognises the best in the sector across 15 categories. The ceremony, organised by Social Enterprise UK, will take place at the iconic Roundhouse in London on the evening of 4 December. Commenting on this year’s shortlist, Peter Holbrook Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: “Our Awards are the ultimate showcase of social enterprise impact and excellence – so those who made the shortlist represent the future of business, and a beacon of hope in turbulent times. “‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​Despite economic challenges, these trailblazers are not only making profit but using it for the good of people and planet. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​Businesses big and small have a vital role to play in solving the problems we face as a society, and the social enterprises celebrated at our Awards give us all inspiration and motivation to do business better.” ‌ To get your tickets to the Awards click here. The Shortlist 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. Bath Spa University Change Please Community Impact Initiative Community Shop Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust London Early Years Foundation Turning Point Waste to Wonder Worldwide The Workspace Group 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. Amplify Goods Arts Care Construction and Engineering Opportunities (CEO) Courtyard Pantry Enterprise Down to Zero Ltd Esports Youth Club C.I.C Half the Story KERB+ Prove It: Social Impact Award Sponsored by Linklaters For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. Breadwinners Goldfinger Hey Girls CIC Moneyline Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise CIC The Skill Mill Limited Ravine Market Garden (The Advantage Foundation) 'Buy Social' Market Builder Award Sponsored by Clear Voice 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. Amey Co-op McLaughlin & Harvey National Highways Nationwide Building Society Nestle UK&I School for Social Entrepreneurs Social Investment Deal of the Year Sponsored by Better Society Capital For an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. Barking & Dagenham Giving/The Boathouse Barking CIC Big Issue Invest/Lightning Reach Great Western Credit Union/Fair4All Finance Impact Finance Consulting/ARK Resettlement Services British Land/Impact Hub London Ltd Arts & Culture Impact Fund/Music Venue Properties 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). CDS CIC Family Fund Business Services Mastercall Healthcare SH24 CIC Simon Community Scotland Social Interest Group Turning Point Consumer Facing Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by The Company Shop Group For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. Nemi Teas Ltd   Stand4 Socks Tap Social Movement Tea People Ltd   The Dusty Knuckle Bakery Zaytoun CIC Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by BDO 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. Change Please Cockpit Money A+E The Dusty Knuckle Bakery 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. Eco Drama Ethstat Ethical CIC Finance Earth Gloucestershire House Clearances CIC Green Machine Computers Ltd REMO (CCORRN - Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network Ltd) The Compliance People Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Award Sponsored by Nestlé 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. Built By Us City Health Care Partnership CIC Community Renewal Trust Rom Romeha Founders and Coders Grange Pavilion Youth Forum Money A+E Nuneaton Signs Women in Banking and Finance Ltd Social Enterprise Women’s Champion of the Year Sponsored by Bunzl For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Elysha Paige - Bloody Good Employers            Viviene Bish-Bedeau - Construction and Engineering Opportunities (CEO)      Dee Murray - Menopause Experts Group        Nicola Pollock - MorphFit Gentle Movement Project Maggie Gordon-Walker - Mothers Uncovered (Livestock charity)             Hayley Hulme - Starts With You               Paula Jennings - Stepping Stones Jasmine Cannon-Ikurusi - The Sapphire Wellbeing and Employability Academy   Sarah Jordan - Y.O.U Underwear Ltd    International Impact Award Sponsored by Zurich Insurance Group 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. auticon UK Finance Earth IDEMS International CIC Stand4 Socks Tea People Ltd The Burnt Chef Project CIC 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. Breadwinners CAIS Social Enterprises and St Giles Cymru Esports Youth Club C.I.C Homebaked Bakery Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise CIC Social Enterprise Kent Trivallis Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year Sponsored by Barclays Business Banking A new award is recognising a social enterprise that has brought something truly innovative to market in the past year. Big Issue Group Change Please Clear Voice Even Qualia Law CIC RAW St Helena Hospice Tech for Good: Technology Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Mitie For a social enterprise that uses technology to achieve social impact. auticon UK Beam Green Machine Computers Ltd Hope 4 The Community CIC Pocket Power Showcase the Street WYK Digital We are pleased to be working with Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland and Social Enterprise Scotland to deliver the Awards. ​A‌‌‌wards Sponsors ​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

With the Labour Party returning to power, the issue of worker rights has emerged as a priority for government. The New Deal for Working People is the proposed flagship reform, offering a suite of policies aimed at enhancing protections and banning exploitative practices. While trade unions have been intimately involved in the development of this package, Labour has also been keen to stress the desire to work in partnership with business. Sector groups and leaders have welcomed some of the ambitions and policies announced in Labour’s election campaign - but, as the Confederation for British Industry (CBI) noted, there remain “legitimate concerns” within the business community[1]. However, our recent Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre research shows that such concerns are short-sighted, considering the impact that deteriorating working conditions have had on our economy. Since the 2008 financial crisis, wages have stagnated and living standards have plunged, largely due to employers’ growing power over workers[2]. Short-term gains from weak working rights are offset by the long-term damage poor working conditions have on the wider economy. Poor wages stifle demand and limit growth. Insecure work contracts lead to high staff turnovers, generating costs in the replacement process. Lack of investment in staff contributes to stagnating productivity and undermines the ability of businesses to invest in the future. These are not the economic conditions in which business can thrive.  Social enterprise has long recognised the inherent value of good working conditions, leading the way for wider business– as evidenced by some of our latest research findings: 8 in 10 social enterprises employers are paying the real Living Wage 77% of social enterprises are providing some form of workplace training 95% of social enterprises offer some form of flexible working arrangement[3] Far from being a burden to these businesses, many social enterprises have found investing in the quality of their employment offer enables them to retain and grow their workforce, even in the face of persistent crises. Social enterprises are demonstrating valuable business insights into how Labour should approach its New Deal for Working People. Our latest Social Enterprise Advisory Panel report suggests that social enterprises are broadly supportive of Labour’s proposals, but also some areas that deserve careful attention: Public sector contracts – Many social enterprises provide critical public services and rely on public sector contracts. It is imperative that these are properly funded, so that social enterprises and other businesses can pay staff fair wages and maintain decent working conditions. Flexibility where appropriate – While social enterprises are vocal critics of exploitative contracts, in some cases, flexible contracts can be mutually beneficial to both the business and their employees. The focus should be on ensuring that such contracts are available, providing workers are happy with terms, and with enhanced protections to provide additional security. New ownership models – From co-operatives to employee-owned firms, there are diverse ownership models that give workers a direct stake in their business. We need more support to encourage the establishment and growth of businesses where workers lead from the front. Good jobs are the foundation of a prosperous economy, and while the details will need to be carefully considered, social enterprises continue to help deliver better working conditions. Social enterprises show that business should not fear the New Deal for Working People but embrace protections that will raise living standards, improve incomes, boost productivity and create an economy where businesses and workers can thrive. You can download our latest Social Enterprise Advisory Panel report using the link below: [1] https://www.cbi.org.uk/articles/is-your-business-budget-ready/ [2]https://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/ea066.pdf?_gl=1*lmgqij*_gcl_au*MTc1ODIxMTQyNi4xNzIyNTExNjky*_ga*MTc4MDcyNjUzLjE3MjI1MTE2OTI.*_ga_LWTEVFESYX*MTcyNDE0ODk3Ni4xLjAuMTcyNDE0ODk4MC41Ni4wLjA. [3] https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/app/uploads/2024/07/Good-Work-Working-conditions-in-social-enterprise-July-24.pdf

Social Enterprise UK and the School for Social Entrepreneurs recently set up a new home in London, and we’re now looking to share our collaborative office space with other like-minded organisations. We have almost 3,000 square feet on offer over two floors, with lots of natural light and retained character features from the building’s former life as an East End warehouse. Our location on Dock Street is a lively commercial area close to several train, tube and overground stations. Space is available to social enterprises looking for a home from 18 September, with rent negotiable for shared or full occupation priced at a competitive market rate. Please contact andrew.croft@socialenterprise.org.uk to find out more.

There are many factors underlying the violence across the UK following the shocking murder of three children in Southport last week. Ugly scenes of racist violence and dangerous rhetoric online, perpetrated by figures including members of our Parliament, reinforce the vital role of social enterprise in our communities. That we are shocked, saddened and even frightened goes without saying. Our thoughts are with all our colleagues, members, partners and their families affected. The question is how can we stop it, rebuild our communities, and show those caught up in destructive hatred that a better way is possible? The numbers of people actively speaking out for peace, for inclusion, for community, show what we all know: fascist noise is an unwelcome splash in an ocean of caring, hard-working, inclusive and wonderfully diverse humanity. Social enterprise will continue to surf that wave. We call on the UK Government and political leaders of all parties to always take a stand against racism and Islamophobia. This hate must not be tolerated or normalised, to ensure that all those from racialised communities feel safe and that those fleeing danger are welcomed. When the immediate violence subsides, social enterprises will be there in force to rebuild. This blog outlines five examples of how social enterprises are part of the solution, and how to support them to be as helpful as they can be. 1. Social enterprises are embedded in communities and deliver for them Social enterprises run community assets that bring people together and support their needs, from pubs and cafes, to sports venues and shops. They support disadvantaged and vulnerable people to access support and services, they run programmes in schools and beyond to grow children’s education. They sell products that allow them to cross-subsidise or fund the work of others. From reducing period poverty to supporting single parents, care leavers, ex-veterans, and young people out of work, social enterprises have deep networks and trust in the communities where they operate. They bring people together and help move lives forward. While fascism stokes division and conflict and offers nothing but false promises, social enterprises build unity and embrace diversity to deliver shared prosperity for everyone. Gareth Hart and Mel Tucker, directors of our member Iridescent Ideas CIC and co-leaders of Plymouth Social Enterprise Place, said: “We watched with deep dismay, sadness and anger as our beautiful city of Plymouth joined other cities and places across the UK experiencing racism and violence on our streets. We have seen many representatives from the local social enterprise community posting messages of solidarity online and several attending the counter protests in the city. There are many social enterprises in Plymouth such as Plymouth Hope, Diversity Business Incubator, Nudge Community Builders and WonderZoo who campaign and work to promote inclusion and unity. We hope that future investment programmes support these types of activities. Looking after people and community is at the very heart of what social enterprises do. Hate will not conquer hate. As a group we show that we are stronger together.” 2. Social enterprises are solutions-focused and innovative 68% of social enterprises brought new products and services to market in 2023. Social enterprises spot need, plug gaps and figure out ways where no one else has succeeded. Social enterprises seek problems to solve; rather than running away, they crowd in. They work with people across the criminal justice system, rehabilitating and preventing. They support refugees and asylum seekers, recognising that these are people who’ve suffered but have much to offer. They support veterans, knowing that it’s hard to transition from military service to civilian life. Where others see problems, social enterprises find opportunities and generate returns. Oldham Social Enterprise Place is no stranger to racial tensions and has a history of supporting refugees and disenfranchised groups. Organisations such as Upturn, a multi-award-winning social enterprise that supports disadvantaged communities through employment and business support and community engagement programmes, play a key role in community cohesion. Anwar Ali, co-founder of our member Upturn and lead for Oldham Social Enterprise Place, said: “Infrastructure organisations, such as Social Enterprise UK and the social enterprise places network, provide essential support, enabling social enterprises locally to address social challenges effectively. By fostering inclusivity and resilience, social enterprises help heal and strengthen communities.” 3. Social enterprises enhance public service provision Social enterprises have held up our crumbling public services for years by reinvesting profits, joining up services and needs, and piloting innovation. Going forward, they will be crucial to running and improving vital services in communities across the country. From children’s homes to social care, affordable energy and housing, to inclusive public transport - making sure that social enterprises can deliver for local authorities and central government is key. Social enterprises should be recognised and championed for their role in delivering the services we rely on. Government should improve their commissioning and procurement processes, so that more social enterprises are brought into public supply chains, and that government spending is being used effectively to improve public services, while maximising the social benefits that these businesses generate. 4. Social enterprises contribute to inclusive economic growth Social enterprises reflect the diversity of our society.  They are more likely to be led by women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds, more likely to hire people from the communities they serve, and more likely to operate in areas that face higher levels of economic deprivation and disadvantage. Many social enterprises actively recruit those furthest from the labour market, providing training as well as flexible and well-paid work that is central to minimising poverty and disillusion for marginalised groups. By investing their profits back into their communities, social enterprises drive economic growth and renewal. This is the foundation for a more inclusive society, with wealth being built to enhance the lives and prospects of every community. Jennifer Van der Merwe, Director at Kindred LCR and part of the Liverpool City Region Social Enterprise Place, said: “Cohesive communities are vital for a good economy, where everyone is supported to thrive. We recognise and celebrate the work of all the socially-trading organisations serving our communities in Liverpool and Merseyside towards community cohesion, and we will continue to encourage and support inclusion and cohesion in the communities in which we work together.” 5. Social enterprises have done it before After the 2008/9 financial crisis, during the Covid-19 pandemic, throughout the energy price and cost of living crisis - social enterprises have proved resilient, and demonstrated their commitment not to shareholders or profit but to people and places in need. They pivoted their models to provide vital support, they cut costs through efficiency and innovation not redundancy, and they reached out to the people most at risk. Businesses with values and ambitions aligned to the interests of society are essential to navigate through these difficult times. Social enterprises not only offer tangible solutions to the challenges we collectively face but are an antidote to the division, fear and hatred of the far-right. Terry Murphy, CEO of our member Sheffield Social Enterprise Network and chair of Sheffield Social Enterprise Place, said: “As a united front, the leaders of Sheffield's VCFSE sectors stand in solidarity with those nearby in Rotherham and others across the country who have suffered from this senseless violence. Our communities have shown remarkable resilience and unity in the face of these attacks. Looking ahead, the Sheffield Social Enterprise Network is unwavering in our commitment to strengthening our collaboration. Recognising that these events are symptoms of a broader systemic problem, we believe that nurturing hope can provide the motivation for change - while promoting collaborative systems change can address the structural barriers that sustain polarisation, valuing the diversity of perspectives and experiences that each of us brings.” If we can provide any support to your social enterprise at the moment, please let us know. Please also share with us your work within affected communities and information we can help take to policymakers by contacting membership@socialenterprise.org.uk.

Speakers from across the world are joining together for a virtual event focused on an often-hidden form of domestic abuse. It is the third time social enterprise PEGS have hosted an annual conference, with some speakers returning to share updates on their work and research – as well as new speakers being added to the line-up. The Child to Parent Abuse International Conference aims to highlight the efforts to support families affected by this type of abuse – thought to impact up to 10% of households – as well as raise awareness of best practice and policies. Attendees will have the chance to hear from esteemed speakers such as Richard Robinson, Chief Executive of Hourglass – a charity which works to end abuse towards older people in the UK; His Honour Judge James Burbidge KC; researcher and consultant Amanda Warburton-Wynn; and Jeremy Todd, Chief Executive of Family Lives – which provides early intervention and crisis support to families who are struggling. Michelle John, PEGS Founder, said: “We are delighted to once again be hosting a conference which brings together professionals from across the public, voluntary and private sectors as well as academics and researchers to discuss Child to Parent Abuse. “It’s only by sharing our knowledge, highlighting best practice, and understanding the reality facing so many families here in the UK and all around that world that we can collectively work to support those families effectively, understand why and when CPA happens, and ultimately to reduce the instances of it occurring. “We are delighted to have a packed schedule full of speakers who will be able to share fantastic insights, statistical and anecdotal evidence, and opinions on how best to move forward with our audience. And by hosting the conference virtually, we hope to ensure it’s as accessible as possible for attendees wherever they are based.” Tickets are available now, with a discount for those working for charities or social enterprises. Simply visit www.pegsevents.co.uk to find out more and purchase your ticket. PEGS is a social enterprise set up to support parents, train professionals, raise awareness and impact policy. It has impacted the lives of thousands through specialist parental services, as well as working with local and national governments, and partnering with charities in the UK and abroad. Search PEGS Support on social media to connect with the team. For further information, please email media@pegsupport.com.

With the UK Government now promising a ‘New Deal for Working People’ that will overhaul existing conditions and strengthen workers’ rights, the world of work is at the heart of political debate - but what does good work look like? Our latest research suggests that social enterprises can offer a blueprint for a better way of doing business. Our new paper, published in partnership with the Living Wage Foundation, delves into the quality of employment created by social enterprises compared to the wider business community. From training and pay to flexibility and inclusion, the report finds that social enterprises represent business at its best  – which helps them recruit and retain staff. While millions of UK workers take home wages that won’t cover basic necessities, social enterprise employers are far more likely to pay the real Living Wage (RLW). Eight in ten social enterprises pay the RLW (currently £12 across the UK and £13.15 in London) compared to just one in nine employers as a whole. They are often also set up to create jobs and opportunities for those furthest from the labour market such as disabled people, those with mental health problems and the long-term unemployed. Once in work, the research showed that social enterprises are more likely than other businesses to offer training and development opportunities, with 77% providing this compared to just 60% of other businesses. Social enterprises are also shown to have a diverse range of ownership and leadership models, which are more likely to provide workers with a voice to influence their organisation; 38% of those with business boards reported that membership included employees. A dedication to changing employment practices can be found in social enterprise Clean for Good, which is featured as a case study in the report. It shows how a social enterprise can challenge practices in the traditionally exploitative cleaning sector through a dedication to paying the RLW. Satisfaction rates at the business are regularly in excess of 85%, and all of its cleaners enjoy terms and conditions above the statutory minimums. Instead of a race to the bottom, it’s using its position as a business dedicated to the wellbeing of staff as a factor in winning new contracts. Our head of research Dean Hochlaf, who led the report, said: "Good working conditions are the foundation of a stronger, fairer, more prosperous economy – and it’s clear from this in-depth study that social enterprises are leading the business community in setting higher standards for their workforce and creating better employment opportunities for everyone. In turn, social enterprises are reaping rewards from recruitment and retention to morale and productivity, showing that good work can be good for business.”

Our new government put forward a long list of Bills in the King’s Speech, many of which hold significant potential value for progressing social enterprise – from corporate governance reform to green investment, workers rights to mental health support, and community ownership to skills development. Overall, it seems our political leaders have nearly grasped that mission-led business can be key part of the answer to many of the challenges we - and they - face, but still not yet fully realised our potential.  The proposed Employment Rights Bill helps align mainstream business with practices already common among social enterprises. Social enterprises are more likely than other businesses to pay the Real Living Wage, offer flexible working and include staff in decision-making. Whereas mainstream businesses have a knee-jerk opposition to improving rights, social enterprises focus on addressing barriers, such as limitations imposed by public sector contracts. Proposed legislation to improve business behaviour and delivery for consumers on water [1], football, buses and rail offer an eclectic approach from nationalisation to sanctions. However, there is a common theme in focusing on purpose rather than profit across public services, utilities and community assets. While greater transparency is welcome, the Bill needs to be more ambitious, pushing all businesses to behave well rather than just trying to stop the worst offenders from exploiting gaps. Proposed corporate governance legalisation, for instance, is a missed opportunity to join the dots between poor performance of public service provision and regulation. It is also not yet clear how the government’s role in derisking private investment - as proposed across the National Wealth Fund, British Business Bank, UK Infrastructure Bank and more - will trickle down to SMEs and social enterprises, or how these huge funds will be owned and governed for the longer term. On Great British Energy, plans are still a bit muddled. The King’s Speech specifically said the government will develop, own and operate assets – rather than making investments, which was previously proposed. Either way, we await the detail on opportunities for community energy and whether communities will be able to take forward projects on similar terms to local authorities.    Both the Product Safety and Metrology Bill and Digital Information and Smart Data Bill provide opportunities to ensure democratic and inclusive access to technology and data – as set out through the Future Economy Alliance’s work [2], which Social Enterprise UK has helped convene. The English Devolution Bill offers potential to build on what we’ve already seen in the Devolved Nations and Mayoral Combined Authority areas, whereby strategic social enterprise support has been much stronger than in Westminster. We await more clarity about which departments and ministers will take responsibility for social enterprise, and where the commitment to grow diverse business models - doubling coops and mutuals - will sit. [1] Letter: Water crisis is a chance to reset business norms (archive.ph) [2]https://static1.squarespace.com/static/64a584ea841fde6445ba3478/t/65e208500a24c92b7c7e764d/1709312083037/Business+Plan+for+Britain+full+report.pdf

A play inspired by group of doctors working for City Health Care Partnership’s Macmillan service about what it’s like to live with (and beyond) cancer has now been turned into a film called KPOW! (Know the Power Of Words), to show everyone who has contact with cancer patients how powerful their words can be. Dr Kate Thomas, one of the doctors who commissioned the original play, explained how it came about. “It started with a conversation between Dr Hannah Coysh and Allyson Kent, who is living with cancer. They met at 5K Your Way, a Parkrun initiative for people impacted by a cancer diagnosis. “Allyson talked about her diagnosis and experience and what she’d learned. Hannah thought, ‘That sounds like a play!’ and the idea was born.” With funding from CHCP, Hannah, Kate and Dr Marie Cohen commissioned playwright Libby Pearson to write a play to be performed at a Macmillan conference in June 2023. It was extremely well received and Allyson felt that it needed to go further and be seen by more people, so the next step to was to make a film. The film was funded by Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance and Macmillan Cancer Support and premiered at Hull Truck Theatre on Monday 8 July. Everyone involved in the project is eager to share the message of KPOW! with as many people as possible, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, social workers, care workers and admin teams to spread its impact and influence and change the experience of people living with cancer for the better. You can watch the film on YouTube here About City Health Care Partnership CIC City Health Care Partnership CIC is an independent ‘for better profit’ and co-owned Community Interest Company responsible for providing local health and care services. Registered in England No: 06273905 We provide over 50 diverse services in community settings, including Palliative Care, District Nursing, TB Clinics, Sexual Health, Dentistry, Public Health, GP Practices, Urgent Treatment Centres, Community Rehabilitation, Eating Disorders, Domiciliary Care and Psychological Wellbeing to name but a few and employ around 2,000 people All profits from all our growing ventures are reinvested into services, colleagues and the communities in which we work. Our recent Social Return on Investment audit showed a return of £55.85 for every £1 spent on community funded activities. For more information on the services offered by CHCP CIC please see www.chcpcic.org.uk. Follow us on X www.twitter.com/CHCPHull. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com.

Billions of people will vote in national elections this year – in 97 countries around the world from the US to France, India, Brazil and beyond. There’s a lot happening. For some of us, these election campaigns are overlapping with the cricket 2020 world cup, then the Euros, which in turn run into Wimbledon, and the Tour de France, which will lead into the Olympics. For others, maybe House of the Dragon is competing with Glastonbury and Co-operative Fortnight, or whatever else you’ve got going on. It seems to be a busy, overlapping, even overwhelming and certainly confusing time. Anyway, congratulations to our new Labour government in forming a historic majority in Parliament. What does this mean for social enterprise? What have Labour said about us?  Well, there are some exciting signs, as well as some rather messy, fuzzy and confusing messages. Excitingly, the Labour manifesto makes a clear commitment to “support diverse business models” as well as aiming to double the size of the UK’s co-operative and mutuals sector. This is fantastic news. Any advocate for social enterprise - co-operative or otherwise - should celebrate this explicit commitment to alternative ownership models from the UK government, for the first time in a long time. At Social Enterprise UK, we are pleased and proud to have worked with our friends at Co-operatives UK and the Co-op Party in pushing both the tighter focus on co-ops and the broader agenda around business diversity. Meanwhile, Labour grandees are talking up the idea of an Office for the Impact Economy[1]. Labour mayors are - not just talking about – but also supporting the social economy in Bristol and London, business for good in West Yorkshire, and the VCSE sector in Greater Manchester. Our partners in the Future Economy Alliance have come together under the banner of mission-led businesses (which echoes Labour’s talk of mission-led government) while others have decided they like the term purpose driven business. There’s a lot going on. These terms can be confusing. Of course they overlap. Many of our members are social enterprises and co-operatives and mutuals, driven by purpose and focused on a mission. Ultimately, even while we may pine for greater convergence and consistency in language, the good news is that we now have the government’s manifesto, as well as powerful regional and national politicians, focused on our movement, seeing social enterprise and family as part of the solution. We must await what this means in practice for helping social enterprises grow and thrive. Will these promises help smooth the flow of funding and finance, improve procurement and public services, level the playing field and the business landscape, and bolster the capacity of entrepreneurs and teams working in social enterprises? As the leading national voice for social enterprise, we will of course work to help turn the government’s policy promises into practical and useful support for our members and beyond. The new government has set out various other policies in its manifesto. Many of our members will be pleased to see the commitment to more care delivered locally, to spotting problems earlier and shifting resources to community services. Others will have questions about using public funds to de-risk private investment, with concerns about socialising risk and privatising reward. Some will want to deepen commitment to addressing the climate emergency. A lot would like a little less talk of UK PLC and a more imaginative conception of UK CIC. Some of us are impatient for deeper, more structural transformation across our economy, democracy, and country. Today’s change of government is just the start. By Dan Gregory - Director at Social Enterprise UK [1] https://www.cityam.com/labour-must-partner-with-businesses-in-the-impact-economy/ https://www.probonoeconomics.com/what-would-an-office-for-the-impact-economy-mean-for-charities

Corporate supply chains are changing. Big businesses increasingly look at environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations when it comes to who they spend their money with, and we’ve been at the heart of this shift. Our Buy Social Corporate Challenge is now entering its ninth year of supporting big businesses to bring social enterprises into their supply chains. Since launching at Downing Street in 2016, £477 million has been spent with social enterprises by 30 major corporate partners across all business sectors. The premise of the Challenge is simple: working with corporates to use their core business spend to create positive social and environmental impact. Buying from social enterprises allows companies to make progress across ESG priorities, through spending their money with organisations dedicated to addressing social issues and protecting our planet. Our latest annual report shows the Challenge had the most successful year ever, as partners spent £123 million with social enterprise suppliers. These range from businesses tackling period poverty and re-purposing old office furniture to those creating jobs for people marginalised by the labour market - such as those experiencing homelessness, refugees and the long-term unemployed. Around 4,515 social enterprise jobs have been created thanks to contracts won through the Challenge, with 992 social enterprises supplying Challenge partners last year alone. The number of trading relationships between social enterprise suppliers and Challenge buyers has increased by 74% in just the last two years, showing rising interest in social procurement. Charlie Wigglesworth, Deputy Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “These latest results show that our Buy Social Corporate Challenge is not some well-meaning experiment for businesses willing to try something different – it’s a powerful force for change in corporate supply chains. We’re proud to see social enterprise at the forefront of this transformation. “Crucially, every single one of our corporate partners reported that social enterprises deliver comparable or higher quality products or services compared with other suppliers – a glowing endorsement and reminder that doing business with purpose beyond profit doesn’t mean compromising on standards. “With millions being reinvested in people and planet through our Challenge and the wider social procurement movement, we hope our vital work continues to inspire the public and private sectors to take action for the future of business.” Click here to read the Buy Social Corporate Challenge Year 8 Impact Report The Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners are Amey, AstraZeneca, AXA, CBRE, Compass/Foodbuy, Co-op, Deloitte, Equans, EY, John Sisk & Son Ltd, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Landmarc Support Services, Lendlease, Linklaters, LV=, Mitie, Nationwide, Nestle, NFU Mutual, PwC, Robertson Group, SAP, Siemens, Sodexo, The Crown Estate, Wates Group, Willmott Dixon, and Zurich Insurance Group. To find out more about our social procurement work and how your business can get involved in our programmes click here or contact socialprocurement@socialenterprise.org.uk

Based on a quarterly survey of our members, the latest Insight Paper on our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre gives us a snapshot of sector conditions and expectations. This new research focused on social enterprises’ ability to increase turnover and generate profit during ongoing economic turmoil but also explored property status, trading with local government and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the sector. We found that the challenging economic conditions faced by all businesses are starting to impact the financial performance of social enterprises, with a downward shift in the proportion reporting a growth in turnover. However, half of all social enterprises surveyed reported increasing their turnover in the past year, compared to the 34% of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who reported turnover growth. Whilst social enterprises are outperforming SMEs in this respect, profitability is significantly lower among social enterprises than the wider SME community. A key issue affecting social enterprise finances is rising property costs and uncertain tenancy statuses. The research looks at how this is  affecting social enterprises’ ability to meet their missions, with more resources going to meet costs like rent –  and also their ability to benefit from government support, such as the VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, which was designed to help organisations reduce energy costs but is only available to those with long-term arrangements for their premises and permission to make adaptions. This quarter’s paper shows economic instability starting to really impact our resilient sector, which has weathered several years of economic shocks. The experience of social enterprises is now more closely aligned with the wider business community: surviving but failing to thrive. In the run up to the July election we will be campaigning hard to make sure political leaders not only understand the issues our sector faces but put in place measures to unleash our full potential, so that social enterprises can continue to tackle the most pressing societal challenges while supporting wider economic recovery.

Nickel Support, a Community Interest Company from Sutton, which works with adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, was celebrated as best ‘Heart of Gold’ business at this year’s Small Awards for their work within their community with their trainees, and for the social impact they are having beyond their community, through their retail project Interestingly Different. Interestingly Different is a gift and homeware shop and online retailer selling products from 33 social enterprises all of whom support adults with learning disabilities or people facing other life challenges. Nickel Support won the award which recognises the small businesses that contribute a bit extra to their local community. Working with other small businesses, local charities, schools, local councils or their local residents they have achieved great things. Owners Nick Walsh and Elena Nicola, who founded Nickel Support in 2012, were awarded at a sparkling celebration event in central London, hosted by presenter, writer, actor and comedian, Sue Perkins. Nick and Elena set up Nickel Support after they had become disillusioned by the learning disability sector as a whole. They felt that people with learning disabilities were being short changed by some of the more traditional services and that they deserved more. They set up Nickel Support with the goal of helping people with learning disabilities to lead purposeful and fulfilled lives. They focus on three  main areas: relationships, health and employment throughout all of the sessions and enterprises which they run. Since 2012 the company has gone from strength to strength and now works with over 120 trainees across two hubs - one in Cheam and one in Carshalton. In January 2023 they set up a retail branch of Nickel Support called Interestingly Different, with the goal of providing a platform for the trainees to sell the products made in the enterprise sessions, including upcycled furniture, a popular range of jams and chutneys and jesmonite homeware pieces. The other main goal was to provide training and paid employment opportunities through the Interestingly Different shop. Not satisfied with just supporting the Nickel Support trainees, Nick and Elena took it one step further, and decided to use Interestingly Different to support other social enterprises working with marginalised groups, which in turn offers shoppers a place where they can shop in a conscious and purposeful way. Interestingly Different now has five trainees in paid employment and are hoping to increase that number in the near future. Elena Nicola said, “We are absolutely delighted and honoured to have received this award. We are so grateful to have been recognised for the hard work that we are doing both within the learning disability world, but also further afield in our work with other social enterprises. We hope to continue to break down the barriers for our trainees and to see real and meaningful change in the perception of what people with learning disabilities are able to achieve.” In its eighth year, The Small Awards is a nationwide search for the smallest and greatest firms in the UK, across all sectors. It is organised annually by Small Business Britain, which champions, inspires and accelerates the nation’s 5.5 million small firms. Ninety small businesses were shortlisted across 11 Small Award categories, from ‘digital stars’, to ‘high street heroes’ and mission-driven businesses with a ‘heart of gold’. Nickel Support won the award alongside 10 other winning small firms from across the UK. “Congratulations to Nickel Support, who impressed our team and judges with their story of drive and innovation, and dedication to their community,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Founder of Small Business Britain and the Small Awards. “We are delighted to have celebrated with them at such a beautiful event that shines a much-needed light on so many extraordinary entrepreneurs, like Nick and Elena, and their fabulous businesses.”  Minister for Small Business Kevin Hollinrake MP, who attended The Small Awards and presented the Small Business of the Year Award said: “The Small Awards are a reminder of the innovation and tenacity that makes the UK’s small businesses the best in the world. I congratulate this year’s winners on their well-deserved awards and wish them every success for the future.”  The Small Awards are judged by a panel of leading enterprise experts. Guests at the event were treated to a dazzling display of entertainment by Europe’s largest gay male choir, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, along with fine food and drink by independent caterers. To find out more about the winners visit https://thesmallawards.uk/index.aspx#theAwards. About Nickel Support and Interestingly Different Nickel Support is a pioneering, award winning, not-for-profit community interest company set up in 2012, which works with over 120 adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Nickel Support is based in Sutton and now works across their two branches in Carshalton and Cheam. Nickel Support was a finalist in the 2022 National SME Business Awards as well as in the 2022 Social Enterprise Awards; and was shortlisted for the 2023 Small Awards. Nickel Support was one of Natwest’s Pioneers Post Top 100 Social Enterprises in 2023. Interestingly Different is part of their parent organisation Nickel Support. Interestingly Different sources and sells a wide range of products from over 33 other UK based social enterprises, all of whom are working with adults with disabilities or facing life challenges. Interestingly Different is open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and their website, not only sells their full product range, but also offers a fantastic insight to the work that they do. They also work with corporate clients providing monthly subscriptions of office supplies such as tea and coffee, alongside making gift hampers for staff and clients .  Each and every purchase helps towards the greater goal of an inclusive society where adults with disabilities are able to meet their potential and live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Interestingly Different was one of the Small Biz Saturday’s top 100 small businesses in the UK in 2023, and has since also been named as one of Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday Winners.

The Glasshouse is a social enterprise that offers second chances to women prisoners as they reach the end of their sentence, giving them horticultural training and employment as part of its mission to reduce reoffering and support rehabilitation for people leaving prison. Women who have benefitted from the training at HMP East Sutton Park in Kent recreated the greenhouse there for an indoor garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The exhibit features house plants nurtured by women in prison and items representing their dreams and hopes. Glasshouse's work is based around the proven physical and emotional benefits that being close to nature provides. Plants in the workspace are proven to boost people's productivity, concentration and creativity, as well as cleaning toxins from the air and increasing oxygen levels. Rhi, a former prisoner who works with the Glasshouse, said it gave her "a purpose" and that she cried when she found out it was headed to the flower show. She said: "Often we are invisible or even hidden so for us to be embraced and have the opportunity... I just couldn't believe it."

Earlier this month, the Social Enterprise UK team was at The Workplace Event 2024 at Birmingham NEC and together with our partners Waste to Wonder Worldwide and Nineteen Group we were proud to launch the first ever Social Enterprise Village at an event of this scale. With 25 leading social enterprises exhibiting and over 5000 delegates attending across the three days, there were plenty of opportunities for the social enterprises to showcase their products and services and the social and environmental impact they have. From recycling services to tea, and from tackling period poverty to air quality, the event showcased the strength and diversity of the sector. In addition to giving the social enterprises a platform, it was great to see the number of organisations looking, often for the first time, to work more with our sector. More and more businesses are engaging with social enterprises to support their social value and environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives, highlighting the value of collaboration as the business community works towards creating a fairer and more sustainable society. We would like to thank all the social enterprises who participated in the event, as well as our partners, Waste to Wonder and Nineteen Group. We will continue to work together to drive the growth of the social enterprise movement and we look forward to the return of the Social Enterprise Village at The Workplace Event 2025.To find out more about the event, watch the video below produced by social enterprise, Inside Job Productions: https://vimeo.com/946139860 This is what some of our members who were exhibiting had to say about the event: Planet First Energy CIC "Planet First Energy CIC had an exceptional experience at the Workplace Event hosted at the NEC Birmingham within the innovative Social Enterprise village, facilitated by Social Enterprise UK and Waste to Wonder. Our Managing Director, Steve Silverwood, delivered an insightful session spotlighting our social enterprise's mission, services, and our commitment to tackling fuel poverty, drawing significant interest from attendees. Furthermore, we had the privilege to network with key personnel from Social Enterprise UK and forge valuable connections with fellow social enterprises, gaining insights into their impactful initiatives and exploring collaborative opportunities. The event served as a great platform to showcase our endeavours, exchange ideas, and strengthen our collective efforts towards creating positive social change. We look forward to attending next year." Nuneaton Signs "We were very impressed by the Social Enterprise Village at the Workplace Show, it was great to network with other Social Enterprises and discover how they interact with the FM and workplace market. The chance to meet some of the Corporate Challenge partners was welcomed, we hope to continue our business development in this sector with them and look forward to following up. The pre event promotion was exceptionally good with the organised approach to Social Media posts being particularly valuable, we had a significant amount of interest, with many existing customers getting in touch." Belu "We enjoyed attending, especially meeting and chatting to our fellow social enterprises at the Workplace Event. It’s a relatively small world and great to meet likeminded folks who are using business as a mean for good! Social Enterprise UK is a fantastic organisation and are helping build a community with a rapidly growing influence in the UK economy"

On 2 May we joined hundreds of people from across our mission-led movement for a Future Economy Alliance battle planning session, preparing to push our sector up the policy agenda for the general election and beyond. Chaired by Alex Birtles, founder of our Alliance partner and supporter member In Good Company, the event brought campaigners together to discuss the role of mission-led organisations in the economy and how we can make our way of working the national norm. The need to change ‘business as usual’ The opening speaker was our Chair, Lord Victor Adebowale, who set out why social enterprises and other mission-led organisations are so vitally needed. Speaking from the House of Lords, he noted that life expectancy falls as you go further away from Westminster, with inequalities in everything from education to care and a growing sense of unease across the country.   Summing up the need for the Future Economy Alliance, the people’s peer said: "Everywhere from our trains to our water, you can see it’s possible to run a frankly shocking service while providing vital resources and still make a profit. Most people in this country now feel things aren’t right, we’re being ripped off. There’s a fundamental problem with the system that shapes our lives, our economic infrastructure – so we have to challenge it and change it. We have one economy, we all work for it, and it has to work for all of us too." Emphasising the importance of action before a general election, he added: "If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we’ll get what we’ve always got, and that sense of it not being right will grow. Never before has the choice been so stark about the future that you want to vote for. The public have to get behind us and the politicians have to listen to us. Something different has to happen.” The new Business Plan for Britain The economy is broken and we know that our movement of mission-led organisations can offer solutions to fix it. Our director Dan Gregory set out the key themes of the Alliance’s ‘Business Plan for Britain’, which focuses on five key areas where policy intervention could unlock the full potential of our mission-led movement. Dan represented Social Enterprise UK but was joined by partners across the Alliance, which includes models from co-operatives and employee-ownership to community business and social investment- and what was evident from the conversation was the vital importance of collaboration so we can be stronger together. James Wright, Policy and Development Lead at Co-operatives UK, stated how  important it is for co-ops to be part of a wider movement and highlighted the need to raise awareness of the mission-led sector beyond our individual business models. Oliver Smith, Deputy Chief Executive of the Employee Ownership Association, echoed this by talking about how we have more impact in numbers - emphasising the shared belief that “business and society are better when people have a meaningful stake and say in their work”. Helen Curr, CEO of healthcare social enterprise Here, stressed how it joined the campaign inspired by Nye Bevan’s original vision for the NHS based on a “redistribution of wealth and a re-balancing of society” and the desire to “raise a collective voice of doing things differently”. The final member of the panel was Ian McGrady, Managing Director of North West based social enterprise Edsential, which provides services for schools and joined the Alliance to “give us a larger voice”. Ian said that our sector has been “hiding in the shadows” but we can use the evidence of our collective impact to show that “this sector can be trusted with delivery”. Oliver echoed the importance of gathering and sharing good data on the benefits of our way of working, citing many examples: "We tend to be more productive, we benefit local economies, we do community work and volunteering, we have better supported employees and more diverse workforce – so the more of us that work together, the more we can achieve." The action you can take to fix our economy Through the discussion, the challenge was set out: to make our movement not a part of the economy but the heart of it. The Future Economy Alliance is nothing without the many hundreds of thousands of organisations we represent, and we need your help to make sure our leaders understand the scale and power of our sector. Your voices and stories are vital to showcase the value of mission-led organisations and push our way of working up the political agenda for the election and beyond. To help you do this, we’re going to be providing you with resources throughout this long campaign, starting with our campaign toolkit. This contains a template letter to invite your MP to your organisation, template press releases, social media copy and infographics to raise the profile of the work that you do and our wider mission-led movement. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE CAMPAIGN TOOLKIT You can watch the full recording of the webinar below:

We hosted an event with centre-right think-tank Onward this week to explore how social enterprises and other mission-led businesses can strengthen not only our economy but wider society, as part of our Future Economy Alliance campaigning to push our way of working up the policy agenda. Our Alliance chair Arvinda Gohil OBE joined a lively panel discussion including the Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Businesses, Kevin Hollinrake MP; Conservative Party candidate for South Norfolk, Poppy Simister-Thomas; CEO of NatWest Social and Community Capital, Victoria Papworth; and Executive Chairman of the social enterprise Community Shop, Gary Stott. The event was chaired by Adam Hawksbee, Deputy Director at Onward. Panellists discussed the power of mission-led organisations to address pressing challenges and the barriers keeping the sector from realising its potential, with a number of common themes emerging from the debate. You can read key insights below or watch a recording of the whole session here: Social enterprises are businesses Social enterprises form a key part of the business landscape, with Minister Kevin Hollinrake pointing out that there are more than 100,000 of them in the UK making a significant contribution to GDP. He stressed that “business and social enterprise are indivisible”, and the support available for traditional businesses should be relevant for those set up for a social or environmental purpose. Arvinda Gohil cited the huge impact of mission-led businesses, which now represent around 5% of UK businesses, creating 4 million jobs and re-investing more than £1bn of profits into communities. With 22% of social enterprises working in the most deprived areas in the UK, they are creating opportunities and reducing inequalities in the areas which need them most. Social enterprises are at the heart of local communities The discussion highlighted how social enterprises, co-ops and community businesses are vital to growing local economies - often running community assets and creating jobs or other vital opportunities for residents. Poppy Simister-Thomas talked about how social enterprises can “defy some of the economic constraints that big business has”, focusing on their strong community links and how many run local institutions like shops and pubs at a time when many businesses are shutting. She was also critical of the ESG efforts of some big corporates, which can appear as just a “nice to have” whereas social enterprises bring a “clarity of purpose” to their operations. This emphasis on community was brought to life by Gary Stott explaining how his social supermarket is reducing food poverty, bringing people together and supporting them to transform their lives.  A business set up to “build strong individuals and confident communities”, its shops sell discounted products for those receiving welfare support and run community kitchens with food at low prices, as well as delivering personal development programmes to help people find work. All their 12 stores are in areas of high deprivation and 53% of members move on within a year, as their model is fundamentally about supporting people to thrive independently. Access to finance is key Whilst Community Shop has built financial resilience funded by its members, the panel pointed out the importance of access to funding. Victoria Papworth talked about how NatWest Social and Community Capital exists to give funding to mission-led organisations who have been rejected by mainstream finance, highlighting the importance for funders to build relationships with the enterprises they are looking to support. She also hinted at the power dynamics inherent in the investor/investee relationship, stating that “social enterprises need to be ceded power and agency by funders” and acknowledging how “challenging and worrying” questions around debt and loans can be for social enterprises. The Minister agreed that access to finance was “the number one issue” for small businesses, mentioning the Government support that exists in this area and pointing out the importance of alternative finance providers such as community development finance institutions. This was picked up on in the Q&A session, with discussions around how we transform banking through ideas like a Community Investment Act and regional banking systems. Issues around procurement The barriers social enterprises still face when applying for public sector contracts was another key theme. Poppy stated that “procurement processes are often slow and difficult for small businesses to engage with, resulting in the domination of big players like Serco and Capita”. She outlined an issue raised by our Social Value 2032 Roadmap, whereby scoring penalises bidders with core purpose delivery against those adding it for bid purposes, and spoke of social enterprises being used in supply chains as ‘bid candy’.The Minister highlighted features of the 2023 Procurement Act designed to make it easier for small and mid-size enterprises, such as streamlining processes around things like indemnity insurance so that organisations only have to put this in place if successful in winning a product.

The UK’s leading leisure and cultural charitable staff-owned trust, which runs services under the Better brand, is due to start an exciting new 10 year partnership with Newham Council that promises to increase physical activity levels and improve the customer experience for residents in one of London’s fastest growing boroughs.  Newham Council is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of residents, as outlined in the local authority’s ‘Building a Fairer Newham’ objectives, to make the borough healthier and to support people to age well. This is particularly in relation to improving life expectancy; increasing satisfaction with services and reducing loneliness and isolation. Maximising the use of our leisure assets and green spaces provides a huge opportunity to impact on the wider determinants of health.  Not-for-profit GLL will use its wealth of experience and socially purposed business model to enhance the leisure service – investing in grassroots sports, facilities and accessible activities to improve life in the borough - for existing and new customers. Councillor Neil Wilson, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “Our new partner GLL shares our ambition to achieve sustainable results in addressing health inequities through increasing activity levels and improving the overall well-being of our residents. “This change will benefit all of us. It aligns with our corporate priorities; 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham (2024-2027), the Well Newham approach and more generally, our values of putting people at the heart of everything we do. “I look forward to seeing what the future brings but there is no doubt, the health and wellbeing of all residents will, as always, be a central focus.” Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL said: "We are very much looking forward to bringing Newham's customers and colleagues back into the GLL family and sharing the benefits of our socially purposed business model through this return to a long-term partnership with Newham Council - a dynamic and forward-thinking borough. "In addition to helping local residents get more active and offering staff great training and development, we will be extending opportunities to talented local athletes through our annual GLL Sport Foundation Awards - now in their 16th year." “We look forward to working with the staff of activeNewham who have operated these community facilities for the last 10 years.” Beyond the centres, the contract will also support residents to be active in community settings, including green spaces, as part of the Active Communities programme – as well as supporting the 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham strategy. Leisure service users will initially notice 'GLL' and ‘Better’ branding appearing in centres and an enhancement to the look and feel going forward to enhance the customer experience. Bookings will be available seven days in advance on the Better_uk app.  Further details of the transfer are being communicated with customers and staff in the forthcoming days. For more information, visit: activeNewham : Leisure Transfer www.better.org.uk  https://www.gllsportfoundation.org

It has been a longstanding ambition of ours to own a building and are delighted to announce that this has now become a reality! Through a pioneering partnership with our friends from the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) we have purchased 13-15 Dock Street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Located around the corner from Tower Bridge, the former East End dock warehouse has been transformed into a hub of social enterprise activity. As well as giving us a permanent home, increasing our sustainability and resilience, in future we hope it will be a space to bring the wider social business world together and provide new collaborative opportunities for the sector. Buying the property was itself a model of sector collaboration as we and SSE set up a new limited liability company, the Home of Social Enterprise, to carry out the purchase. Our chief executive, Peter Holbrook CBE, said: “This important achievement has been a real collective effort that we feel reflects the very spirit of our sector: working towards systemic positive change and doing business in a way that doesn’t just benefit ourselves but also the community, the social enterprise movement and environment around us.  “After many years of effort, I’m delighted that we now have a long-term home and an asset that I believe will help strengthen and secure our organisation’s future. This massive undertaking would not have been possible without CAF Bank, CHK Foundation, Postcode Innovation Trust and City Bridge Foundation, as well as the work of many social enterprise supporters.”  Alistair Wilson, chief executive for SSE, added: “We’re thrilled to elevate our longstanding partnership with Social Enterprise UK as we join forces in our new shared space! It’s more than just a building; it’s a beacon for collaboration, a home for social entrepreneurship and a symbol of our commitment to long-term sustainability. “We would like to thank David Adair, Head of Community Affairs at PwC, and his colleagues for their instrumental support throughout this transition. We’re so grateful for their expertise in facilitating our move – and of course, for providing our previous accommodation at the Old Fire Station on Tooley Street, which was exceptional.” We look forward to welcoming you to our new home!

Now that the UK has slipped into an official recession, and with living standards stagnating, this week's Spring Budget will likely look to stimulate private sector activity. This is an opportunity to re-imagine how policy can support business, and to encourage the growth of more responsible and diverse models of business whose aspirations are aligned to the wider economy. The distinct challenges faced, the pressures these exert and the response of the business to succeed can vary enormously across the business landscape. This is especially true for social enterprise models, which already run against the grain of what is expected of a business by prioritising social and environmental missions alongside the need to make profit. However, much national policy remains uniform, and therefore unable to meet the needs of different business models. Efforts to support business growth in recent years have focused on a mixture of tax cuts, capital subsidies and rapidly designed support packages to address external shocks like Covid-19 and the cost of living crisis. Despite their growing prominence, social enterprises are often overlooked by government. For example, the flagship policy of full expensing (the scheme that allows capital investment to be deducted from tax bills) was hailed as the biggest cut to business tax in modern times, and critical for encouraging business investment. However, new Social Enterprise UK research has found that almost three-quarters of social enterprises have failed to benefit. It has been hinted that further tax cuts will be announced during the Spring Budget - but this is an opportunity to adopt a fresh approach. At present, policy is proving ineffective at supporting the growth of more diverse business models. Various policy levers are just waiting to be pulled by government, including: expanding green investment funds to help support the creation and growth of environmental enterprises, while facilitating the net-zero transition among the wider business community. reforming the tax code to incentivise private investment into social enterprises and other community businesses. implementing a Community Right to Buy Act that allows local authorities and the communities they serve to develop local assets that can stimulate economic activity and generate revenue. We cannot continue with business as usual. Social enterprises have proven resilient in the face of economic hardship, but they are failing to achieve their potential. Policy needs to be adapted to recognise that different forms of business not only exist but need specialist support. Recognition of this is the first step towards the creation of a more diverse, vibrant and impactful business community.

The latest Barometer in our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre depicts a sector broadly optimistic for the year ahead, persevering in the face of economic uncertainty despite gaps in local and national government support. Every quarter we publish new findings from our Social Enterprise Advisory Panel to give a snapshot of key sector issues and trends across the UK. This latest survey explored social enterprises’ overall expectations for 2024, from reserves and profit making to staff numbers, as well as the potential impact of ongoing economic uncertainty amid recession headlines and the cost of living crisis. Social enterprise business expectations for the year are broadly positive; 64% expect turnover and staff numbers to either grow or remain the same, compared to just 50% of small businesses as a whole, and the vast majority expect demand for their goods and services to rise. However, many social enterprises are experiencing uncertainty, with local and central government income highlighted as a significant factor affecting their growth expectations. Many are unaware of and ineligible for support provisions like the Community Organisation Cost of Living Fund or VCSE Energy Efficiency Fund, and around half say their local authority offers no support for their business. We know that social enterprise is more resilient than other forms of business, as demonstrated in recent economic crises – but they also contribute more to society, so they need to thrive, not just survive. We’re calling for targeted government support to help social enterprises develop and expand, generating economic growth and shared prosperity. Creating an environment for social enterprise to thrive requires appropriate policy development. As part of our work in the Future Economy Alliance, we’re campaigning for a dedicated minister to lead bold reform and join up relevant policy areas, so the government can better support social enterprises and unlock our full potential. Click here to read the full report

Iridescent Ideas CIC are leading a partnership of fantastic local organisations and experts to deliver the Social Enterprise Advice and Support (SEAS) Programme. Commissioned by Plymouth City Council, and funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the programme is providing FREE business support and advice for Plymouth-based individuals, social enterprises and co-operatives. Support available includes access to expert, specialist one-to-one advice, workshops covering digital skills, creative technology, funding and finance, social investment,  marketing, business planning and a range of other related topics, as well as access to a suite of online courses.  Gareth Hart, Director of Iridescent Ideas CIC said: “Iridescent Ideas is delighted to lead the SEAS Programme. Our partnership includes world leading social enterprises and experts providing support on all aspects of starting, running and developing a social enterprise or co-op. “We want to see social enterprise and co-operative ways of running businesses become the norm in Plymouth. We know that many people have brilliant ideas but they need a bit of support to help start up a social enterprise or co-op and also, many existing social enterprises and co-ops want to develop new services and products. “The SEAS programme responds to that by providing free, easy to access business support and advice.” The partnership and specialisms are listed below: Cosmic – digital skills, leadership Dirk Rohwedder (Enterprise with Purpose) – coaching, leadership, financial management Diversity Business Incubator (DBI) – development, specialist support Black and Minority Ethnic social entrepreneurs Iridescent Ideas – legal structures, governance, social enterprise start-up Jon Rolls (BCause) – social investment, investment readiness Paul Read (Drift) – business planning, growth, young people Plymouth Social Enterprise Network (PSEN) – networking and event promotion. POP – networking and start-up funding advice. Real Ideas – creative/digital tech social entrepreneurs, marketing, access to facilities.  Interested? Email seas@iridescentideas.com, visit the Iridescent Ideas website to find out more or REGISTER HERE!

At Social Enterprise UK we run the Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Social Enterprise, encouraging politicians to explore the impact of social enterprises in addressing key national policy issues. On 16 January the APPG hosted a discussion on social enterprise solutions to challenges in the UK food system, facilitated by Jo Gideon MP, highlighting Middlesex University research on how the sector can improve access to healthy and sustainable food. The gathering of parliamentarians heard from Prof Fergus Lyon, Dr Anastasia Loukianov, Dr Ian Vickers and Dr Doirean Wilson about how existing approaches have been largely unsuccessful in addressing poor dietary health and unsustainable food production. Social enterprises grounded in local communities offer an alternative to top-down public health initiatives, which can come across as patronising and jar with lived experiences of food poverty. Social enterprises involved in the research also shared their experiences. The Selby Trust spoke about their food hub, global garden and community café that provide fresh food to the local community and a garden space where people can grow their own food. Showing the harsh reality of the food crisis, in the last year they delivered food to over 12,000 people. The Ubele Initiative discussed their work on food sovereignty; they support Black and Minoritised communities through social prescribing work focused on growing food -making the link between healthy eating, community activity and mental health. The research also involves London Early Years Foundation’s nursery chef programme, as well as a local food hub and therapeutic growing work by Social adVentures. From health and care to early years education, community hubs and transport providers – this research shows how diverse social enterprises are finding innovative, empowering ways to transform the food system. The project is ongoing but its resulting report will be published on our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre later this year. Wider discussion included conversations on the role of procurement and social value in supporting social enterprises working in this space, the need for better support from government for local food initiatives, and calls to make grants and other funding options more accessible. Commenting on the roundtable discussion, Professor Fergus Lyon said: “It was an honour to be invited to present to MPs and there was lots of interest about the role that social enterprises can play in tackling the food issues. It was also a great opportunity to bring together a range of thinkers on food issues and discuss how social enterprises can be part of the solution”.

Our latest State of Social Enterprise report shows a growing sector that is not only profitable and productive but truly pioneering in its impact for people and planet. This year’s report titled ‘Mission Critical’ estimates that there are 131,000 social enterprises across the country, representing almost one in 42 of all UK businesses. Overall, the research shows a movement creating huge impact, despite complex challenges restricting its potential. Not only are social enterprises doing right by society and the environment, they are performing well in economic terms, with a collective turnover of approximately £78 billion or around 3.4% of GDP. Only 17% reported a decrease in turnover, compared with 30% of businesses as a whole. In the last financial year, social enterprises made £1.2 billion in profit, re-investing £1 billion to drive progress on their vital social and environmental missions. By comparison, FTSE 100 companies were on track to spend a record amount on share buy-backs, alongside nearly half of their expected net-profit of £170 billion going to paying dividends. Social enterprises are also major employers, creating jobs for around 2.3 million people, with 84% paying the real Living Wage. They are continuing to break down employment barriers around gender, race and class through workforce diversity; 22% of social enterprises operate in the most deprived areas of the UK, compared to 14% of wider businesses, while 58% have leadership teams that are at least half female and 43% have at least one leader from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds. As well as tackling social inequalities, social enterprises are actively addressing environmental issues, with almost a fifth fighting climate change as their core mission and 65% having a plan in place to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Given the growing crises in our natural world, we need to harness the power of social enterprise now more than ever. However, the report also showed that social enterprises are increasingly under strain, with complex economic barriers meaning that the full potential of this pioneering business model is not being realised. Beyond the general economic instability and uncertainty facing all businesses, many social enterprises struggle to access sufficient or suitable finance, and often report lacking the skills to obtain much-needed investment.   Commenting on the research findings, our chair Lord Victor Adebowale CBE said: “While social enterprises continue to start up and grow, despite the obstacles, the scale of our ambition should not be to keep things going. We cannot take for granted the sector’s ongoing contributions to our economy, our environment and wider society. Social enterprises are surviving but they should be thriving. “Given the sector’s impact despite present challenges, its potential in a more supportive ecosystem could be transformative.  ‘Business as usual’ isn’t working and this mission-led model must become the new normal. As we look ahead to a general election year, social enterprise solutions must be front and centre of a British economy that drives fair growth for all.” The State of Social Enterprise report, published every two years, is the most comprehensive piece of research looking at the key trends and issues affecting our movement. It will form the basis of our continued research and policy work, and is a key resource in raising the profile of our sector amongst decision makers. You can read the full report on our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre, which houses all our research evidence: socialenterprise.org.uk/social-enterprise-knowledge-centre/the-state-of-social-enterprise If you’d like to contribute to future Social Enterprise UK research, please register to be part of the Social Enterprise Advisory Panel by emailing research@socialenterprise.org.uk

Last night we celebrated the winners of our UK Social Enterprise Awards at the iconic Roundhouse in London. The Roundhouse has witnessed music history and on 30 November 2023 that same stage was graced by the brightest lights in the social enterprise sector. Across 15 categories, the Awards shone a spotlight on the  innovation and impact of the UK’s diverse social enterprise community, as well as those organisations that support social enterprises develop and grow. The winner of the overall UK Social Enterprise of the Year award was the Isle of Skye Ferry CIC – a social enterprise that owns and operates the last manually operated turntable ferry in existence, running from Glenelg on the Scottish mainland to the Isle of Skye. It connects rural communities, provides training opportunities and creates living wage jobs,  as well as helping to grow the surrounding economy by sourcing goods and services from local businesses. From employing people who are homeless  to nurturing artisan makers and supporting carers to running community laundrettes, all our award winners really showcased the dynamism inherent within the social enterprise movement. View the full list of winners here The Awards ceremony was hosted by comedian, author and TV star Shaparak Khorsandi. Guests also enjoyed performances from a host of social enterprises that use music to empower young people and marginalised communities. Commenting on the Awards, our Chief Executive Peter Holbrook, said: “The last year has been a difficult one for businesses across the UK, and it has been no different for social enterprises. The Awards were a real evening of hope and inspiration and brought home the sheer ingenuity, adaptability and determination of the social enterprise community, which has continued to deliver for the people and communities they work with and support. “The winners include businesses breaking down barriers for groups marginalised in the workforce, organisations at the heart of local economies, and those finding innovative ways to tackle the climate crisis. The ever-growing movement of social enterprise truly represents business at its best. Congratulations to all of our winners.” As well as celebrating the successes of the social enterprise movement, the Awards also used a social enterprise supply chain. Trophies from The Workshop Aberfeldy will not only reward the winners but also support young and disadvantaged people to gain employment, skills and confidence. A fantastic three-course meal was provided by the Clink, a business working in prisons. Social enterprises also provided the refreshments, photography, printing services and event management. The Awards were delivered in partnership with Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland and Social Enterprise Scotland. The Awards were sponsored by:

The latest Barometer in our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre depicts a sector weathering economic storms, resilient in the face of growing pressures but also showing real signs of strain. Our Barometer reports are published quarterly to provide a snapshot of social enterprise performance across the UK. This latest survey looked into the key issues and trends facing the sector, from reserves and profit making to staff numbers. The proportion of social enterprises that have increased their reserves has gone up in the last quarter, with 33% reporting an increase compared to just 18% in the previous three months. However, 31% reported a decrease in reserves. Profitability levels and the proportion of social enterprises breaking even has dropped by 10% since January, but most respondents managed to at least maintain their profits over the past three months. A positive in this quarter’s report is that the downward trend of social enterprises reporting a reduction in staff has continued, and more social enterprises are starting to grow staff numbers. When asked what the main challenges have been in the last three to six months, more than a quarter cited access to finance as a major issue, with inflation and skills shortages also being identified as major challenges. The picture painted in the November 2023 Barometer is a mixed one – social enterprises are succeeding against the odds, but many are seeing incomes decline and reserves depleted. More needs to be done to support them as they continue drive growth for people and planet. Click here to read the full report

Jeremy Hunt described his Autumn Statement as “the biggest business tax cut in modern British history” by making permanent a tax break that allows businesses to offset investment in machinery, IT and equipment against corporation tax. Although some businesses will welcome this news, it doesn’t help their employees or customers in the spiralling cost of living crisis – and the research and development incentives it promotes have repeatedly failed to deliver the investment and growth our economy needs. The UK has more than 100,000 social enterprises, with missions to support people and planet embedded in their operations. Taxes can be used to encourage this way of working in the wider business world, but corporation tax breaks announced today reflect a system focused on extracting profit above all else. Our chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE said: “It’s disappointing to see the Autumn Statement using tax cuts to reward those who already have wealth and power, instead of creating shared prosperity across our society. Tax should be a policy lever to encourage better business and drive growth for good – not growth at all costs, lining shareholders’ pockets while workers and customers are struggling. ‘Business as usual’ isn’t working anymore, and with a General Election approaching, our next Government must recognise the need for change.”

Impact Hub London is thrilled to announce the return of the Shine Program UK's second edition. We are now accepting applications! Once again, we are teaming up with Swiss Re and our partners at BOOKBRIDGE to incubate resilience in the UK. The Shine Program UK's second edition aims to empower the next generation of social innovators in transforming their ideas and solutions into scalable business models with the potential for maximum social impact. After a successful first edition last year, we are looking to support early-stage entrepreneurs, who are trying to address challenges in the areas of Natural hazard and climate risk management (Climate smart agriculture, Disaster risk reduction,Transformation to net zero – e.g. renewable energy, afforestation, recycling,) and  Access to health (including healthy nutrition). Selected social entrepreneurs will embark on a five-month immersive nurture program. During this journey, they will be closely mentored by Swiss Re experts and receive guidance from seasoned business coaches. Together, they will craft financially viable and scalable business plans that promise tangible social impact. As an added incentive, at the culmination of the Shine Program, the chosen innovator will have the opportunity to secure a financial award of up to GBP 30,000 to fuel their growth. Don't miss this chance to be a part of the Shine Program UK's second edition. To apply, click here.  The application deadline is November 30. For more details, you can also explore our brochure by clicking here.

New research published on Social Enterprise Day (16 November) shows that UK social enterprises created £1.2bn in profit over the last year, and re-invested £1bn to drive progress on their vital social and environmental missions* Social Enterprise Day is a global day recognising the huge contribution our sector makes to communities, the economy and the environment. Our latest research shows the power of social enterprise, not only socially and environmentally but economically, making a significant profit and then using this to benefit people and planet. In contrast, 2022 saw FTSE 100 companies hand out over £80bn in dividends against an expected net profit of £170bn, and spend a record amount buying back their own shares to increase their value.** Social enterprises show us a fundamentally different way of doing business – one where profits are used to support vulnerable communities and protect the natural world, not just handed out to shareholders while social inequalities deepen and the climate crisis grows. Commenting on the findings, our CEO Peter Holbrook said: “Social enterprise can all too often be overlooked in British business, but this new research demonstrates the immense impact of our innovative and resilient sector – not only boosting our hard-hit national economy, but supporting wider society and protecting the environment. “We face huge and complex challenges, but social enterprise can offer solutions. Business can and must work in a way that actively benefits people and planet, sharing profit and power to drive real progress on the most pressing issues of our time. With a general election approaching, I urge all our political party leaders to consider social enterprise as the future of business.” Social Enterprise Day is a chance to raise awareness of the brilliant work happening in our sector  and encourage support for our growing movement. Check out #SocialEnterpriseDay on social media to get involved and be inspired! * These figures are part of the State of Social Enterprise report, produced by Social Enterprise UK every other year, which provides the most comprehensive and representative analysis of national sector performance. The full report is in production and will be published on 6 December 2023. **www.ajbell.co.uk/sites/default/files/AJBYI_Q1-2022_Dividend_dashboard.pdf

After prolonged campaigning with and for our members, today the Government has announced the ‘Covid backlog bonus’ in the NHS pay deal will also include social enterprise healthcare providers. Social enterprises form a vital part of the NHS family, delivering over £1bn of services and employing tens of thousands of staff – but were not paid the bonus given to NHS staff earlier this year, despite working under the same pressures and the same contracts. Since early 2023, we’ve worked closely with social enterprises affected by this injustice to push for their inclusion in the pay deal: lobbying Government, partnering with healthcare bodies and trade unions, speaking to media, gathering petition signatures and even taking legal action. Following this campaign, the Government has decided to make funding available to social enterprise staff. The health minister said: “This will ensure hardworking healthcare staff and the organisations they work for are not financially disadvantaged as a result of the NHS pay deal, and means they will receive their backlog bonus for their efforts during the pandemic.” Our chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE commented: “We’re pleased to see the Government acknowledge the critical role of social enterprises in the NHS family, with tens of thousands of staff delivering vital care across the country and services reinvesting profits to help local communities. We have campaigned tirelessly for our members to get the recognition and reward they deserve, and will continue to hold the Department accountable for delivering on the Minister’s promise that crucial healthcare staff won’t be financially disadvantaged by working in social enterprises.” A failure to fund the bonus would have undervalued the hard work of staff and risked the long-term sustainability of the social enterprises themselves, leaving services and patients vulnerable. While this is a fantastic campaigning win, we’ll keep fighting to ensure the importance of social enterprise in the NHS is recognised and supported.   We would like to thank all our healthcare members for their concerted efforts in driving this change, and everyone who joined the movement in support of social enterprises, lending their voices to the collective call for justice. You can read more in this piece on BBC News.

By June O’Sullivan, CEO of London Early Years Foundation I have a vested interest in reviewing this book Vitalising Purpose: The Power of the Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services as I wrote a chapter! But really, I was interested to read the 17 essays from people who are running social enterprises or supporting them at a time when so many business leaders are desperate to shout about their social purpose leadership and green credentials. For those who know little about social enterprises, who are interested in it, or doing a business degree and need to learn about it, then this is a great little book. It is short and readable. but explores some of the big economic and social challenges facing society which are being addressed by social enterprises. You can therefore imagine that the book pulls no punches about poverty and its impact on people’s lives.  It summarises some of the hardships, deprivation and health impacts that results from poverty. And in my world of child poverty, this is not an unfamiliar debate. It certainly pushes back at the argument that poverty is driven by the individual. Some of the statistics are pretty stark such as that 4.7 million households are in arrears to at least one household bill at an average of £1600! It is resonant of the view shared by Mohammed Yunus, that poverty is driven by structures and systems. Just to get this into perspective, social enterprises are driven by social justice and deliver a range of public services including health, social care, children’s services, education, homelessness, housing, domestic abuse, public health, leisure, culture, employment, training, transport, criminal justice, working across local, central government and the NHS.  Some are small and local others are very large with a multi-million-pound turnover employing thousands. Collectively they contribute 60 billion pounds to the UK economy.  They remain active in their communities. Despite their size or location, they all demonstrate a flexible, entrepreneurial, fleet of foot, innovative and collaborative approach. Set that against my pet hate, the patronising stereotype of the social sector doing good things but outside the grown-up economy. The cut price, pound shop, second best sector. This view which I think is often shaped by the traditional corporate social responsibility approach appears to reject our ability to trade and forces some social enterprises to be coy about using the word profit dressing it up as surplus. Profit isn’t a dirty word, it what you do with it that matter. Interestingly, eight out of 10 social enterprises have been successful in delivering services and if you look at the big business disasters, they weren't social enterprises but companies like Carillion and ABC. If we compare social enterprises with the top 100 PLCs over a 30-year period, 41% of the top social ventures were likely to survive compared to 33% of the PLC's. The book emphasises the focus of the social enterprise business model which is to create and deliver public and social value underpinned by the concepts of purpose, values, collaboration, integration and the cultivation and stewardship of community partnerships. It challenges the entrenched, dysfunctional focus by commissioners who continue to use a marketised competitive contracting approach with an emphasis on value for money rather than commissioning being designed 100% for the public benefit, despite having the Social Value Act. The darlings of macroeconomics with social purpose, Mariana Mazzucato and Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics add value to the debate that financial value should not be the sole determinant of public policy.   The resulting value for money contracts often provided by extractive corporates are criticised as failing to deliver public benefit because they must prioritise returns to shareholders. They are therefore more liable to keep costs low by reducing quality, suppressing innovation and extracting resources from local areas of public authorities while not actually contributing to public value. For example, in May 2022, an investigation found half of social care operators are owned by private equity firms based offshore; many of which are registered in countries known for their generous tax regimes! In the world of childcare, we're seeing this more and more. This is against a backdrop of 77% of people who think businesses should maximise their profits, but not to the detriment of workers, customers, communities and the environment.  They are very alert to companies’ ability to green washing. Interestingly, the Welsh Government is looking to eliminate the private profit marketplace for looked after children services because there should not be a market for care for children. Not surprising You Gov found that nine in ten members of public were in favour of social enterprises running public services.  I should imagine that number has consolidated given more recent debacles such as the privatisation of the UK’s water, described as an ATM for investors despite the wide condemnation of mismanagement, pouring live sewage into the rivers and raising household water bills by 40%. It makes a mockery of the discussion on impact and maximising social value and the principle that meeting social needs represents the best financial investment. Every book has a Call to Action and this one is no different. Doing things differently won't necessarily be technically difficult but will involve a paradigm shift in thinking. Business can be a force for progressive change especially when corporate, public organisations and social enterprises all learn from each other. The book makes it clear that social leaders must present an alternative business mindset which strengthens the triple bottom line and ensures economic, social and environmental sustainability is at the heart of the service. Find out more about London Early Years Foundation's groundbreaking work here

Northern Ireland’s most impactful ​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌social enterprises were celebrated at the 2023 NI Social Enterprise Awards, in partnership with AtkinsRéalis held on Friday 27th October. Winners were announced at the prestigious black tie event in Belfast’s Crowne Plaza, hosted by local radio presenter and Social Enterprise sector ambassador Cate Conway. It was an evening of celebration for the nearly 600 individuals who attended from the private, public, and social enterprise sector. The annual awards recognise talented individuals, teams and organisations for their unique contribution and significant impact to society in Northern Ireland. Over the last 11 years, the awards have promoted the incredible work and achievements of social enterprise businesses, highlighting the active role they play in changing communities, building more inclusive places to live, and making a positive impact on our environment, all while making a profit through their respective business. Radius Housing picked up the top accolade of the night, winning ‘Social Enterprise of the Year’ for their exceptional social impact and ongoing work with local schools and communities. Reflecting on the awards ceremony, Colin Jess, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise Northern Ireland, said: “This year we received the highest level of entries, and our judges were impressed by the quality of the entries. Applications reflected the incredible resilience, entrepreneurial spirit, passion, and dedication of those working in the sector. It was clear to see the unwavering commitment to impact the lives of those hardest to reach, change communities and create social change. “These awards not only celebrate talent and innovation but also brings together everyone in one room who work at the heart of the social enterprise movement. It is truly inspirational to witness the impact that these Social Enterprise winners and finalists have made to society and the local Northern Ireland economy. “Well done to all our winners, keep up the great work. I would also like to thank our sponsors for their support in making the awards possible.” Winners of 2023 Social Enterprise NI Awards: Best New Start Up Winner: Active Youth NI Community Wealth Building Award Joint Winner: Derry Credit Union Joint Winner: The Workspace Group Rural Social Enterprise Award Winner: Clanrye Group Credit Union Award - 10-25m Turnover Winner: Ardboe Credit Union Credit Union Award - Over 25m Turnover Winner: Derry Credit Union Co-Operative Award Winner: Belfast Cleaning Cooperative Best Use of Social Media Winner: High Rise Highly Commended: Harp and Crown Credit Union Limited Consumer Facing Award (via public vote) · Winner: Naturally North Coast & Glens Social Impact Award Winner: Via Wings Highly Commended: Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland Young Person of the Year Winner: Claire Mooney, Moneydarragh Community Hub Ltd Highly Commended: Robert Campbell, Aspire Media CIC Emerging Leader of the Year Winner: Gareth Little, Harry's Place CIC Highly Commended: Rachel McIlgorm, Storybox NI CIC Leader of the Year Winner: Janet Schofield, Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) Council of the Year Winner: Belfast City Council Best Cross Sector Collaboration of the Year Winner: CTS Projects Ltd, Womenstec & Bolster Community Outstanding Voluntary Team Winner: Carrick Greengrocers Outstanding Staff Team Winner: Bolster Community Highly Commended: Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) & Oasis Caring in Action Outstanding Joint Volunteer & Staff Team Winner: Harry's Place CIC Highly Commended: Centred Soul CIC Social Enterprise of the Year Winner: Radius Housing Individual category sponsors included AtkinsRéalis, Ulster Bank, Rapid Agency, NI Housing Executive, Department for the Economy, H&J Martin, Evolv IT, Social Enterprise Academy, VIable Corporate Services, Lockton, AtkinsRéalis, Hays, NI Support Service, Department for Communities, Firmus Energy, Irish League of Credit Unions, Lockton, Edwards & Co, ProAptivity, Community Finance Ireland and the Construction Employers Federation. On winning their awards Radius Housing, Via Wings and Janet Schofield have also been automatically shortlisted for their respective categories at the UK Social Enterprise Awards taking place in London on the evening of 30 November.

The annual Social Enterprise Awards Scotland saw nine social enterprises and social entrepreneurs from across the country presented as the best of the best at an Awards Reception at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 26th October. The Awards recognise the unique economic and social contribution made by the sector across Scotland. The top prize, Social Enterprise of the Year 2023, was awarded to the Isle of Skye Ferry, a social enterprise from the Scottish islands. The Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company owns and operates the last manually operated turntable ferry in existence, from Glenelg on the mainland to Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye, across an ancient drover’s route from the Hebrides. All profits are reinvested into preserving the historic vessel, ensuring the sustainability of the ferry service, and supporting other local community groups and events. Chris Martin, CEO, Social Enterprise Scotland said: “From tackling the climate emergency to reducing homelessness, social enterprises are taking on some of the biggest challenges we face, using trade to change lives and protect the planet.” “The quality, variety, and mix of social enterprises who applied for this year’s Awards were of a high standard making it a very difficult judging process.  Thank you to all the previous winners and sponsors who methodically looked at every application.  We were delighted by the volume of applications which were almost back to pre-pandemic levels, showing that social enterprises are weathering the storms of Covid and a Cost-of-Living Crisis to deliver impact in their local communities.”  The winners were: Social Enterprise of the Year Award  Supported by Gold Sponsor Keegan and Pennykid This award is for a social enterprise that has demonstrated a clear vision, excellence in impact, customer service, and management, plus that little something extra in terms of creativity and innovation. Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company  A social enterprise which owns and operates the last manually operated turntable ferry in existence, from Glenelg on the mainland to Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye, across an ancient drover’s route from the Hebrides. All profits are reinvested into preserving the historic vessel, ensuring the sustainability of the ferry service, and supporting other local community groups and events. One to Watch Award   Supported by Bold Studio Àban  A social enterprise which provides innovative and adventurous learning experiences in schools and communities in Inverness. They help get the community out on positive adventures right on their doorstep meaning every penny raised goes to support their local charitable work. Environmental Social Enterprise Award  Supported by Circular Communities Scotland The Social Enterprise Environmental Award is for a social enterprise that is making strides towards creating a better world for people and the planet with their social and environmental sustainability credentials and has demonstrated a clear, evidenced environmental impact. Merry-go-round A one stop shop and the first choice for families in Glasgow shopping second-hand. In 2022-2023 they rehomed 19 tonnes of goods, supporting 16,502 families to make sustainable choices. The shop is also a thriving and nurturing community hub for families to meet, learn, exchange ideas, and be supported. Last year 3,400 people attended 560 events. They run wellbeing and support events as well as discussion groups, a sling library (promoting rental over new), nappucino’s (communicating benefits of reusable nappies), and more. They are partnered with 175 agencies in Glasgow to provide an average of 100 free packs of essential items per month to those facing hardships. Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, & Justice Award Supported by Social Investment Scotland  This new award recognises that social justice is fundamental to the social enterprise movement. This category considers those social enterprises that are addressing issues around diversity, inclusion, and equity. Resilience Learning Partnership An Education and Training provider with a dual purpose, they support the health, social care, education, housing & criminal justice sectors in Trauma Informed Practice. They inform learning and development through their work, ensuring that lived experience is considered in service design and public policy decision making areas in an authentic and meaningful way. As a lived experience led organisation, they influence positive changes across Scotland enabling services to better engage and support people with lived experience. Health and Social Care Award Supported by Gold sponsor The ALLIANCE: The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland This award recognises organisations that deliver excellent support to their users and customers around a health and social care mission, including physical and mental health as well as wellbeing. Macaulay College CIC  Located on Macaulay Farm just outside Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. Macaulay College provides people with additional social and educational requirements with a programme of activities that encourages them to have meaningful and fulfilling working and social lives. Macaulay College helps people to reach their potential by supporting them at the earliest possible stage.  The students mostly come through Social Work/Education department referrals.  Education strategies are developed with students to achieve their full potential and reach person specific targets that aim to enrich their working and social life. They support people with a range of additional support needs including Autism, Down’s syndrome, and mental health issues. Tech for Good  Supported by  Breeze Digital (a Community Enterprise Group social enterprise) This new award recognises a social enterprise that is using technology to achieve its social impact. This could be through developing a new product or service or enhancing their service delivery. Red Chair Highland Ltd  A social enterprise which focuses on digital inclusion services across the Highlands. They aim to improve Digital Inclusion, and overall wellbeing and reduce isolation for vulnerable individuals including older adults, those on benefits, those recently released from prison, those suffering from substance misuse, refugees, and those experiencing homelessness. By distributing devices and offering support, they hope to improve people’s online access and strengthen their abilities. Their work is proudly underpinned by a sustainable ethos, contributing to the circular economy by utilising refurbished devices. Market Builder Award Supported by Social Enterprise Academy This Award is for a social enterprise, public sector body, or private sector organisation that has demonstrably made efforts to create opportunities for social enterprises to grow their revenues and impact by tapping into supply chains and larger networks purchasing power. Circular Communities Scotland Reuse Consortium  The Consortium offers local authorities, housing associations, and other public sector organisations easy access to a range of quality assured reuse furniture and white goods from local social enterprises, removing the need to go through a tendering process. Reuse Consortium members are circular charities and social enterprises that save quality furniture from landfill and create a more circular economy in Scotland. They provide social and environmental benefits through their work and make a difference in their local communities. By buying from the Reuse Consortium, customers support a fairer, more circular, and sustainable Scotland. The Consortium’s vision is for reuse to be at the heart of procurement decisions across Scotland. Social Enterprise Champion This Award celebrates an individual working in a social enterprise who goes above and beyond to make a difference, support the mission of the organisation and deliver impact. Lisa Gemmell, Community and Relationship Mentor, Be-inn Unity CIC Lisa joined Be-inn Unity as an employee in June 2022 to grow a new initiative with a new partner, Labert High School, as a Community and Relationship Mentor. Lisa works with several groups of children and young people from the most deprived and challenging backgrounds. Lisa has embodied the values of the organisation of curiosity, authenticity, respect, and empathy, meeting young people she works with consistently with these values, at their developmental stages and offering complete safety in a relationship. Lisa quickly identified that the young people need more than just one relationship in the school community and quickly established other meaningful connections in their community, building a wider network that also offered the young people a deeper sense of purpose, connection, and belonging. Lisa has now created a space within the school for young people and staff to connect called The Bothy. A social space for teachers and pupils to learn about and support their mental health. Social Enterprise Volunteer Champion Supported by Volunteer Scotland This new Award celebrates an individual volunteering in a social enterprise who goes above and beyond to make a difference, support the mission of the organisation and deliver impact. Janie Conlon, Tartan Volunteer, Grassmarket Community Project Janie is an incredible young woman who works so hard at Grassmarket Community Project (GCP), becoming an inspiration to their staff, members, and volunteers, through her drive and commitment to build what is now their successful, profit-making Tartan Social Enterprise. Working with their Members and other volunteers, many of whom are vulnerable adults who have no previous experience of sewing, she teaches, encourages, and supports them to craft the range of quality items that are now in demand through their shop, online, Visit Scotland and Edinburgh Castle. If it were not for Janie being so committed to the project, the Grassmarket Community Project would not have been able to open the Tartan Shop and Workshop which, after 10 months is now a profitable social enterprise. More information can be found at www.socialenterprise.scot/awards Isle of Skye Ferry CIC, Àban, Circular Communities Scotland Resuse Consortium, Merry-go-round and Resilience Learning Partnership, and Red Chair Highland Ltd  have now been added to the shortlist for their respective categories at the UK Social Enterprise Awards which will take place in London on the evening of 30 November.

Every social enterprise faces a dual task of running a business in a competitive environment and addressing the core social or environmental mission at the heart of their operation. To succeed, it is vital that social enterprises are working as efficiently and effectively as possible. However, we need to better understand the challenges facing distinctive social enterprise models if we are to provide relevant support, guidance, and advice, so that they may improve their operational capacity. To build our understanding of this issue, Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) is collaborating with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) to collect evidence. We will do this through Balance, a performance diagnostic & strategic management toolkit, designed and overseen by MMU, that asks social enterprises – ‘what capabilities do you have?’ Balance provides an opportunity to respond across 7 key areas from stakeholder perspectives, multi-bottom line, internal activities, learning, income diversification, governance and visioning to questions tailored to understanding your organisation's capabilities. It can then identify areas of strength and weakness and offer an appropriate strategy on how to improve – using an Action Plan to support change. You can learn more about Balance here. We will then work with MMU to collate the findings and identify the most common challenges facing social enterprises when it comes to boosting their capacity. This will inform a short report mapping out what can be done to support social enterprises reach their potential. We are asking our members who are interest to participate by completing the Balance toolkit questionnaire. All data collected will be confidentially held by MMU and SEUK, with anonymised findings informing the report. If you would like to complete the Balance toolkit, or hear more about this project, please contact the MMU team at balance@mmu.ac.uk

At the Social Enterprise World Forum in Amsterdam this month, we hosted a fringe event in partnership with our member The Ubele Initiative to explore how community wealth building can be used to empower racially minoritised communities. Community wealth building is an economic development model based on communities having control and ownership of assets. It is designed to challenge traditional neoliberal approaches to areas such as housing and work, which tend to exacerbate rather than reduce inequalities. The team at Ubele are pioneers in the community wealth building space, working to empower Black and minoritised communities in the UK. 55% of Black-owned community assets have insecure futures due to issues with funding, leases or succession planning – so Ubele works to ensure racially minoritised communities are empowered to manage their buildings and spaces. For example, the Gida Housing Co-operative aims to address poor housing outcomes and their impact on health. Ubele described it as “an affordable housing provider that enables people to have ownership and a say in the management of their own homes”, using a model where tenants control the co-operative that owns the homes. Gida is looking to take on 56 homes and has around 100 prospective tenants. Given the links between racial inequality and housing inequality, and the increasing unaffordability of cities like London, initiatives like this are vital. As part of the National Strategic Alliance, Ubele looks at community wealth building in specific communities to better design interventions and support. Ubele is also involved in the shaping and delivery of the Enterprise Development Programme, supporting Black and minority-led organisations to grow their financial resilience and impact via grants and learning. Event attendees also discussed community wealth building in a global context, analysing some of the key barriers to racial equality in the social enterprise and social impact space. Our panel of inspiring speakers included Democracy Collaborative leader Ted Howard, social entrepreneur and politician Joanne Anderson, economist Najah Aouaki and our chair Lord Victor Adebowale. Ted gave us a whistlestop tour of the history of community wealth building, including his own work on the Cleveland model, creating worker owned co-operatives in a predominantly Black city where many people live below the poverty line. He also spoke about the growing impact of co-operatives in India and the pioneering work of Mondragon in the Basque Country, which has helped the region have the greatest wealth equality in the European Union. Ted’s work now focuses on New West Amsterdam, which is home to 20% of the city’s population and most of its migrant communities but only receives around 5% of the city’s procurement spend. Racial inequality in the Netherlands was also the focus of Nadja Aouaki’s contribution to the discussion. She described rising inequality in Amsterdam since 2018, made more evident by Covid, and how it is organised racially. She stressed the importance of “alternative economic paradigms based around municipalism” and acknowledged that “in the Netherlands we still find it hard to talk about race”. Former mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson spoke about how the city’s growth from fishing port to industrial powerhouse was “built on the back of the slave trade” and how racial inequality still permeates the city. Joanne helped set up a pioneering social investment fund through social enterprise community Kindred; 25% of the £6.5 million pot went to Black-owned organisations and the goal is to reach £50 million, always having 25% earmarked to reduce racial inequality. Access to finance was also core to Lord Victor’s contribution, as The Adebowale Commission into social investment found that “Black social entrepreneurs get less funding, and funders are not led by Black people”. He mentioned that things are changing and we have moved into the “shame stage” where organisations are realising there is a problem and starting to act – but he made clear that what now needs to happen is a move “from the shame stage to the power stage” where Black-led social enterprises have truly equal investment opportunities. From Cleveland to Liverpool and Amsterdam to Spain, we heard how community wealth building empowers communities and offers an alternative to the neoliberal approach to economic development, giving communities real ownership over their futures. This fringe event was an energising start to a busy conference schedule, so we hope many others will be inspired by lessons learned and connections made.

The Diversity Forum have set up bi-monthly online meetings that are open to representatives from social enterprises with an interest in equality, diversity and inclusion. This is a great chance to meet with peers to work through challenges, share updates and better collaborate across the sector along with an aim to encouraging more disruptive debate around EDI in the social investment landscape. The agenda will be centred around: Introductions and named challenges / areas of focus Quick update from the Diversity Forum / sector-wide EDI activities Breakout rooms for discussions on areas of interest identified in introductions Feedback/summaries from group discussions and next steps Any upcoming events The next event will take place from 10-11 am on Thursday 16 November. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR PLACE

As thousands of people prepare to attend Labour Party Conference, Social Enterprise UK has been working with its venue ACC Liverpool and catering contractors Sodexo to maximise the event’s positive impact by bringing social enterprises into its supply chain. 40% of conference suppliers are social enterprises, with plans to increase this further next year. All the coffee at the event will be supplied by social enterprises, and a quarter of the total catering spend is with social enterprises. Overall, event organisers estimate it will generate hundreds of thousands of pounds in social value through its diverse supply chain, including: Belu invest 100% of their profit in pursuit of their purpose: to change the way the world sees water and have given £5.8m to WaterAid. The water supplied to the conference will fuel their ‘Purpose P&L’ with £7,400.  Change Please coffee will enable hundreds of people experiencing homelessness to access housing, training and living wage jobs as baristas Half the Story biscuits will provide 75 hours of employment for homeless people Homebaked will generate £93,500 in social value by providing jobs, training, community engagement and regeneration in the local Anfield area – one of the most socioeconomically deprived regions of the UK Nemi Tea will help create stable work for refugees at TRAMPOLINE Café to support them on their upward journey Spare Snacks will keep conference attendees fed using thousands of ‘wonky’ or surplus apples that would otherwise be wasted Fruitful Office, to help local communities and address deforestation. This event coincides with Liverpool winning formal recognition as a Social Enterprise City, which means it’s a hotspot for purpose-led business with a clear plan to support this growing strength in its local economy. Liverpool is the 36th accredited Social Enterprise Place in the UK, ranging from small towns to whole counties united in dedication to mission-led business. As the first time a political party conference has made such a significant financial investment in its wider social and environmental impact, event organisers encourage others to follow suit. There’s a growing trend in public and private sector procurement to ‘buy social’, supported by the Public Services Act (2012), but understanding and implementation still varies widely across the country. Jonathan Reynolds MP, shadow Secretary of State for business, energy and industrial strategy, commented: “Labour backs small businesses and our Annual Conference is a great opportunity to champion the good business practice we see here in the UK. Labour supports businesses of all sizes, and it is fantastic to see the growing social enterprise market showcased here in Liverpool. Labour knows the value of business to communities and our economy that's why we will give firms of all sizes the strong economic foundations they need to prosper.” Peter Holbrook CBE, chief executive of national sector body Social Enterprise UK, added: “It’s great to see the Labour Party recognising the value of social enterprise in our economy, transitioning its annual conference to do less harm and create more benefit for people and planet. Integrating social enterprises into the conference’s supply chain gives a glimpse of how business can be done better, and how we can build an economy where all of society profits – so we hope other major events take inspiration from this and follow suit.” Rebecca Kane Burton, CEO Sodexo Live! UK & Ireland, said: “Social impact is at the beating heart of Sodexo; it’s a core value upon which our founder Pierre Bellon built the business back in 1966. Working with the Labour Party and the ACC Liverpool Group therefore provides the ideal backdrop to showcase the social enterprises and diverse supply chain we partner with. “For many years we have welcomed SMEs and VCSEs into our business, and worked to reduce our impact on the environment and create social impact. We also continue to partner with local colleges and other organisations to offer career opportunities to individuals struggling to find employment for whatever reason. I am delighted our team is able to play its part in connecting with and benefiting the communities we serve.” Faye Dyer, chief executive of The ACC Liverpool Group, concluded: “Social value is at the heart of The ACC Liverpool Group and we are delighted to work with Sodexo Live! and the Labour Party to further our shared values and commitments. The Labour Party conference provides us all with a valuable platform to showcase these important organisations and their initiatives, which are making a real positive difference.”

Social enterprises, by their very nature, have social change embedded into their mission statement. This presents a clear opportunity to address issues of racial, cultural and professional inequality through the lens of business.  We spoke to Black women inspiring change through their purpose-led approach, highlighting this Black History Month’s apt theme “saluting our sisters”.  Soul Purpose 360 Soul Purpose 360 is a Black women's empowerment social enterprise, tackling patterns of discrimination by offering personal and community development services to members and clients including housing associations, local authorities and health agencies. Founder and Director Palma Black said: “Soul Purpose 360 is a democratically run, Black women-led social business blending community and personal development. “Our raison d' être is to help Black women to build confidence, and support them to contribute to community life.  Being the most oppressed group in society, the social enterprise legal form gives us freedom and flexibility to determine what is right for us.” Find out more about Soul Purpose 360’s work Equality 4 Black Nurses This nurse-led social enterprise’s aim is to bring about positive change by lobbying employers and government to reduce and eradicate racial discrimination in the healthcare sector. Founder and CEO Neomi Bennett said: “Being a Black social enterprise is a commitment to positive change, social justice, and a belief in the power of collective action. “It means harnessing the power of business and activism to advance economic, social, and racial justice within the healthcare industry. We are committed to empowering Black nurses, eliminating systemic barriers and promoting equitable healthcare.” Find out more about Equality 4 Black Nurses’ work Earth Sea Love Earth Sea Love provides opportunities in nature for People of Colour in north-east England. It also offers anti-racism training and education to individuals, groups and organisations within the natural environment, where difficult and challenging conversations can happen with more ease and real growth and understanding develops. Director Dr Sheree Mack said: “We have worked with National Parks, Wildlife Trusts, the National Trust and Forestry England, bringing initiative, creative projects to the North-East countryside. We are proud to say that these trailblazing programmes have been Black-led. “Within the environmental, conservationist, outdoors sector - which is predominantly white - being a Black-led social enterprise means we can enter these spaces and be legitimately recognised as not just ‘taking up space’ but leading the way in making sure that the British countryside is welcoming to all.”  Find out more about Earth Sea Love’s work

Oldham has secured its status as a ‘Social Enterprise Place’ cementing its commitment to purpose-led business in the local economy. The Social Enterprise Places scheme, set up by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK), involves areas of the country where social enterprises and key regional stakeholders have come together to form thriving areas of social enterprise activity. Oldham is now the 35th Social Enterprise Place in the UK. The bid to become a Social Enterprise Place was coordinated by Oldham-based award-winning social enterprise Upturn together with Oldham Council. Anwar Ali OBE, Oldham’s Social Enterprise Business Ambassador and Co-founder of Upturn, said: “Oldham has a thriving, innovative and passionate social enterprise community. We want to do more to help them scale while also working with the wider business community to think about how they can use their business to do more good. “Social enterprises have a crucial part to play in the town to help address challenges around inequality and building an economy that benefits everyone. “We know businesses with a social purpose can contribute to an inclusive economy. They are providing jobs for local people through inclusive employment practices and becoming living wage employers, and they are providing essential services to their local communities. “Securing Oldham’s status as a Social Enterprise Place provides an opportunity to build on the town’s culture of entrepreneurism and strong voluntary, community, and faith sector to create a more social economy.” Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “Oldham has a distinguished history as a cooperative place where people work together to improve the lives of everyone. So it’s unsurprising but it’s a hugely proud moment to receive this formal recognition as a Social Enterprise UK place! “This demonstrates that we are somewhere that social enterprises – organisations that demonstrably better our communities – can establish themselves, grow and thrive. “Being a Social Enterprise UK place also acknowledges the vision and plans we have in place to grow in a way that is inclusive and takes everyone in the borough with us. “We are one of only three places in Greater Manchester to be recognised as a SEUK place so far and it is very exciting to be leading the way in formalising our network of social enterprises, raising the profile of these organisations, and supporting them to succeed.” SEUK Chief Executive Peter Holbrook said: “Congratulations to Oldham on being named a Social Enterprise Place! Social enterprises make a huge contribution to the town from providing community energy and affordable housing to running leisure centres, creative projects, workspaces, credit unions and social care. “Addressing growing inequalities, the cost-of-living crisis, housing and work insecurity - the role of social enterprises has never been more important, and Oldham’s 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 sectors growth and deliver the economic transformation needed for the communities of Oldham so that they can realise their full potential.” Accredited Social Enterprise Places have to set out a three-year plan for the future of social enterprise in their area. These plans must contain a series of specific aims and ambitions to support and sustain the structure and function of the Social Enterprise Place as well as detailed plans and actions to boost each area’s social enterprise community. To find out more about Social Enterprise Places click here. To find out more about Upturn visit upturn.org.uk.

Competition lies at the heart of our economic system, purportedly driving businesses to innovate, allowing the best to flourish. Social enterprises on the other hand like to do things differently, and in the Midlands five businesses have taken a new and exciting approach to collaborate in order to win new business and increase their social impact. What’s more they are all working within a sector that is not particularly well known for its ethical practices – the cleaning industry. Argonaut Community Enterprises, Jericho Cleaning, Radiant Cleaners and Upbeat Clean are all social enterprise cleaning companies dedicated to creating job opportunities for marginalised groups. Whilst each have specific social missions (Argonaut trains and employs deaf people, Upbeat works with refugee mums and Jericho and Radiant both support anyone facing major barriers to work) they are all dedicated to using cleaning as a means to help people into secure employment, earn a good wage and increase their confidence. Each business operates in a different area of the Midlands, with a bit of crossover around Birmingham, and for a while they all worked in isolation. This started to change following a meeting between Amie Grice, Business Development at Argonaut, and Nigel Lawrence, Senior Social Enterprise Manager at Jericho, where they realised the similarities in their work and that they were talking to the same people regarding future work opportunities. Following this meeting Argonaut and Jericho decided to collaborate more, attending the same events and even pitching each other’s services – Argonaut in North Birmingham and Jericho in the South. According to Amie,through catching up and chatting at events “we saw the opportunity of working together would expand our coverage and strengthen our businesses. Opening doors that were previously closed to small Social Enterprises.” At the same time Nigel was in contact with Matt Parfitt, founder of Radiant Cleaners and both of them were also helping out Upbeat Clean, the newest of the businesses involved. Working together to find opportunities and increase impact All four organisations met at Jericho’s offices on 6 February 2023 and decided to support each other through finding potential opportunities and sharing learning, information and resources – this could be identifying new work or sharing information on what’s working and what’s not. Sharing learning has been one of the key benefits of collaborating, as Michael Gladwell, Head of Enterprise at Upbeat Clean put it: “It's been so helpful for Upbeat Clean to be part of this group and learn with these really experienced social enterprise cleaning businesses. Everyone has been so open to share what they have learned and developed over the years so that we can all maximise our social impact!” All four businesses agree that operating as a social enterprise has been a key part in fostering their collaborative approach, Nigel Lawrence stating that: “Social enterprises are united by their 'why'. We've got so much in common - we're about seeing problems in society solved. So, sharing ideas and best practice - to have more impact together - makes sense.” Where opportunities arise all four social enterprises are looking to put together joint proposals to allow them to work on bigger contracts, increasing the social value and impact of the services provided. Recently the group have submitted a proposal to a client to deliver cleaning services in a standard, uniform manner across the whole of the Midlands region. Watch this space Argonaut, Jericho, Radiant Cleaners and Upbeat Communities are showing that collaboration can work better than competition and, what’s more, another Midlands based cleaning social enterprise – Rising Stars Property Solutions has recently joined the four original businesses. Not only is working together helping each business to find new opportunities and raise each other’s profiles it has also got the potential to really help those marginalised groups which each social enterprise supports. As Matt Parfitt puts it: “Individually each of our companies is too small for some contracts. We are demonstrating to large companies that we have heard them, we are collaborating and we are offering them what they want and need. We solve a cleaning and social value problem for them – working together creates the social value they want, delivers the excellent cleaning they need and changes the lives of people across the Midlands. So if you need cleaning anywhere in the Midlands get in touch!’ It’s still early days for this new collaboration and all five involved have exciting plans for the future. Watch this space.

We believe that profits must also benefit people and planet – and research published today shows the majority of the UK public agrees – so we’ve joined forces with dozens of partners in the Future Economy Alliance to campaign for change. We know that business with a purpose beyond profit can help tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our country and our economy, from deep social inequalities and struggling public services to the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency. The Future Economy Alliance unites activists, entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders who can drive real solutions to these issues. Research we published today* shows the UK public wants business to deliver more. Only 1 in 3 people said business has a positive impact on the national economy, and just a quarter think it’s positive for wider society, while many feel it has no effect at all or is actively negative. The findings also highlight widespread support for purpose-driven business models, with just 2% saying profit should always come first, and most people (60%) calling for businesses to give social or environmental concerns equal or higher priority to profits. Commenting on the findings, our CEO Peter Holbrook said: “These findings make it very clear that people are no longer happy with ‘business as usual’; there is real appetite to challenge the status quo and build an economy where our entire society profits. “Business can and must work in a way that actively benefits people and planet, sharing profit and power to drive real change. The UK’s pioneering minority of purpose-driven businesses that we represent in the Future Economy Alliance need to become the norm.” With a General Election approaching, the Future Economy Alliance stands ready to guide our next Government in the bold policy reforms needed to build a new business plan for Britain – one in which business helps to build a stronger, fairer, greener economy. This growing partnership brings together social enterprises, co-operatives, mutuals, employee-owned businesses, social investors, community-led organisations, fundraisers and third sector experts united in the vision of an economy where our entire society profits. Our Chair, cross-bench peer and social entrepreneur Lord Victor Adebowale, commented: “With the UK economy facing significant challenges, our country needs a bold and ambitious vision: a new business plan for Britain. Sadly, this is not forthcoming at present, so the Future Economy Alliance has been established to drive the business of change. “Our partnership of cross-sector business experts will assemble the best examples from across the UK of what’s working well but also how and where business can do better. We can transform the UK economy, enhance our nation’s prospects, and restore a sense of hope and pride – within public services, within communities and within us all.” The Alliance will form the core of our campaigning in the run up to the General Election and beyond. We will work to lobby parliamentary candidates, propose detailed policy solutions and highlight the best examples of purpose-driven businesses driving positive impact across the UK. We want social enterprise solutions to be at the heart of the policy agenda for the next Government and show that successful business goes beyond profit. We’re stronger together and it’s vital that your voices are heard, so there will be plenty of ways to get involved as the campaign progresses. Go to www.futureeconomyalliance.co.uk and follow @FutureEconomyUK on X. * All figures are from a survey by YouGov Plc, commissioned by Social Enterprise UK, carried out online between 2nd - 3rd September 2023 with a total sample size of 2,036 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Data tables available on request.

A new social enterprise developed by Social Enterprise UK, Telos, aims to help global corporations drive positive impact through core business activity.   Telos will combine the pioneering Buy Social Europe procurement programme with advocacy and advisory work to help maximise the social, economic and environmental impact of corporate supply chains internationally.  Building on the success of our Buy Social Corporate Challenge in the UK and a two-year international pilot, Buy Social Europe aims to see €5 billion of procurement spend going to social economy businesses across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region by 2030. This will involve engaging at least 50 global companies to bring social economy businesses into their supply chains.   AstraZeneca, CBRE, Johnson & Johnson, SAP, Siemens and Zurich Insurance Group are already signed up to work with Telos on the Buy Social Europe initiative. The Telos team has also supported government bodies to embed social, economic and environmental metrics across more than €20bn of tenders.  Charlie Wigglesworth, managing director of Telos and deputy chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “With social enterprises increasingly operating in a global economy, sharing our expertise more widely is vital to support the growth of the worldwide movement. We’re committed to working in partnership with social economy organisations across EMEA to ensure this opportunity is realised.  “Global corporations must ensure their core business creates value, not just for the economy but also the society and environment they’re working in, which we can now help them deliver through Telos and Buy Social Europe. Supply chains represent a significant opportunity for big businesses to work with social economy enterprises and unlock greater value through everyday procurement spending.”  Social Enterprise UK’s chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE added: “Telos realises the SEUK board’s long-term ambition to help drive the success of the social enterprise movement globally. The work of Telos will be extremely complementary to SEUK’s core mission of creating an environment in which social enterprise can thrive – not just in the UK, but around the world.”  Telos invites forward-thinking companies to join the Buy Social Europe initiative and unlock the potential for positive social and environmental impact within their supply chains.  Visit telosglobal.org to find out more. 

Plymouth’s socially beneficial businesses are gearing up for an inspiring 14th Annual Social Enterprise Festival, organised by Plymouth Social Enterprise Network (PSEN). This year's festival carries special significance as it marks a decade since Plymouth was designated as an official Social Enterprise Place by Social Enterprise UK. The festival, scheduled to take place from the 8th to the 17th of November 2023, promises an exciting lineup of events that celebrate the incredible contributions of social enterprises in driving positive change within Plymouth . Our festival opening event will be held on Wednesday 8th November, from 3pm to 9.30pm on University of Plymouth campus. Between our festival exhibition and opening party the conference section of the event will feature inspiring guest speakers from across the UK’s Places movement. We are thrilled to be bringing Clive Hirst to the city. He is the visionary founder of the Social Enterprise Places movement and will speak alongside SEUK representatives Peter Holbrook CBE CEO & Sarah Crawley-Beaumont OBE Places Champion, and thought leader Joyte Brown from Black Voices Cornwall. The local picture will come from PSEN’s newest Board member Cllr Pat Patel, founder of The Tamar View Community Centre which has been a key part of the social enterprise story in Plymouth over the past decade; as well as all of our exhibiting members and attendees. This will be followed by two days of Social Enterprise Safaris in and around Plymouth. Our themes are Thursday 9th - Empowering Communities and Friday 10th - Community Collaborators. This offers you an opportunity to meet the people who made it happen and see the projects they have created, in action. Lunch and accessible transport are provided. To book your place at the launch event, please follow THIS LINK to our Eventbrite page. To book your place on the Safaris, please contact our Network Coordinator & Activator Amerie Rose - amerie@plymsocent.org.uk

The shortlist has been announced for the UK Social Enterprise Awards - the country's biggest celebration of social enterprises, which recognises the best in the sector across 15 categories. The ceremony, organised by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK), will take place at the iconic Roundhouse in London on the evening of 30 November Commenting on this year's shortlist, Peter Holbrook Chief Executive of SEUK said: “Our Awards are the ultimate showcase of the impact and excellence of social enterprises. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​Those who made the shortlist are a beacon of innovation, optimism and resilience in turbulent times. “‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​These are trailblazers and standard-setters for better business, making profit but not putting it before people and planet – and they do all this under the same immense pressures as other businesses, with the long-term impacts of Covid and a national cost of living crisis. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​Social enterprises celebrated at our Awards are the brightest stars in a brilliant sector, giving us all inspiration and motivation to do business better.” ‌ ​To get you tickets to the Awards click here. Tickets get you a three-course meal, top quality entertainment and a night of networking with the best in the business​ ‌​‍‌The Shortlist 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. Bath Spa University Beam Câr-y-Môr CDS CIC Change Please CIC Community Shop Fair for You CIC Hey Girls CIC Isle of Skye Ferry CIC Radius Housing  One to Watch Sponsored by PwC The One to Watch Award is for a start-up social enterprise. Key to winning this award is an ability to clearly articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it. Àban  Bloody Good Employers Limited ChangeXtra Indirock Ltd Rural Inclusion CIC Standing Tall The Bike Lock The Black Pounds Project CIC Prove It: Social Impact Sponsored by Linklaters For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. Chime Social Enterprise Cockpit Hey Girls CIC Noise Solution CIC Via Wings Your Own Place CIC Buy Social Market Builder Sponsored by Wates For a social enterprise, public sector body or private sector organisation that has demonstrably made efforts within its own organisation and remit to create more opportunities to buy from social enterprises. Circular Communities Scotland Reuse Consortium Foodbuy UK&I Siemens Plc Sodexo West Midlands Combined Authority Zurich Insurance Group AG Social Investment Deal of the Year Sponsored by Big Society Capital For an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. auticon Cornerstone Place InnovateHer Resonance Public Services Social Enterprise 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). Beam Chime Social Enterprise City Health Care Partnership CIC Forward Carers CIC Shaw Trust Smile Together Dental CIC Consumer Facing Social Enterprise Sponsored by eBay for Change For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. ​Breadwinners Change Please CIC Community Shop Greenwich Leisure Ltd Tap Social Movement Ltd The Long Table Stroud CIC Education, Training and Jobs Sponsored by Fidelity International For a social enterprise in the education, training or employment sectors that can demonstrate excellence in vision and strategic direction, and clearly evidence their social, environmental and community impact. Cockpit Connection Crew CIC Mental Health First Aid England The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) Upturn Enterprise Ltd Women's Work Lab Environmental Social Enterprise Sponsored by Landmarc For a social enterprise in the green and environmental sector with a clear evidenced environmental impact. Community Wood Recycling Finance Earth JUST ONE Tree Kitty's Launderette Merry-go-round Urban Growth Learning Gardens Useful Simple Trust Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Sponsored by Nestle Social justice is fundamental to the social enterprise movement. This category is open to all social enterprises who are addressing issues around diversity, inclusion and equity. Arkbound Foundation Evenbreak Impact Brixton CIC Mental Health First Aid England Nuneaton Signs Ltd Outside Lives Resilience Learning Partnership Social Ark Social Enterprise Women's Champion For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Kerrine Bryan - Butterfly Books Ltd Janet Schofield – Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) Avye Couloute - Girls into Coding Norma Gregory - Nottingham News Centre CIC Eleanor Shaw – People Speak Up Lisa Stepanovic - Social Ark Rachel Mostyn & Camilla Rigby - Women's Work Lab International Impact Sponsored by Zurich Insurance Group 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. Finance Earth IDEMS International CIC Jade Autism Stand4 Socks Waste to Wonder Community Based Social Enterprise 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 Galeri Caernarfon Cyf Kitty's Launderette Leigh Building Preservation Trust Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise Smile Together Dental CIC With Music In Mind  Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year Sponsored by AXA A new award is recognising a social enterprise that has brought something truly innovative to market in the past year. Bikeworks CIC BrisDoc Healthcare Services Creating Enterprise Fair for You CIC Here Real Ideas Organisation Tech for Good Sponsored by Mitie For a social enterprise that uses technology to achieve social impact. Care City CIC Green Heart Collective Ltd Hope 4 The Community CIC (H4C) Mobilityways Nimbus Disability Red Chair Highland Ltd We are pleased to be working with Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland and Social Enterprise Scotland to deliver the Awards. ‌​A‌wards Sponsors ​

A new Social Enterprise Barometer report published today (18 August) shows cautious recovery across the sector last quarter, with small but positive shifts despite national economic challenges. The July 2023 survey of 142 social enterprises found continued resilience and cautious recovery, although many are still uncertain about their futures. While the research suggests that inflation and economic uncertainty aren’t causing acute risk of closure for social enterprises, there are ongoing signs of strain across the sector. More than a third of social enterprises surveyed this summer expect to grow staff and turnover in the next three to six months, with similar numbers anticipating a profit or surplus in this period. The positive trend of rising staff numbers from recent surveys continues, but some note challenges in recruitment and retention. Regional disparities in outlook have narrowed since last quarter, although growth expectations do vary across the country, suggesting persistent inequalities. Cashflow positions have improved but reserve positions have weakened, which could become a concern in future if they begin to diminish. As the national economy enters a period of stagnation, with inflation consistently above Bank of England targets and interest at the highest levels in over a decade, it’s critical that social enterprise voices are heard so that appropriate interventions can be made if the economic outlook deteriorates. Our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre publishes quarterly Barometer reports as a snapshot of sector conditions and expectations, exploring how specific economic and political developments are affecting social enterprise performance. We use this research to influence policymakers in the best interests of the sector, to drive relevant investment and to promote social enterprise more broadly, as well as to inform our product and service delivery so that we can better support our members. Click here to read the full report

We’ve been running our Buy Social Corporate Challenge since 2016, supporting big companies across business sectors to bring social enterprises into their supply chains. Our latest annual report shows the Challenge had the most successful year ever, as our 30 corporate partners spent £99 million with social enterprise suppliers. In total, more than £350million has been spent with social enterprises in the seven years of the programme. The premise of the Challenge is simple: working with corporates to use their core business spend to create positive social and environmental impact. And that impact speaks for itself; supplying Challenge partners has enabled social enterprises to reinvest nearly £32m in their missions. Around 3,400 social enterprise jobs have been created thanks to contracts won through the Challenge, with 860 social enterprises supplying Challenge partners last year alone. The number of social enterprises involved in the Challenge rose 43 per cent in the last year, showing the rising interest in social procurement.   Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “The world of procurement is changing. Companies big and small need to consider how they impact people and planet, and make sure they actively work in a way that benefits communities and helps tackle environmental concerns. With nearly £100 million spent on businesses doing just that in the last year, this evidence shows the global cross-sector appetite for unlocking social value in everyday organisational spend is incredibly strong.” Click here to read the Buy Social Corporate Challenge Year 7 Impact Report The Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners are Amey, AstraZeneca, AXA, Barclays, CBRE, Co-op, Compass/Foodbuy, Deloitte, Equans, John Sisk & Son Ltd, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Landmarc Support Services, Lendlease, Linklaters, LV=, Mitie, Motorola Solutions, Nationwide, Nestle, NFU Mutual, PwC, Robertson Group, SAP, Siemens, Sodexo, The Crown Estate, Wates Group, Willmott Dixon, and Zurich Insurance Group. Social Procurement Connect We aren’t currently recruiting partners for the Corporate Challenge, but our Social Procurement Connect service can support organisations of any size and sector to bring social enterprises into their supply chains. Find out more about Social Procurement Connect and get involved here.

Ten years ago, the small parish of Alston Moor in Cumbria became the UK’s first ever Social Enterprise Place, formally recognising it as an area where mission-led business is thriving. Since 2013, Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) has been recognising these hotspots of social enterprise activity by awarding them with the Social Enterprise Place badge. There are now more than 30 Social Enterprise Places across the UK, ranging from towns and cities to entire counties and regions, but it all started in Alston Moor.   Social enterprises are at the heart of Alston Moor, operating across the economy – from community owned and run snow ploughs and gritters to craft fairs, a pre-school nursery, a gym, specialist wholefood retailing, and a village shop with a post office. The area's three main tourist attractions, a narrow gauge railway, a motor museum and even the visitor centre for the local Roman Fort are all social enterprises. A social enterprise, Cybermoor, was even instrumental in improving internet connectivity in the town, working to provide residents with computers and internet access. The latest evaluation of social enterprises in Alston Moor showed that they have supported create 50 jobs, worked with 200 volunteers and have a combined turnover of £1.5 million. Following Alston Moor’s example, Cumbria itself was declared a Social Enterprise County in 2018, recognising the contribution of social enterprises to the entire region. To commemorate ten years of Alston Moor gaining Social Enterprise Place status, two special events took place last week, bringing together social enterprises and supporters from across Cumbria and beyond. On Thursday 13 July, a day-long event was held at the Rheged arts centre to celebrate a decade of the community-driven businesses that have put Alston Moor on the social enterprise map. Guests heard from three inspiring social enterprises all of which operate in Alston Moor – Cybermoor, Charge my Street and Cumbria Health on Call. Charge my Street install and operate community electric vehicle charge points to ensure every home in the town is within five minutes from a charging point, making it easier to operate electrical vehicles. Cumbria Health and Call are a social enterprise addressing the difficulty in accessing health services in rural areas with their in and out of hours services helping residents get the primary healthcare they need. These businesses were joined on a panel discussion by Cllr Virginia Taylor from Westmorland and Furness Council, Martin Allman Social Enterprise Manager at Cumberland Council and Clive Hirst from Social Enterprise Solutions who originally came up with the idea of the Social Enterprise Places programme in 2013. The discussion was chaired by Rob Randell the lead on the Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership and also featured contributions from Peter Holbrook and Liz Minns from SEUK. The next day, guests took part in a Social Enterprise Safari around Alston Moor, which showcased the diversity of the town’s social enterprises. SEUK’s Chief Executive, Peter Holbrook said: “It was great to return to Alston Moor, ten years since it gained Social Enterprise Place status, to see how the town’s social enterprises have grown and developed. “Alston Moor shows how a town can use social enterprise to not only take on the challenges faced by many rural areas, such as isolation and digital connectivity - but also how social enterprises can bring a community together, creating shared spaces and a sense of pride. “Congratulations to Alston Moor, a true social enterprise trailblazer!” To find out more about the Social Enterprise Places programme click here. The events at Alston Moor are part of a series of events which will celebrate the ten year anniversary of the programme with other events being listed here.

Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) and representative bodies from across the healthcare sector have written to the Heath Secretary reiterating the need for central funding to ensure the new NHS pay deal includes the many social enterprise staff delivering NHS services. A crucial part of the NHS family, social enterprises deliver over £1bn of services and employ many thousands of staff while reinvesting any profits in communities. Despite this huge contribution, the Government has not included social enterprises in a new NHS ‘backlog bonus’ being awarded to recognise the intense pressures on these vital staff. Earlier this year, the Health Secretary promised a pay uplift for “all staff” on ‘Agenda for Change’ contracts – but his Department has still not found this money for those working in social enterprises under the same contractual terms and conditions. Without central funding to cover the uplift, thousands of social enterprise healthcare providers around the country will struggle to retain staff and sustain critical services.  This week’s letter builds on SEUK’s campaigning alongside healthcare members for Government funding to include social enterprises in the NHS pay deal. The letter warns the Health Secretary that he risks “treating many thousands of staff unfairly when they are just as skilled, committed and essential to the provision of NHS services as those employed by other providers”, creating “inequity of services and a two-tier healthcare workforce”. SEUK signed the letter alongside the British Dietetic Association, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Podiatry, UNISON and UNITE. Peter Holbrook CBE, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, commented: “We expect the Department of Health to take urgent steps to solve this - as they did previously in 2018 - before staff, services and patients are adversely affected. The Government must deliver on the Health Secretary’s words.” Click here to read the full letter If you agree that social enterprises delivering vital NHS services should be included in the new pay deal, please sign this petition and join over 17,000 of us calling for urgent Government action.

The newly published Roadmap is the latest update from Social Value 2032, an innovative programme led by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) in partnership with Jacobs, PwC, Shaw Trust, Siemens and SUEZ recycling and recovery. As the programme has ambitious goals to make social value cover all public sector procurement and influence spending in the largest private companies, the new Roadmap outlines the next steps needed on that journey. The programme was set up last year to mark the tenth anniversary of the Public Services (Social Value) Act, which places a legal obligation on public bodies to consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the areas they operate in. While the Act has helped transform the UK’s procurement landscape - already changing ways of working across public, private and third sectors - its potential is not always understood and its implementation is inconsistent. From creating a consistent legal and regulatory framework with common measuring standards, to strengthening supply chains and changing workplace cultures, the Social Value 2032 Roadmap details short and long-term proposals to transform the system so that organisations’ everyday spending can actively benefit wider society. Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “Our new Roadmap is ambitious, but we have no time to waste if we want to level up the country, achieve Net Zero, create a stronger and fairer society, and improve the health and wellbeing of millions of people. “Hundreds of billions of pounds of social value can potentially be generated over coming years – bringing tangible improvements to all our lives, the communities we live in and the planet we depend on. None of this can be achieved in isolation, but we have a growing movement of individuals and organisations who believe in social value, and working together we have a strong platform to drive real change over the next decade.” The Roadmap was launched at Programme partner PwC’s central London offices today (Tuesday 27 June) with a breakfast briefing that brought together social value leaders from across the private, public and third sectors. As well as a panel discussion by Programme partners, delegates heard from the Cabinet Office’s Deputy Director of Commercial Policy, Andy Williams. Discussing the UK Government’s commitment to social value and the changes needed to drive further progress, he commented: "I welcome the Roadmap – I think it’s a fantastic document for us to look at what we can do in future and how we can work together." Read the Roadmap at www.socialenterprise.org.uk/seuk-report/the-social-value-roadmap.

Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for social good, has announced its annual results for the year ended December 2022. The bank achieved a record financial result, with a significant profit of £2.7m. Charity Bank will reinvest 100% of its 2022 profit to further its mission and extend its reach to underfunded charities and social enterprises. In 2022, Charity Bank also disbursed a record £53.9m in new loans, supporting UK charities and social enterprises. The bank expects to significantly increase the range and diversity of organisations supported in 2023, and will set specific targets for reaching ethnically diverse enterprises and other groups that have experienced exclusion from social investment. “Our strong financial performance will enable us to expand our lending activities, which will help us to make an even greater social impact,” said Ed Siegel, Chief Executive of Charity Bank. “During the cost of living crisis we have remained a reliable source of support for charities and social enterprises. By providing loans, Charity Bank helps these organisations to improve their financial position, expand their services, and better serve their communities.” The results of Charity Bank's 2023 borrower survey highlight the transformative effects of their loans and support on borrowers [1]: 71% of respondents reported an increased number of services 89% noted an improved quality of service or facilities 68% said their Charity Bank loan allowed their projects to go ahead 61% experienced a growth in income 40% reduced their operational costs 33% acknowledged that the bank's support helped them stay afloat Moreover, in 2022, 60% of Charity Bank's lending was directed towards organisations operating in the most underfunded and underserved areas of the UK [2]. The bank also supports initiatives combating climate change and assists organisations in reducing their carbon footprint. According to the borrower survey, 21% of respondents reported direct environmental benefits from the projects supported with a Charity Bank loan, with an additional 21% experiencing indirect environmental benefits. Charity Bank's revised strategy for 2023-2027 focuses on amplifying its impact and reaching underserved communities. If focuses on organisations serving those with the greatest needs, targets economically deprived communities, extends outreach to systematically underfunded groups, prioritises lending intentionally for complex housing needs, and building a "green lending" portfolio. “We are committed to being the lender of choice for UK impact-driven organisations,” said Ed Siegel. “We believe that we can make a real difference in the lives of people and communities across the UK, and we are excited to continue our work in 2023 and beyond.” The full annual results can be found on the Charity Bank website: www.CharityBank.org/2022annualresults [1] The borrower survey was offered to 195 of our current and recently repaid borrowers, with 137 completing the survey (a 71% response rate). The results are as self-reported by our borrowers. [2] Using the indices of multiple deprivation published for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to identify the areas of social need. These indices rank each small area or neighbourhood from most to least deprived in each country, and separate them into 10 equal groups called ‘deprivation deciles’. The most deprived areas have a high proportion of people on very low incomes, higher number of people dying prematurely and more people having trouble finding an affordable home. 60% of our lending in 2022 was to the four most ‘deprived deciles’ of the UK.

Social enterprises form a vital part of the NHS family, delivering health and care services all over the country while reinvesting profits in local communities. Despite this huge contribution, the Government has not provided funding for social enterprise staff in the recently negotiated NHS pay deal – treating many thousands of staff unfairly when they are just as committed and passionate as those working in any other NHS setting. We’ve been calling for change everywhere from Sky News and the Independent to the Health Service Journal and Nursing Standard but we need to make more noise. You can help us tackle this by adding your name to the petition for urgent Government action: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/638701 Health Secretary Steve Barclay pledged to implement the NHS pay deal for ‘all staff’ on Agenda for Change contracts, but his Department has not yet found this money for those working in social enterprises under the same contractual terms and conditions. We’ve asked the Secretary of State to meet with us - as well as the NHS Confederation, NHS Providers, the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Public Health and the Independent Healthcare Providers Network - so we can find practical solutions before staff, services and patients are put at risk. Peter Holbrook CBE, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “Social enterprises are a crucial part of the NHS family, delivering over a billion pounds of services and employing many thousands of staff while reinvesting any profits in communities. Health Secretary Steve Barclay recently said that he would implement the NHS pay deal for all staff on Agenda for Change – but he has yet to come up with the money, putting these organisations and their staff in an impossible position. “We still expect the Department to take urgent steps to solve this - as they did previously in 2018 - before staff, services and patients are adversely affected. Just the ten largest social enterprises delivering NHS services employ around 10,000 staff, who will be treated unfairly unless the Government acts now. Some of these employers will seek to pay the 22/23 ‘bonus’ their staff deserve, even if the Government doesn’t fund it – but some simply don’t have the money to do so, meaning this will put services and patients at risk. The Department must deliver on the Health Secretary’s words.”

On Wednesday 24 May Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) brought colleagues, partners, peers and collaborators from across the sector together with politicians and policymakers in the House of Lords to discuss how British business can deliver better for our economy and society. With a general election approaching, now is the time to push for progress and make the case for a different way of doing business - one that centres the incredible work being caried out by the tens of thousands of social enterprises, cooperatives, community companies and other purpose-led businesses which are delivering for Britain. Opening the event, SEUK’s chair Lord Victor Adebowale explained: “We are significant, and yet we don’t have the voice that we should have for the major contributions we make to the current economy and all we could do in the future.” He set the scene for the challenges facing the UK economy, as widening inequality and the climate crisis transcend political divisions, making a rallying cry for all parties to address the fundamental structures of how we do business in order to address these burning issues. He issued an invitation and a challenge to raise the profile of the transformative impact of social enterprises and other mission-led businesses, which renowned economist Kate Raworth then argued must be at the heart of political and economic discussions. Changing business structures ‘Doughnut Economics’ author Kate Raworth proposes a radically different way of approaching the economy, moving from a system based on endless growth to one that meets the needs of all people within the means of the living planet. She said: “The aim is to create a safe and just space in which humanity can thrive, and to get there requires a fundamental rewiring of the economy and the way in which businesses themselves are structured.” In conversation with Victor, Kate posed the question of how businesses should be owned and designed in order to serve the needs of people and planet – and, in many ways, the answer to this could be found in the organisations represented in the room. Social enterprises, co-operatives and other purpose-driven business models offer the proof of concept needed for a new economy. Presenting the ongoing crisis of inequality and climate breakdown as an opportunity to show people the possibility of a different future, Kate urged: “Let’s make this visible, seed it and spread it and help people see: this is a not just viable but a crucial way of redesigning our economy in service of the future.” Kate was joined by her Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) colleague Erinch Sahan, whose work looks at challenging the deep design of business. He outlined how traditional models of ownership, governance and profit distribution place businesses in a straitjacket, with everything reliant on financial returns and maximising shareholder value – while social enterprise offers more diverse structures and innovative ways of working. He concluded that: “Social enterprise is the experimentation ground for those ideas that will hopefully take root in wider business and the future of the world economy.” Join the campaign This event kicks off a new campaign to shape the future of the British economy, bringing together champions of change from across business sectors and political spectrums, to elevate the profile of our growing movement through until the next election and beyond. As we get closer to 2023’s general election, we will ramp up activity to ensure that politicians, policy-makers and other key decision makers hear the voices of organisations that offer real solutions to build a fairer and more equitable country. Join our campaign and help us transform the potential of British business. More information can be found here >> https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/business-plan-for-britain/ Thank you to all the organisations, MPs and Peers who attended this event and especially to our campaign partners:

Social Enterprise Barometer reports are published quarterly to provide a snapshot of social enterprise performance as well as how specific economic and political developments are affecting social enterprises. The April 2023 survey of 96 social enterprises found that overall, projected growth figures are up on last quarter. Projected turnover and profit figures are also positive, with 40% anticipating turnover will grow and 77% expecting to break even or make a profit this financial year. Compared with last quarter, the new report shows a significant decrease in the number of social enterprises expecting to contract and a modest increase in those expecting to grow. Social enterprise turnover positions remain more positive than for other forms of business, while growth expectations are less confident but slowly increasing toward mid-Covid 2021 levels. Although social enterprises are more resilient in crises than other forms of business, as shown in Covid lockdowns and the 2008 financial crash, recovery is also slower. Social enterprises cite a range of reasons for this, including uncertainty in funding and contract income, to ability to meet increased staffing costs. Rising operating costs in the ongoing economic crisis remain a concern, with more than half of social enterprises forecasting staff cost increases and 41% expecting bigger energy bills. Staff numbers have grown consistently over the last two quarters, despite most respondents reporting higher staff costs. Social enterprises report increasing their staff pay to match inflation as “critical” – but also note varying capacity to do so, minimal impact of pay increases to cover the full impact of cost increases, and pressure on staff due to rising demand when resources can’t keep pace. A few social enterprises reported that increased costs have impacted their delivery of goods or services. Other themes that emerged were the recognition of staff burnout, a reduction in profit and a reduction in investment. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REPORT

Commenting on the May 2023 local elections, Peter Holbrook CEO of Social Enterprise UK said: Social Enterprise UK sends warm congratulations to candidates who were elected during last week’s Local Elections. We have seen significant shifts in council make-up across the country. People want their local councillors to ensure community services work for them, that local issues are addressed, and that democracy delivers. Social enterprises are playing an increasingly valuable role in supporting local communities, delivering economic prosperity, and bringing people together to address local challenges. We hope that newly elected representatives will take time to engage with local social enterprises and support them through this period of economic uncertainty.

More than a million businesses in the UK could be supported to formally transition to social enterprises, based on their current engagement with social issues, according to new research. Social Enterprise UK’s (SEUK) newly-launched ‘Transitions’ report reveals that as many as a fifth of SMEs in the UK aspire to make a positive social impact – but are not currently operating formally as social enterprises. This means more than a million organisations have the scope to transition to social enterprise status, and contribute more to the economy and society in doing so. As a result of its findings, SEUK is encouraging businesses in the UK to consider their status and learn more about how they could benefit from transitioning to a new model. Operating as a social enterprise allows a business to lock in its social and environmental purpose, ensure profits benefit that purpose, and enjoy wide-ranging benefits for staff, customers and clients by reaching new markets and developing new products and services. Social enterprises also regularly enjoy enhanced reputations, customer loyalty and employee engagement, whilst having wider access to funders and financers motivated by social impact. Peter Holbrook, CEO at SEUK, said: “Whilst we acknowledge the fantastic work of existing social enterprises in benefiting our economy and society, our research identifies that a huge number of other businesses are not maximising the opportunities available to them from social enterprise models and solutions. “No social enterprise is the same, either, so there are a variety of options for companies wishing to transition – for example, a small tech firm may be best suited to a co-operative model, employee ownership may fit a bigger retail business or a trust model could work well for a business running a heritage asset. “Therefore, we encourage businesses to find out more and understand if transitioning to a new model is viable for them, so they can reach their potential and make an even greater difference to the world as a social enterprise.” Read the full report here

Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) are proud to be a delivery partner on the newly launched VCSE Contract Readiness Programme.  Delivered in partnership with the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) and Voice4Change England, and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – the VCSE Contract Readiness Programme’s objective is to enable social enterprises and charities to compete alongside other organisations for public sector contracts. The programme is divided into two pathways – one for voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) and one targeted at public sector commissioners, with an initial focus on commissioners at central government departments. How to get involved - VCSE pathway This programme is a great opportunity for social enterprises and charities wanting to win government contracts to find out more about how to successfully apply for these opportunities.  There are a number of ways for SEUK members to take part in the programme from introductory webinars to more in-depth short and long courses designed to help organisations implement the practical steps to become procurement ready. Our friends at SSE are primarily managing the VCSE pathway and more information can be found on the SSE website. Click here to find out more about the VCSE pathway and eligibility criteria. Organisations can sign up to 'Government Contracts Revealed', the first public webinar in the programme which will introduce social enterprises and charities to public sector procurement. This will be suitable for those with little or no experience of tendering. Click here to sign up The first available public webinar is on 25 April with further dates in June. The Public Services Hub The Public Services Hub is an online platform, developed by SEUK as part of the programme, which hosts resources and opportunities to help advance the role of social enterprises and charities in public sector commissioning.  From government guidance to details on how to find contracts – the Public Services Hub is a great first port of call for social enterprises and charities interested in working with government and the broader public sector.  The Public Services Hub also holds resources for commissioners to help them better understand the benefits of partnering with VCSE service providers. Click here to visit the Public Services Hub  We will be sending out updated information about the programme as more elements of it become live.

West Northamptonshire, UK - On March 14th, 2023, West Northamptonshire Social Enterprise Town (WNSET) will be launching a new investment fund aimed at supporting the growth and development of social enterprises in Northampton. The WNSET Social Enterprise Development Fund is funded by Northampton Forward as part of the Town’s Fund and supported by West Northamptonshire Council as a community-driven initiative that aims to provide funding and support for local social entrepreneurs to maximise the impact of the Town’s diverse social enterprise sector.The investment fund is designed to support social enterprises that are making a positive impact on the community and the environment, while also generating income and creating jobs. The fund will provide investment capital to social entrepreneurs to start and grow their social businesses, with a focus on those who are addressing local social and environmental challenges.The WNSET Social Enterprise Development Fund launch event, which will be held at the University of Northampton, Waterside Campus, Learning Hub, will feature presentations by local social entrepreneurs, who will share their experiences and success stories. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network and learn more about the investment fund and the support available for social enterprises in the area.Stephen MacFarlaine, Chair of the West Northamptonshire Social Enterprise Town, said: "We are excited to launch the WNSET Social Enterprise Investment Fund, which will provide much-needed funding and support to social entrepreneurs in the area. Social enterprises have the potential to create real change and improve the lives of people in our community and we are grateful to West Northants Council and Northampton Forward for their commitment and support for the sector. The Town’s Fund provides access to much needed funding to empower local social entrepreneurs and help them achieve their goals." Councillor Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at WNC, said: “The Northampton Social Enterprise Development Fund forms an integral part of West Northamptonshire’s ambitious £33 million Towns Fund and Future High Street Fund regeneration programme to transform Northampton Town Centre. “This project enables us to directly support the growth of our thriving social enterprise community who provide diverse and invaluable services for Northampton and beyond. We are delighted to see the launch of this fund and we look forward to seeing the positive contribution it makes to our community.” Martin Mason, managing director of Tricker's and Northampton Forward Board member, added: “We are delighted that as part of this project we’re able celebrate the independent spirit of social enterprises across West Northants and the vital role they play in developing and supporting our local economy. We look forward to working with our partners and businesses to drive this scheme forward.” The WNSET Social Enterprise Development Fund is part of the larger WNSET social enterprise place initiative, which aims to promote and support social enterprises in the West Northamptonshire area. WNSET provides training, mentoring, and access to funding for social entrepreneurs, with a focus on social and environmental impact.For more information about the WNSET Social Enterprise Development Fund and the launch event, please visit the WNSET website or contact wnsetcic@gmail.com.Contact:West Northamptonshire Social Enterprise Townwnsetcic@gmail.com www.wnset.org

Responding to the Spring Budget, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: Today, the Government has shown a more nuanced view on how fiscal policy can encourage investment and shape better business behaviours, that goes beyond corporate tax cuts. However, many social enterprises continue to work in a difficult economic environment. SEUK will continue to lobby Government for more support to deal with inflation and to be the voice for social enterprises which have an important role to play in building a stronger national economy.

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, we asked some of our members, whose work focuses on achieving gender equality and empowerment, questions regarding their views on intersectionality.  Our social enterprises saw intersectionality as necessary for their services to represent the complex experience of the community they serve. They highlighted the need to listen and learn from diverse experiences, to be inclusive and respectful. What is intersectionality? Intersectionality is a useful framework for understanding the many kinds of discriminations individuals contend with. Its starting premise is that everyone is made up of multiple and layered identities, which includes gender, race, class, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality, religion, socio-economic backgrounds, and migration status. For example, A working-class bisexual woman may encounter discrimination based on her socio-economic status and sexual identity.  As advocates of gender equality, we have a responsibility to consider everything and anything that subject women to prejudice and marginalisation. The truth, however, is that operationalising intersectionality is complex. We tend to focus on identity dimensions we are most comfortable with. However, if our advocacy represents only the experiences of some women, we will fail to achieve equality for all women.  Intersectionality entails we identify the needs and consequently think about what resources we need to tackle the multiple discriminations faced by all women.  Few organisations have access to all the resources they need to operationalise intersectionality, but this is where collaborations with other organisations and individuals, to expand the base of resources, can help.  Here's what some of our members had to say about this important topic. Soul Purpose 360 CIC Interview with Palma Black - Founder & Director Soul Purpose 360 CIC Soul Purpose 360 CIC is a coaching, mentoring, training, and networking social enterprise for Black women in the community development sector. Their aim is to motivate, inspire and imbue confidence in women, to enable them to contribute positively to their communities. How important should intersectionality be to advocates of gender equality? For any individual or organisation advocating for gender equality, intersectionality must form the foundation, if it is to truly include and reflect Black women. Historically, the white-led feminist movement have failed in this regard.  For example, intersectionality is essential for understanding the unique challenges that Black women face, as well as for developing effective strategies for fighting for our rights. This is because Black women experience oppression and discrimination on multiple levels due to multifaceted aspects of our identity and an intersectional approach would recognise the complexity of this. Black women experience gender-based violence, institutionalised racism, and economic inequality, among other forms of oppression. Intersectional feminism allows us to recognise this. How can we be inclusive of everyone and respect all parts of a person's identity?  One of the most important things we can do to ensure inclusivity and respect for all parts of a person's identity is to practice active listening. That means really taking the time to listen to someone and try to understand their experiences and perspectives without judgment. Black women are not a homogenous group. We should also be open to having conversations about differences in gender, race, and other identities, and be willing to learn from and support each other. Additionally, we should strive to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and accepted, regardless of their identity. What are the challenges that can sometimes be faced when using an intersectional approach? Some challenges that can be presented include feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of intersecting identities and experiences that need to be taken into consideration. Another challenge can be navigating conflicting perspectives in a way that is respectful and inclusive of all identities and experiences. Some may struggle with the idea of recognising the privilege that exists within the various intersecting identities, as it can be a difficult concept to grapple with. Ultimately, it is important to be aware of these challenges to better equip oneself with the tools necessary to use an intersectional approach in a meaningful and productive way. soulpurpose360.co.uk You be You Interview with Bilkis Miah - CEO & Founder of You be You You be You provides lessons, workshops and activities for school and parents, with the aim of breaking down gender-based stereotypes, with the aim to shift the perceptions of schools, families and children, to open possibilities for the next generation.  How important should intersectionality be to advocates of gender equality? We believe intersectionality is important. We’re layered humans with multifaceted aspects of our identity and intersectionality ensures we’re encompassing the whole person. How can we be inclusive of everyone and respect all parts of a person's identity? We can listen actively to people’s stories and learn from these lived experiences. What are the challenges that can sometimes be faced when using an intersectional approach? A challenge includes the complexity of trying to tackle multiple layers of discrimination. To what extent does an intersectional approach inform your organisational strategy? You are welcome to explain your experience. Intersectionality is at the core of our organisational strategy.  We must think about our communities and all the levels of prejudice they may face, in order to fully serve them. youbeyou.co.uk Butterfly Books Interview with Kerrine Bryan - Founder and Author of Butterfly Books Butterfly Books are a Social Enterprise that create children’s educational books. Their books are career-focused, aimed to inspire and educate children of the career options available to them, to reduce gender bias in job roles. Some of their books include ‘My Mummy is a Footballer’ and ‘My Daddy is a Nurse.’ How important should intersectionality be for advocates of gender equality? Intersectionality is very important as achieving equality, inclusion and diversity is complex. However, it can be difficult to address all problems with limited resources. For example, our children’s books focus on gender equality, and we try our best to address intersectionality through our illustrations as best we can. However, we believe that collaboration is an important way to consider intersectionality, through partnerships with organisations that have a focus in other areas. How can we be inclusive of everyone and respect all parts of a person's identity?  Through expanding our knowledge of other people’s cultures and genders. This can be through attending events, or reading literature that you wouldn’t normally. Additionally, understanding the community you serve is key. What are the challenges that can sometimes be faced when using an intersectional approach? One of the challenges is losing the impact you intended to create, by trying to spreadresources across too many areas. To what extent does an intersectional approach inform your organisational strategy? You are welcome to explain your experience. As a Black-owned business we are aware of the challenges faced regarding race. Although this is not the focus of our business, intersectionality affects us as business owners. Therefore, we are conscious of this when writing and illustrating our children’s books, with the aim of ensuring we represent the community we serve. butterflybooks.co.uk By Sabrina Doshi, supported by Dr Lilian Miles - Reader in Sustainability and Social Enterprise, Westminster Business School, University of Westminster

In these troubled times, it is welcome that the expanded Dormant Asset Scheme will provide £880 million to essential causes, including through social investment and a Community Wealth Fund. The results of the Dormant Assets consultation were announced today. Funds will continue to be used for youth, financial inclusion and social investment wholesalers. There will also be a new Community Wealth Fund which will give long-term financial support (whether directly or indirectly) for the provision of local amenities or other social infrastructure. This is an important milestone because of the impact this will have on communities through the work of social enterprises, trading charities and other community-based businesses. The consultation recognises the importance of extending affordable, patient, flexible capital and highlights findings of the Adebowale Commission on Social Investment which recommended that social investment must reach more minority-led organisations and disadvantaged communities. Existing Dormant Assets continue, including a £31 million fund which will enable community and social enterprises to install energy saving technology in their buildings and help them meet the growing need for their services as a result of cost-of-living pressures. We look forward to more details on how this funding will be allocated. It is imperative that it is distributed fairly and used to support communities and places in need. Our CEO Peter Holbrook said: “This is an important and positive development. Dormant Assets offer huge potential support for social enterprises and the communities they serve. We are pleased to see that the Adebowale Commission has influenced improvements for social investment. We look forward to supporting how the Community Wealth Fund is shaped, as we know the vital work that social enterprises do at a hyper-local level and the importance of place-based infrastructure. These are extremely challenging economic circumstances. We hope the Spring Budget next week will provide further hope and support to drive social enterprise solutions.”

The State of Social Enterprise (SOSE) survey, which runs every two years, is live! We’re inviting all UK social enterprises to take part. We know social enterprises across coops, community businesses, start-ups and more get surveyed a lot. So, why should you give up your time for it?  1. Drive policy change SOSE data helps drive policy change for social enterprise. For example, it informed public policy which led to the creation of Big Society Capital and Access – the Foundation for Social Investment, contributing to a social impact investment market of over £6.4bn. It supported Social Value legislation and underpinned calls for sector support during COVID. 2. Shape a powerful narrative Did you know that social enterprises generate £60bn GDP and 2 million jobs? That’s SOSE data. And we want to update it this year.  3. Contribute to the UK’s largest dataset for social enterprise Central government comes to us for this data. Social investors, national sector bodies, local and combined authorities – they all access this data to inform policy and practice. SOSE data is central to analysis such as the Adebowale Commission on Social Investment.               4. Build understanding SOSE data is used by researchers and academics to better understand many areas of social enterprise, from rural ecosystems for social enterprise, to improving routes to market, the data is core to research across sectors, regions and impact areas.  5. Data for your social enterprise SOSE provides a benchmark for social enterprises to better understand their own performance and learn from others. For the first time in 2023, SEUK members will receive benchmarked results from their survey data in the pilot run of our Better Business Benchmark tool.  We’ve simplified the survey this year. If you took part in 2021, you won’t be asked all questions as we’ll use data you’ve already provided.   You’ll need info on your financial turnover, profits and staff demographics to hand – as well as an overview of how you generate income. The survey shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes.   If you do one survey this year, please make it this one. How to take part   All SEUK members and social enterprise contacts will be contacted by respected research company BMG research – look out for an email from them. Not heard from BMG yet? Please drop BMG a line to confirm your interest – you can request a telephone call back, or to do the survey online: socialenterprisesurvey@bmgresearch.com Social enterprises which are not SEUK members are also encouraged to take the survey – email socialenterprisesurvey@bmgresearch.com to express your interest in taking part. “Evidence matters – and the state of the sector surveys helps us all to get a better understanding of the pressures facing social enterprises, be that frontline staff, policy makers or funders. It helps to connect the dots and create the evidence base we need to spot trends, challenges and opportunities and provide the support social enterprises need.” - Lydia Levy, Head of Impact and Evaluation - Access -The Foundation for Social Investment. “There has been a lot of progress in supporting social enterprises to access the investment they need to create and sustain impact but we know there is still so much more to do. The SEUK SOSE survey gives us vital data on where barriers still exist in equality of access to finance, where products need to be improved and a better understanding of the current and future demand for capital. Simply put - what is working well and what is not. SOSE is a key tool in helping us to understand how our money can best be put to work.” - Melanie Mills, Head of Social Sector Engagement, Big Society Capital “The State of Social Enterprise (SOSE) is the best and most consistent source of in-depth data on social enterprises. At Social Investment Business, we believe passionately about supporting social enterprises with the right finance and support to build a fairer society. We believe equally passionately in the role of high-quality data and insights to make that support as effective as it can be. We are therefore proud to support SOSE and encourage all social enterprises to take part in the research” - Nick Temple, CEO Social Enterprise Business. SOSE is supported by:

Two Midlands-based social enterprises have joined forces with a stunning countryside venue to offer a complete ethical events package which is good for the planet. The team at ChangeKitchen CIC craft innovative ethical menus, specialising in vegetarian, vegan and special diet options, while providing work opportunities for people who face social exclusion. That vision is shared by Jubilee Events, who employ those with multiple barriers to work as part of their marquee hire team and also offer event management services. When paired with the exclusive Meynell Langley estate, it results in bespoke, socially-responsible events for both corporate and private customers. The partnership began when Derby University contacted founder and managing director of Jubilee Events, Matt Parfitt to celebrate DE-Carbonise – a three year collaboration between the University of Derby, Derby City and Derbyshire County Council. Matt then approached director and founder of ChangeKitchen, Dr Birgit Kehrer. Here’s how the partnership developed in their own words: "Jubilee Events was approached by a university who wanted to hold a special celebration event to mark the end of some environmental research. The brief was simple: you have a great venue and a fantastic marquee - can you find us an excellent, social, 100% vegan/vegetarian caterer? My first and only thought was ChangeKitchen. And after the first canapes at the tasting event the client was licking their lips (literally!)" - Matt Parfitt, Founder & Managing Director, Jubilee Events. “As working as environmentally sustainably as possible has been part of our founding principles, we loved it when Matt from Jubilee Events got in touch to cater for an event for Derby University and City to celebrate the DE-Carbonise collaboration.We were even more delighted that the event took part at the beautiful Meynell Llangley Hall near Ashbourne, which is run in a climate friendly way, too. It feels there is so much synergy between the 3 organisations, we really hope to be delivering many more events together in this partnership.” – Dr Birgit Kehrer, Director and Founder of ChangeKitchen. Here's how the partnership with Meynell Langley estate works: Both social enterprises are dedicated to breaking down barriers to the labour market. Jubilee Events is one of two social enterprises set up by Matt Parfitt which are both owned by parent charity – Grace Enterprises, the other being award winning cleaning social enterprise Radiant Cleaners. Both Jubilee Events and Radiant Cleaners have a mission to transform lives through supportive employment offering holistic support to the people they employ from mentoring and coaching to regular reviews. In one season of trading, Jubilee Events have ten Living Wage jobs and run 20 events: ChangeKitchen are an award winning green, climate friendly caterer which began trading in 2010. Its focus is also on employment, supporting people furthest from the labour market, but during the COVID pandemic they also branched out to supporting people in need with healthy meals cooked from surplus. So far they have cooked and delivered over 70,000 meals and are in the end phase of a kitchen expansion that will help them at least double their positive social and environmental impact within a year. You can find out more about ChangeKitchen’s work creating opportunities and tackling the ongoing crisis of food insecurity in this short video: jubileeevents.co.uk changekitchen.co.uk

Come along to our monthly networking event and meet other social entrepreneurs and sustainability professionals based in London and beyond! The aim of our event is for you to engage in conversations and build connections with other social entrepreneurs and sustainability/impact-driven professionals in order to spark ideas and maybe even walk away with a business partner or connections to potential clients. Please note there is only a limited amount of seats reserved at our cafe so please reserve your tickets early to ensure access to our event. The next few events will be taking place on: Thursday 16 February Thursday 23 March Thursday 27 April Thursday 25 May CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR PLACE About Trampoline Founded by the team behind NEMI Teas, we share the same objective – to help London’s refugee community integrate, train and become independent citizens. Built on the values of looking forward, being compassionate, and believing in better we’re committed to using our business as a genuine force for good. Building and maintaining relationships that transform lives.

The most recent Social Enterprise Barometer report published on 9 February shows that the next quarter is critical for many social enterprises with more than one in ten social enterprises across the UK expecting reduced turnover or to close due to the tough economic climate. The Social Enterprise Barometer reports are published quarterly and provide a snapshot of social enterprise performance and as well as how specific economic and political developments are affecting social enterprises. The February report showed that overall, across the 101 respondents, 14% are expecting to reduce turnover and staff or to close completely. This is the highest proportion reporting a growth decline since the survey began two years ago. High costs continue to challenge social enterprises. Almost two-thirds of the social enterprises who took the survey (62%) said they saw an increase compared to last quarter and almost half (48%) saw an increase in staffing costs. Although there was a slight improvement in cashflow and reserve positions this quarter, but a high number of social enterprises expressed concern about projected cashflow and income. When social enterprises were asked about their turnover position since July 2021, 21% said they saw a decrease while 37% said their turnover remained the same since then. Factors included a reduction in commissioning opportunities for public sector contracts and smaller contracts as local authority budgets struggle. Despite the tough economic climate, more than half of the social enterprises surveyed said demand for their products and services increased. The number of people being supported through social missions has also increased since last quarter to 63%, demonstrating how social enterprises prioritisation of their mission continues to deliver in times of need. Social enterprises in London reported particularly weak growth and cashflow positions compared to counterparts elsewhere in the UK. Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of SEUK, commenting on the findings said: “As the UK economy is predicted to fall into another recession and interest rates hit their highest levels in more than a decade, social enterprises continue to face a tough economic climate. “For many, the financial support they will try to get next quarter will be critical to their survival. “More than three quarters of social enterprises reported that the profits they reinvested into their social or environmental mission has increased or stayed level, highlighting the resilience and importance of the social enterprise business model to increase investment in the communities they serve. “Government support must prioritise sustaining businesses that serve our economy, community and planet in order to maximise returns on investment and to ensure that otherwise viable social enterprises aren’t lost to economic uncertainty.” The Social Enterprise Barometer report can be accessed through SEUK’s Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre. The Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre seeks to be the UK’s most comprehensive source of evidence on social enterprise. Click here to read the full Barometer Report

Commenting on the need for responsibility for social enterprise to be moved into the new Department for Business and Trade, Peter Holbrook CEO of Social Enterprise UK said: The creation of the Department for Business and Trade is a welcome move that will allow a single department to focus exclusively on creating an environment which will allow business to thrive. However, it is essential that this department is given explicit responsibility for social enterprise. Social enterprises are the best of business, growing the economy whilst also addressing the entrenched social and environmental challenges. As businesses, decisions made in this new department will have a big impact on the sector’s future. That’s why it is important that social enterprise sits with the rest of the business community in this new department. It is why social enterprises have been calling to be treated the same as the rest of the business community for years. We have an opportunity to fully embed social enterprise into the government’s new approach to business. I hope that the Prime Minister will listen to the hundreds of thousands of social entrepreneurs in this country and show them his government backs them.

On this page you’ll find resources designed to support social enterprises and charities - otherwise known as voluntary community and social enterprises (VCSEs) - compete alongside other organisations for public sector contracts as well as the latest news from the ongoing VCSE Contract Readiness Programme. Upcoming events on the Contract Readiness Programme The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) funds the VCSE Contract Readiness programme. DCMS has worked with a consortium led by School for Social Entrepreneurs partnering with Social Enterprise UK and Voice4Change England to design and deliver a programme that will enable VCSEs to compete alongside other organisations for public sector contracts.  Find out more about the programme here Further support from government on applying for contracts VCSEs – A guide to working with government – The VCSE Crown Representative, Claire Dove CBE commissioned this  guide from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (which holds responsibility for the VCSE sector in government) and Cabinet Office. It sets out  how social enterprises and charities can best work with government. It goes through the best ways for VCSEs to approach working with public sector commissioners from steps such as registering to becoming an approved supplier to how to best engage early with commissioners. It contains top tips for tendering and details what public sector buyers are looking for. Transforming Public Procurement – The Procurement Act is now law and will introduce significant changes to the way public sector organisations buy goods and services. The Act will help open up public procurement to a broader supplier base, including VCSE organisations. This collection on the Government website runs through the key things you need to know about the Act and how it will change the procurement landscape. It includes a link to the official Cabinet Office learning and development offer, which contains a range of support resources for your organisation. Transforming Public Procurement Knowledge Drops - The Knowledge Drops are a key part of the Government’s learning and development offer and are designed to provide a high-level overview of the changes to the procurement regulations. They take the form of short video presentations and there’s specific guidance for VCSE suppliers. You can find out more about how the Procurement Act will help VCSEs in this short video: Small and Medium Business Hub – The majority of social enterprises are small and medium size businesses (SMEs) and the Government has a commitment to support these organisations through procurement. As part of this, it has created the Small and Medium Business Hub to bring together guidance and resources. It contains information on where to look when applying for contracts, information on prompt payment, case studies, and action plans created by individual government departments on how they look to work with SMEs.  Finding Opportunities Contracts Finder – This is government’s single online portal on which contracts valued above £10,000 in central government and above £25,000 in the rest of the non-devolved public sector are listed. It’s free to use to find opportunities. You don’t have to register, but if you do, you can set up an account to have new opportunities that suit your organisation emailed to you regularly. Join Frameworks – Framework Agreements are ‘umbrella’ arrangements allowing multiple suppliers to be listed as potentially being able to work on a specific contract. They are agreed by a lead buyer with one or more suppliers. Once part of a Framework Agreement the lead buyer and other pre-advertised organisations can purchase goods and services from your organisation. More information is in the VCSE guide listed above. Government Dynamic Purchasing System – signing to the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is similar to an electronic Framework Agreement but one which allows new suppliers to join at any time. They however have their own set of requirements. More information can be found in the VCSE guide listed above. Getting contract ready A key part of being able to win public sector contracts is to make sure your organisation is contract ready. Here are a few resources to help apply from support courses and webinars to publications. SSE Programmes The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) run a series of programmes and courses to support social enterprises grow and develop. These include: Social Business Modelling and Scaling – This workshop covers a broad range of integrated topics that are instrumental in creating and expanding a successful social business model. Winning Grants from Trusts and Foundations – This course will equip organisations with the tools needed to secure more funding from trusts and foundations, showing you how to identify valuable funder prospects, develop a more compelling case for support, write more impactful applications and build strong long-term relationships with funders Unlocking Social Investment - Social investment can offer impact-driven organisations valuable investment to help achieve their aims but many don’t know what it is, where to find it or how it works. In this workshop, you will get all the essential information and gain insights from expert speakers to help you take your next steps with social investment and unlock this potentially game-changing funding source. Measuring Social Impact – This three-day course is full of the information you need to measure your impact successfully. Measuring Social Value - An introduction to measuring and valuing the changes your work makes on individuals and the knock-on effects of this on their lives. This is how commissioners are looking for you to demonstrate the value of your work when applying for contracts. Bid Writing Support Lime Green Consulting – Lime Green Consulting are a fundraising and strategy consultancy for UK charities and social enterprises. They offer bid-writing support and review applications. They also run training programmes in partnership with organisations like the School for Social Entrepreneurs. Key things to have in place to apply for a bid When applying for a public sector contract, VCSEs need to ensure that they have a few things in place before applying. These include: insurance policy modern slavery policy cybersecurity certificates Access to funding Access to appropriate funding is vitally important for VCSEs to grow and develop. Here are some places to go to find advice and finance from repayable social investment to grant funding. Find a Grant - Find a grant is a pilot service that allows organisations to both search for government grants and find out if they are eligable for support.  Access - The Foundation for Social Investment - Access’s mission is to make sure that social enterprises and charities can access the finance they need to sustain or grow their impact. As a social investment wholesaler, Access funds a series programmes designed to help social enterprises and charities - from blended finance (grants and loans) to investment readiness programmes.  The National Lottery Community Fund – The National Lottery raises money for good causes, supporting charities, community groups and social enterprises access grant funding. In 2021/22 it awarded over £579 million to these organisations. Current live funds can be found here. Good Finance – The Good Finance website is designed to help social enterprises and charities navigate the world of social investment. It contains resources to help you find out if repayable finance is for you, a fund mapper, case studies and a pre-investment support page for organisations that are not yet investment ready. Funders Online – A database of over 8,000 sources of grant funding. Organisations need to pay a subscription to access the resources. UnLtd – UnLtd is the foundation for social entrepreneurs. They run a series of awards offering funding for smaller social enterprises and also provide social investment (repayable finance) through the Growth Impact Fund. Get your organisation noticed With social value being a mandated part of central government contracts and all public sector bodies having to consider social value in commissioning as well as an increased focus on ESG amongst corporates – organisations from across the public and private sector are looking for VCSEs they can partner with. Here’s some ways on getting your organisation noticed. Social Enterprise Directory – All Social Enterprise UK members are featured on SEUK’s Social Enterprise Directory which is used by organisations looking to find social enterprise suppliers. If you are a social enterprise and not a member of SEUK you can find out more about membership here.

According to Social Enterprise UK cuts to energy support for business will not deliver savings and could cost taxpayers more. If the proposed changes go through as many as 10,000 social enterprises could face closure putting as many as 160,000 jobs at risk and costing the UK billions in lost output and tax revenue. Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK commented: “British businesses that should be at the heart of our economic recovery face the threat of closure should the Government prematurely cut back its energy support package for business. In the social enterprise sector, even the existing package has proven inadequate, with at least 3,900 social enterprises set to close, and over 10,000 more at risk of closure. This could put as many as 160,000 jobs at risk and could potentially cost the UK billions in lost output and tax revenue. The long-term costs to the economy would likely outweigh any savings made today from cutting energy support. If the Government goes through with further reductions in support, then the collapse of more social enterprises will become inevitable. Communities across the country will be deprived of businesses that are committed to investing in tackling social challenges and fostering inclusive growth. Supporting social enterprise today is not a cost, but an investment, one that will pay dividends when viable businesses survive these hard times and are able to drive the future recovery.”

Newcastle is the latest area to gain registered Social Enterprise Place status by Social Enterprise UK, recognising the city as a hotspot of social enterprise activity. Social Enterprise Places are areas of the country where social enterprises and key regional stakeholders such as local government, other businesses and universities have come together to form thriving areas of social enterprise activity. SEUK’s Social Enterprise Places Programme recognises and supports these areas. Newcastle is the 34th registered Social Enterprise Place in the UK and joins Gateshead, Sunderland and Durham as the next city in the North East to gain this status. The city is home to a dynamic social enterprise ecosystem with 323 social enterprises operating across the economy including youth services, arts and culture organisations, community health and wellbeing services, and business support bodies. They come in all sizes from businesses turning over millions to small community focused organisations. Social enterprises are also starting up in Newcastle at a rapid rate with the number of registered Community Interest Companies (CICs) growing by over a half between 2019 and 2022. The bid to become a Social Enterprise Place was co-ordinated by a stakeholder group which consisted of local social enterprises, Newcastle City Council and other organisations who have put together an action plan to create the best environment for these businesses to thrive in the city. Commenting on Newcastle becoming a Social Enterprise Place, Peter Holbrook Chief Executive at Social Enterprise UK said: “Newcastle is home to a vibrant, growing social enterprise community and we congratulate the city on gaining Social Enterprise Place status. We also recognise the incredible efforts of the social enterprises behind the bid to come together and set out a plan to further grow the impact of social enterprises in the city. As the cost of living crisis continues to bite and inequalities become ever more apparent, the role of social enterprise has never been more important. It is vital that these businesses, which are so often on the frontline of supporting communities through the crisis, are supported and invested in. Through becoming a registered Social Enterprise Place this fantastic city has committed to placing social enterprise at the heart of regional economic development.” For more information read this press release on the Newcastle City Council website. Find out more about the Social Enterprise Place programme here.

Over the last decade the social care sector in England has seen unprecedented demand coupled with funding cuts and workforce recruitment and retention challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic added more pressure to already stretched social care systems. Recent research at the University of Birmingham has been exploring the contribution of social enterprises to the adult social care sector. As part of this research, we analysed data from the 2019 and 2021 ‘State of Social Enterprise’ survey focusing only on social enterprises delivering social care services (‘care social enterprises’). We looked at any changes in the sector immediately before and after the pandemic. Overall, the survey suggests that the care social enterprise sector responded positively to the challenges of Covid-19. Between 2019 and 2021, most care social enterprises not only survived, but we found generally positive indications of growth and reports of diversification and innovation. Whilst the pandemic created challenges for the sector, including financial difficulties – with 32% of care social enterprises reporting that they drew on their financial reserves and 20% having increased borrowing in response to the pandemic - most (68%) did not pass any financial burden on to their service users. Many care social enterprises surveyed reported that their annual income had increased; with almost twice as many organisations reporting an annual income exceeding £1m in 2021 than had done in 2019, although the actual proportion reporting income exceeding £1m was relatively small (just under 20% in 2019), with medium income of £100,000. More care social enterprises also reported making a profit in 2021 (56%) compared to 2019 (44%). An overwhelming 81% of care social enterprises surveyed reported that they changed their processes and/or ways of thinking in response to the pandemic. As well as adapting in response to Covid-19, care social enterprises were found generally to be dynamic; in 2021, 48% reported that they had expanded into new markets and 62% had developed new products. Many also reported that they had expanded the reach of their services, with over three quarters (78%) operating across more than one local authority area in 2021 (compared with 59% in 2019). Similarly, the number of employees in care social enterprises increased between 2019 and 2021 from a median of five to twelve employees, and more than two-thirds (68%) expected their staff number to growth further. Whilst the number of staff grew, staffing was affected by the pandemic with 42% of care social enterprises reporting furloughing staff, 44% asked staff to take on additional roles, and over half provided or switched to remote working.  The most common objective of care social enterprises was reported as ‘supporting vulnerable people’ and one notable trend over the last two years has been the prioritisation of adult mental health and wellbeing. Whilst this is reflected in the entire social enterprise sector [1], with nearly a third of the sector prioritising adult mental health and wellbeing as a main objective, a more dramatic shift is visible in care social enterprises with adult mental health listed as a priority objective by 27% in 2019, and more than doubling to 59% in 2021.  This is congruent with increasing demand on NHS mental health services post COVID19 [2] and supports the notion of adaptability and resilience in recent years in the care social enterprise sector. Care social enterprises therefore appear to have responded well to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are widely recognised as driving innovation and as having real expertise around their communities. These qualities may make them well placed to fill some of the gaps in statutory care and support, and in turn gain recognition as integral stakeholders in health and care systems [3]. In recent years care social enterprises have therefore proven their ability to adapt and innovate in response to changing demands and challenges.  Furthermore, they have continued to grow and remain profitable in the face of crisis. By Kelly Hall, Kelly Hayward and Phil Kinghorn, University of Birmingham  [1] SEUK (2021) No going back- state of social enterprise survey 2021, https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/seuk-report/no-going-back-state-of-social-enterprise-survey-2021/ [2] NHS Confederation (2021) Increase in demand for mental health support is being felt across the system, 25 October 2021, https://www.nhsconfed.org/articles/increase-demand-mental-health-support-being-felt-across-system [3] ADASS (2020) The voluntary and community sector in a world shaped by Covid https://www.adass.org.uk/next-steps-for-the-vcs-the-voluntary-and-community-sector-in-a-world-shaped-by-covid

WRS Insurance Brokers are thrilled to join Social Enterprise UK. WRS are a team of experienced and committed social enterprise insurance professionals. We take pride in only sourcing our products from insurers who we believe are financially sound and ethical. WRS’s experienced social enterprise insurance team are passionate about the sector. We understand the challenges social enterprises face as we are a Certified Social Enterprise ourselves. For more than four decades, we’ve been supporting a wide range of charities and other third sector organisations with their insurance needs, so are well placed to help advise you on the best insurance for social enterprises like yours. No matter how big or small your social enterprise is or what your day-to-day activities involve, it’s almost certain we’ve helped an enterprise like yours find the insurance they need. Get a no obligation review of your social insurance by contacting Francesca Kirkham today. Get in touch here

The winners of the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2022 were announced last night at a gala reception at the iconic Roundhouse in Camden, London. The Awards were a celebration of the impact of the UK’s social enterprise community and brought together leading social enterprises with supporters of the sector – from corporates to social investors. It was a real showcase of why social enterprise represents business at its best and, across fifteen categories, highlighted the diversity and strength of the sector. The winner of the overall Social Enterprise of the Year Award was auticon, the pioneering international tech consultancy that exclusively employs professional consultants on the autism spectrum. View the full list of winners here Guests enjoyed entertainment from Alex Horne and his band The Horne Section as well as from award-winning comedian Shazia Mirza and performers from social enterprise, Black Sheep Collective. Commenting on the Awards, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: “The last year has been a difficult one for businesses across the UK, and it has been no different for social enterprises. The Awards were a real evening of hope and inspiration and brought home the sheer ingenuity, adaptability and determination of the social enterprise community, which has continued to deliver for the people and communities they work with and support. “The winners include businesses which are breaking down barriers for groups marginalised in the workforce, organisations at the heart of local economies, and those finding innovative ways to tackle the climate crisis. The ever-growing movement of social enterprise truly represents business at its best.” As well as celebrating the successes of the social enterprise movement the Awards used a social enterprise supply chain. Trophies were made by Designs in Mind – a social enterprise working with adults living with mental health challenges and catering was provided by The Clink, a business working in prisons. Social enterprise also provided the photography, table gifts, awards brochure and water. SEUK worked with social enterprise event management company, Fuse Events, to run the event. The Awards were delivered in partnership with Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland and Social Enterprise Scotland.

29 November 2022 On the evening of 28 November the House of Lords voted on an amendment to the Procurement Bill to include social value within the legislation. This will help ensure social value is embedded in public procurement. Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise UK said: Last night the House of Lords voted to put social value into the Procurement Bill, standing up for the public so that decisions about the money we spend have to consider how we build a better society and protect the planet. At a time when our country faces multiple crises, we need to focus on social value more than ever. True value for money means considering the wider social, economic and environmental value that social enterprise creates. The ball is now in the Government’s court, but I hope that they will listen to social enterprises, businesses, public sector leaders and the House of Lords who all want to see social value not just embedded into public sector procurement, but expanded.

We are delighted to launch our 2022 Christmas Gift Guide, featuring products from Social Enterprise UK members! It’s got your Christmas shopping covered from chocolates to socks and babygrows to growing herbs. The guide is full of presents with purpose and across six categories you’ll find gifts for children, stocking fillers, food and drink, items for your home and garden, clothing and accessories. It includes gifts which empower workers and support communities, products handmade by people learning new skills to change their lives, and discarded items given new beautiful forms. When you buy from a social enterprise you are buying gifts that gift back from businesses that are built to make a difference. We hope you enjoy browsing through the guide and buying social this Christmas! Click here to check out our Christmas Gift Guide

17 November 2022 Responding to the Autumn Statement, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: The Chancellor spoke of the resilience and inventiveness of the British people, these are qualities that the social enterprise community has in abundance, but these purpose-led businesses will need the support of Government to survive this recession and inflationary pressures. Social enterprises work in every sector of the economy including public services and so while the Chancellor was right to protect health and education budgets, SEUK is concerned by the absence of a clear plan to protect other vital services. It is vital that these purpose-led businesses, which create social and environmental value as well as jobs and GDP to the UK are able to keep the lights on and keep trading through this crisis. SEUK will continue to lobby the Government for more support for social enterprises on energy bills and to be a voice for social enterprise throughout this crisis.

Social Enterprise UK have launched a brand-new Social Enterprise Directory. Featuring our members, the Directory is a unique way for social enterprises to connect with potential customers. Organisations and consumers who want to purchase with purpose can use the Directory to find social enterprises they could work with or buy from. All members that are social enterprises can be listed on the Directory. Members can update their profile either through the Directory itself or by contacting our membership team on membership@socialenterprise.org.uk.   The Directory is the place to visit if you want to explore the social enterprise movement- you can search by product type, social/environmental mission or by location.  CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE DIRECTORY

Thousands of social enterprises may not survive the winter amid rising energy and operating costs and concerns over accessing contracts and funding, according to the findings of Social Enterprise UK’s latest Social Enterprise Barometer Report. Across the 222 respondents, the report highlighted signs of strain over the last quarter, with cashflow and reserves positions worsened, turnover and growth expectations down, and a decline in staff numbers. 3% of respondents said they expected to close in the next few months, which if applied to the 131,000 social enterprises the government estimates there to be in the UK, would mean around 4,000 social enterprises could be at risk of closure this winter[1] Many social enterprises are uncertain about their growth expectations, with nearly a third (30%) saying that growth is dependent on pending funding applications, income or contracts. In response to the cost-of-living crisis, nearly two-thirds of respondents (61%) said they are seeking new grant funding, half are reducing spend on non-essential inputs and services, more than a third (36%) said they have had to increase prices, and a third (30%) are reducing their profit margin. The main concerns identified by social enterprises within the next three-six months are accessing funding and finance (57%), costs related to staff (40%) and energy prices (35%). Over a third of respondents (35%) are concerned about reduced demand for their products/services and just over a quarter are concerned about capacity to meet increased demand (27%). Respondents were also asked what forms of support would help in the current economic climate. Among the top suggestions, a third of respondents said they would like support with cashflow and cuts to national insurance contributions, a quarter of respondents wanted better terms and conditions on public sector contracts, and around a fifth of respondents wanted support with energy bill payments and cuts in business rates. Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of SEUK, said: “It’s clear from this report that the combined crises surrounding energy, inflation and recession have many social enterprises concerned for their future. “Our past research has shown that social enterprises prove more resilient to economic challenges than other businesses, so the degree of strain social enterprises are experiencing demonstrates the scale of the difficulties they are facing. “Most social enterprises work with people directly affected by the rising cost of living and they themselves need government support to brace the barrage of economic and financial instability. “Social Enterprise UK will closely monitor Government support announcements as it must enable social enterprises as they tackle the issues facing our communities and our planet. It is a matter of urgency.” The Social Enterprise Barometer report can be accessed through SEUK’s new Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre. Launched on 9th November, the Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre seeks to be the UK’s most comprehensive source of evidence on social enterprise. [1] Based on the new government estimate of 131,000 social enterprises in the UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1101560/Social_Enterprise_Market_Trends_2019_-_Middlesex_University.pdf

Social Enterprise UK has today launched the Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre – which aims to be a world-class source of evidence and insights on social enterprise. For more than a decade, our data and evidence has been the foundation of much of the research on social enterprise in the UK. Information collected by us on social enterprise activity drives understanding, awareness and progress. It informs public policy, from the creation of Better Society Capital (formerly Big Society Capital) and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, to the Social Value Act and the development of public service mutuals, as well as the recent Adebowale Commission on Social Investment. The new Knowledge Centre brings together evidence compiled by us with wider sources of data, to make the UK’s most comprehensive source of information about social enterprise. It houses qualitative and quantitative information and will produce evidence for a range of audiences exploring key thematic areas of interest for social enterprises and their support ecosystem. Working in partnership with social investors, foundations, government, support organisations, academia and social enterprises, the Knowledge Centre will produce a wide range of reports and insight to promote understanding and inform positive change. Click here to visit the knowledge centre The Knowledge Centre is the home of our State of Social Enterprise Reports – our flagship piece of research looking in depth at the UK social enterprise community. Published every two years the report highlights key trends in the social enterprise sector. It also houses our quarterly Barometer reports which give a snapshot of social enterprise performance as well as how specific economic and political developments are affecting social enterprises. The Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre is supported by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment. Social Investment Business and Better Society Capital.

Calling all social enterprises - Social Enterprise Day 2022 is on Thursday 17 November. The day is a great platform to help raise awareness and understanding of social enterprise and make some noise about your social enterprise and the way your business is making a difference.At SEUK we’ve been working on three different ways that you can get involved this year. Social media This Social Enterprise Day we want to celebrate the work of the wonderful social enterprise community. We’re asking you to take to social media to tell everyone about what you or your social enterprise does. You could also post about some of the people from your team who make it happen. Please tag with #SocialEnterpriseDaye.g.  Here at Acme products we are celebrating #SocialEnterpriseDay and we are proud to say that we’ve been making amazing social enterprise products that make a real difference for the last ten years. Let’s introduce you to some of our lovely team:[Insert image of one of the team]This is [name] and their job is to look after our wonderful customers! Media We have sent SEUK members a template press release to send to local newspapers, radio or TV stations to help raise the profile of the work they are doing and any activities planned for Social Enterprise Day. If you are an SEUK member and have not yet received the template release, please do contact our press office – pressoffice@socialenterprise.org.uk   To find out more about joining membership click here.We’ve created a press release template that you can adapt and send to your local newspaper, radio or TV station telling them about your business and any activity you have planned for Social Enterprise Day. You can find your local media’s contact details on their websites. Campaign with us You can make your voice heard as part of our Dormant Assets campaign – (find out more about what we’re campaigning on here). We are asking social enterprises to contact their local MP ahead of Social Enterprise Day to call on them to support investing dormant assets in social enterprises and community businesses. Find out more about the campaign and take action here.

The 17th of November marks Global Social Enterprise Day – a day to recognise and celebrate organisations who are implementing the social enterprise business model to address problems such as the unemployment crises faced by refugee communities or the ongoing homelessness crisis across the UK.Together, TRAMPOLINE, Breaking Barriers and TERN are hosting an event to bring their networks together to celebrate their trainees, clients and social entrepreneurs they support. Throughout the evening we will be hearing from budding entrepreneurs, and the volunteers and business leaders who support their ambitions. The event will be taking place on 17th November at the TRAMPOLINE cafe in London - 27 Camden Passage N1 8EA from 17:30 onwards BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE HERE

One of SEUK's main jobs is to raise the profile of the social enterprise sector amongst decision-makers and also to respond on behalf of our members to policies that affect social enterprise. In this webinar our Director of External Affairs, Andrew O'Brien, looked back at the latest political developments and how they will impact the social enterprise movement. 1 November 2022

31 October 2022 Homeshare services across the UK are raising awareness this week of how they can support their local community by safely matching older people living alone with those seeking affordable accommodation. The news comes as the true scale of loneliness for all ages in the UK is becoming understood.1.4 million older people in the UK are often lonely[1].Many people in mid and later life are also finding themselves without affordable housing options due to the increasing cost of living. Homeshare, works by matching people together for mutual support; a person who has a spare room and is looking for company and a bit of practical support, shares their home with someone looking for affordable accommodation. Both people benefit from the companionship and having a friendly face at home. The householder typically receives 10 hours per week of practical support provided by the homesharer such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, gardening or even enjoying social activities together, but no personal care is involved. Younger people are being priced out of the villages, towns, and cities they want to live in, for work or study. Latest figures again show that the average age at which people can leave home even to rent is rising along with the proportion of income spent on housing. Across the UK, local Homeshare providers offer more people the opportunity to live sociably and affordably whatever their age, with the right support structures in place to make it safe and enjoyable. They are supported by Homeshare UK – the UK network for local Homeshare providers. This week is Homeshare Aware week, where organisations across the UK are calling on older people and their relatives to get in touch and not face another quiet winter if they’d prefer some company at home. As the darker nights draw in, more people feel safe and secure having the reassurance of an overnight presence and someone to share a meal with. Catherine Ambrose, Homeshare UK Service Manager from Homeshare UK said, “Whilst practical support in the home is beneficial for older people in our area, we find that the majority of our Homeshare matches say that having companionship and a safe place to live is the top benefit for them. Just hearing the key in the lock as the night draws in, as someone comes in from work, is reassuring. “Family and friends of an older relative feel much more at ease knowing their loved one has someone in the home with them, who has their best interests at heart. Younger people also benefit from the companionship and learn new skills from someone of a different generation.” Homeshare matches are facilitated, supported and closely monitored by their local Homeshare provider. As members of Homeshare UK, they draw on established national good practice guidance and a quality assurance framework from Homeshare UK to ensure safety and quality, including face-to-face and ongoing support. A daughter of a householder with Homeshare Living said, “Homesharing has made such a difference to my mum’s life. She is much happier as she is not alone in the evenings, and she has someone else to chat to, share meals with and care about. It has also given me immense peace of mind that someone is there in case anything happens. Mum is well in to her 90’s now and I feel sure that things would have been very different, and she would probably not have been able to stay in her home these last few years if she hadn’t had a sharer.” Deborah Fox, Head of Homeshare UK, who are organising the campaign says, “We know that winter is a time when we naturally see even fewer people during the shorter days, more than a million older people say they go over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour, or family member. With the cost of living constantly on the rise, we’re experiencing more unsettling times, however having someone at home to provide companionship, reassurance and support has a positive impact on the well-being of those in Homeshare arrangements. “This year during Homeshare Aware Week we’re asking older people and their relatives to get in touch with one of the 20 Homeshare organisations across the UK, who offer wonderful opportunities for older and younger people to connect and help each other out – whether it’s practical, offering a spare room, or companionship. We all need real life company more than ever in our society today. “It's a safe and enjoyable way to relieve the pressure of living alone and bring peace of mind to everyone involved.” To find out more about Homeshare and enquire with your local provider please visit https://homeshareuk.org/ If you are interested in setting up a Homeshare UK social franchise visit https://homeshareuk.org/franchise-opportunities/ About Homeshare UK Homeshare UK is part of Shared Lives Plus, the membership charity for a kinder, stronger society built on sharing our lives and our homes. We build communities where everyone lives a full life, regardless of the support they need. Homeshare UK is a vibrant network of likeminded individuals who are passionate about delivering Homeshare in a safe and effective way. We also help anyone who wants to start a Homeshare service with bespoke advice, training and consultancy. We are members of Homeshare International, and proactively work with Homeshare providers across the world. In 2021 Homeshare UK secured a 1.2 million pound grant to support the scale up of Homeshare across the UK. This money will be used to incubate two large scale programmes across the north of England and a franchise model that will be suitable for delivery in smaller towns and rural locations. Find out more at www.homeshareuk.org [1] https://www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/policy-research/loneliness-research-and-resources/

Many social enterprises have little time for marketing, often relying on social media to build communities and share news – but what should you be focusing on and what else should you be doing? In this webinar, Jane Thompson from Thompson Marketing took attendees through different strategies to help get organisations noticed, whilst ensuring you don’t feel overwhelmed as a business owner. The webinar covered: Marketing strategy and ensuring you focus on what works for youWhy content is always kingSocial media platforms – what to focus on and how to manage themPractical tips and tools to help you feel confident and build your marketing know-how Watch the recording here: 12 October 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwA2v5GIDGA

Social enterprises are more representative of wider society than traditional businesses with 14% being led by someone from a Black, Asian or other minority ethnic community, compared to just 8% of SMEs.[1] This Black History Month we are spotlighting Black-led social enterprises which are breaking down barriers, creating opportunities and transforming lives. The Blair Project Set up by brothers Nile and Blair Henry when they were just teenagers, The Blair Project is a Manchester based social enterprise on a mission to diversify the STEM workforce and accelerate the transition to net zero through sustainable motorsport. The business aims to provide opportunities to young people so that they can participate in the green tech revolution through building, racing and accelerating innovations in electric go-karts. Combining fun with learning, the Blair Project has helped build confidence and open up new possibilities for the young people it works with. One of the social enterprises’ main programmes is the ProtoEV Challenge which works with young people aged 10-19. The Challenge sees teams work together to convert used petrol go-karts into electric e-karts giving participants knowledge in topics such as physics, IT, design and branding as well as technical skills in areas such as 3D printing, battery technologies and electronic controls. Diversity and inclusion are core to the Project’s work and programmes are specifically set up to target young people who have low awareness of jobs in STEM with a real focus on supporting young Black and Asian youth, women and working-class talent from all backgrounds. So far the business has worked with over 560 young people. 95% of participants who complete the ProtoEV programme have found jobs, apprenticeships or moved into further education. theblairproject.org Generation Success Founded after the London Riots in 2011 by social entrepreneur James Adeleke, Generation Success was created with the aim of countering the “lost generation” narrative which characterised much of the media coverage of the events. The company aims to give people from poorer communities access to the same opportunities open to the wealthy or as James phrases it to: “create a world where your career opportunities are not determined by your birth”. The social enterprise is dedicated to social mobility, running a series of programmes specifically focused on young people from minority and low-income backgrounds. These include mentoring, networking events, training and job opportunities designed to allow businesses to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. Generation Success now has partnerships with 70 employers including big businesses like PwC, SAP and BT and even the BBC. Through working in partnership with businesses, Generation Success has been able to work with organisations to help transform their recruitment practices and open up access to a pool of talent that is overlooked. James’ work has received several accolades, including earning a place on the NatWest SE100 Index, and winning the Entrepreneur of Excellence Award in the National Diversity Awards 2022. Generation Success’s work has been transformative. The social enterprise now has a network of over 10,000 young people, 70% of whom are from disadvantaged and/or ethnic minority backgrounds. It recently launched a programme in partnership with other organisations to increase diversity in the sustainability sector which currently is only made up of an estimated 3.1% of professionals from a ethnic minority background. generation-success.com Rising Star Property Solutions La’Toyah Lewis came up with the idea of setting up a business to give people a second chance when her personal circumstances led to it being difficult for her to find work. Her own lived experience meant she was keenly aware of how poverty and lack of opportunity are  barriers to employment, and it was this that inspired her to set up Rising Star Property Solutions. Rising Stars is a social enterprise property service company dedicated to supporting disadvantaged groups including ex-offenders, people with mental health issues, single parents and those experiencing long-term unemployment. It has now grown to become the third largest property service company in the Midlands, managing a portfolio of over 60,000 properties. Unlike other property service businesses, Rising Stars is “social value and people-led” with a mission to provide work experience, training and employment opportunities to disadvantaged groups. The business primarily works with the social housing sector offering four main services – cleaning, clearance, gardening and construction. All of its money is earned through trading and profit is put back into training, employing and supporting more people. risingstarpropertysolutions.com [1] https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/seuk-report/no-going-back-state-of-social-enterprise-survey-2021/

17 October 2022 Responding to today’s announcements from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: Social Enterprise UK welcomes the Chancellor's commitment to targeting energy support for business and encouraging energy efficiency, as social enterprises are more likely than other SMEs to have been investing in energy efficiency since before the energy crisis began. We call on the Chancellor to consider investing more in the social enterprise sector to help accelerate this work and contribute to an enterprise-led recovery.  Social enterprises are under pressure from increased energy costs now and will need support as long as the energy crisis continues, which is unlikely to stop in April.

Buying from social enterprises has never been more important. Whether you are visiting a café and want to find one that is giving jobs to people with learning difficulties, like Lily’s Social Kitchen, or buying a new fence from a company giving skills to ex-offenders, like Trinity Fencing, or buying some amazing gifts from a company giving high street space to local makers, like Made in Ashford, this conference will explore how we can all support each other. It will also look at how we engage the public and other businesses to buy from social enterprises. Social Enterprise Kent will also be launching their new Buy Local, Buy Social directory – a FREE directory to promote social enterprises in the region Speakers include: Damian Green, MP for AshfordClaudia Sykes OBE, Social Enterprise KentAndrew O’Brien, Social Enterprise UKTudor Price, Kent Invicta Chamber of CommerceJosephine McCartney, Kent Community Foundation And more! Details: Friday 18th November 9.30am registration, tea and coffee ready for 10am startClose at 4pm Spaces are limited, so we are requesting only 2 people per organisation attend. BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

As we wrote earlier in the summer, HM Government is running a consultation on how the English portion of reclaimed dormant assets should be spent (dormant assets being a financial product, such as a bank account, which has not been used for many years, and which the provider has been unable to reunite with its owner despite efforts aligned with industry best practice)The last round of dormant assets helped to create Big Society Capital and laid the platform for the social investment market. It created the Access Foundation. It created Fair For All Finance and the Youth Endowment Fund. These are all significant investments and interventions. Dormant assets matter.The consultation lasts until 9th October (this Sunday) and as promised, Social Enterprise UK has put together a template which you can download and send to the consultation – saving you time whilst making sure your voice is heard What do you need to do in five easy steps Download the template response. Insert the name of your social enterprise (Q2), the sector you work in (Q6) and the geography that your social enterprise operates across (Q8). Check that you are happy with the template response and add in any additional points you would like to make. Email dormantassetsconsultation@almaeconomics.com with a copy of the template and cc our Director of External Affairs - andrew.obrien@socialenterprise.org.uk so we can track response rates. If you are super-keen, you can also tweet @DCMS to tell them you have taken part in the consultation and you want dormant assets to help grow the social enterprise sector. Something like: I’ve taken part in the Dormant Assets Consultation 2022 because I want @DCMS to use dormant assets to invest in #socialenterprise through social investment and Community Wealth Funds. Once you have hit send you’ve done your bit to help the sector! What we are calling for We have two simple asks. One is for more money for social investment to address the issues raised by the Adebowale Commission on Social Investment.The Commission found that whilst social investment had helped some social enterprises, it had not fulfilled its potential due to a lack of flexible capital which could be deployed to provide “enterprise-centric” finance. It also found geographical and racial inequalities in the distribution of social investment.The Commission made several recommendations to address these challenges including the creation of a £50m black-led social investment fund to tackle inequalities faced by black-led social enterprises, putting more investment into place-led infrastructure and creating a “Frontiers Fund” to provide capital to give flexible finance into social enterprises.We need dormant assets to resolve these issues, to reform the market and get social enterprises the access to finance they need. Our second ask is to support the development of Community Wealth Funds. These funds would distribute locally administered pots of money which would be used to provide patient funding for social infrastructure – the community spaces and social enterprises that we depend upon and bring us together. This proposal is being championed by the Community Wealth Fund Alliance which includes Social Enterprise UK. We need to invest in our communities and dormant assets can provide some of the resources to do that.Both of these can be funded through dormant assets and they compliment each other. Don't miss your chance to have your say Unfortunately, just reading this email and nodding along won’t be taken into consideration by DCMS.The only way to have your say is to fill in their survey or download our template response and email it in (which will be quicker, I promise!).At a time when social enterprises need help to grow and sustain themselves, you can do your bit to help our sector get access to £738m of dormant assets.Don’t miss your chance to influence the decision By Andrew O'Brien - Director of External Affairs at Social Enterprise UK

After weeks of waiting, we now know what the new Government is going to do to help social enterprises, and other businesses, through the winter and the current energy crisis.   Here is a quick analysis of what all the announcements mean for social enterprise and what the next few months could hold for our sector. Energy price cap All businesses, voluntary organisations and public sector organisations who are on a non-domestic contract, a fixed price contract agreed on or after April 1st 2022, in the process of signing new fixed price contracts, on deemed/out of contractor variable tariffs or on a flexible purchase or similar contract will see a general discount applied to their bills. A price has been set for energy at £211 per megawatt hour (MWh) for electricity and £75 per MWh for gas. A comparable rate will be set for Northern Ireland which is in an energy market with the Republic of Ireland. This rate compares with the expected whole cost of energy of around £600 per MWh for electricity and £180 per MWh for gas. So the announcement represents a significant discount. However, it is important to bear in mind: Your energy bill will still be going up – although the discount will substantially reduce the increase, bills will still increase. To give a sense of the change, the FSB calculated that the cost of electricity for businesses had increased by 349% between February 2021 and August 2022. Energy bills may still double compared to the previous year and it is worth planning accordingly. Your bill is also determined by how much energy you use, if you use more energy this winter for whatever reason, it could be higher still. This support is only due to last for six months – there is no guarantee that this will continue beyond March 2023 and you should plan accordingly. SEUK is calling for an extension until the energy crisis passes, but there is no clear indication from government whether it is going to listen to that advice. Energy bills are not the only things driving inflation – supply chain pressures, higher costs of materials, the fall in the value of the pound relative to other currencies and higher wages will all feed through into inflation. Inflation may be slightly lower than expected due to this announcement but is expected to be at historic highs for many months to come. Tax cuts to encourage investment and spending The “mini-budget” has also seen a number of tax rises cancelled that would have affected social enterprises. National Insurance – the national insurance rise of 1.25% has been reversed and the Health and Social Care levy has been cancelled. This will reduce the cost of employing staff, often one of the biggest costs of running a social enterprise. Corporation tax - the cancelling of the planned rise in corporation tax will mean that social enterprises generating distributable profits will be taxed at a lower rate than they otherwise would have been. For social entrepreneurs depending on the dividends of their business for income, this will provide some relief. Annual Investment Allowance – the annual investment allowance (the amount of corporation tax you can write off due to investment in plant or machinery) has been increased to £1m. This will help any social enterprises planning to make significant investments in physical capital over the next few years. Alcohol Duty – frozen for one year from February 2023. This will avoid any tax-related price rises for social enterprises running bars, pubs, restaurants or other venues selling alcohol or social enterprises which host events with alcohol. From a cash flow perspective, most of these measures are unlikely to have much effect (bar the National Insurance Cut). Cuts in corporation tax or increases in the annual allowance are good if you are generating distributable profits, but otherwise unlikely to provide significant help. There will be another Budget later in the year, however, where further tax or spending changes may be made. We will continue to ask for further targeted support to help the cash flow of firms, particularly around employment – which can help ease cash flow and support trading. Reforecasting and replanning Like all businesses, social enterprises will be reforecasting their budgets and developing new plans based on the announcements made and the general economic conditions. If your social enterprise faces financial distress, the most important thing is to speak to your clients, customers and networks as soon as possible. Funders and supporters may be able to help you, or you may be able to negotiate relationships with your clients or customers that reflect the new reality. The worst thing to do is wait.  Social Enterprise UK will continue to run webinars and provide information on ways that can help your social enterprise over the difficult period ahead. Keep an eye on your emails for these events and get in touch if you have any concerns.  A bumpy road ahead At the time of writing there is significant instability in the markets about these announcements and it is very likely that social enterprises are going to face an uncertain eighteen months. Has the Chancellor done enough to avoid recession? Will inflation come down next year? How long with the energy crisis last? These are questions we simply cannot answer. However, social enterprises have shown themselves to be incredibly resilient businesses over the past decade. Austerity, Brexit, COVID and now the energy crisis – it has never been easy running a social enterprise. At Social Enterprise UK we will keep doing what we can to champion our sector, call for targeted support to help the communities we serve and support social enterprises as best we can. Sticking together we will keep working for a fairer society and a greener future.

26 September 2022 A group of 30 large companies have spent over £250 million with social enterprises by bringing them into their supply chains through Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge. Launched in 2016, the Buy Social Corporate Challenge was set up to encourage corporates to use their everyday procurement spend to create positive social and environmental impact. Starting with seven founding partners the programme has grown to include 30 large businesses ranging from pharmaceuticals to finance who have collectively spent £255 million with social enterprises in the last six years with the overall goal being to get to £1 billion spend by 2026. This quarter of a million spend with social enterprises is one of the key findings in the Year 6 Impact Report of the Challenge which is published today (26 September). The report also shows that the money spent by corporates through the programme has helped create 2,700 jobs and has helped social enterprises increase their impact and access new markets. Through trading with Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners social enterprise suppliers have been able to reinvest approximately £26.5 million into the social or environmental missions. One of the 1,030 social enterprises who have supplied Buy Social Corporate Challenge Partners in the last six years is NEMI Teas – a social enterprise set up to help create jobs for refugees. Pranav Chopra, the founder of NEMI Teas had this to say about their work with corporates through the Buy Social Corporate Challenge: “We are currently working with seven partners on the Challenge and are in consultation with two more. Hopefully we’ll be in a third of their partners’ supply chains shortly! It’s because of the Challenge that I’ve been able to directly reach out to other corporates. The Buy Social Corporate Challenge has been remarkable for businesses which have a social enterprise model and the capacity to deliver.” The report argues that not only does buying from social enterprises make a positive social impact, but that it doesn’t have to cost more: 90% of corporate partners in the challenge reported that social enterprises were cost neutral or even cheaper when compared with other suppliers, while 95% said that social enterprises delivered comparable or higher quality. Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “Following higher scrutiny by investors, stakeholders, staff and consumers, mainstream UK businesses are increasingly considering their social and environmental impact when they set strategy and make decisions. “SEUK welcomes this shift and we believe social enterprise has an important role to play in supporting the wider business community to embrace social value and consider the social and environmental impact of their work. “There is a group of businesses that are leading the way in leveraging their procurement in service of their purpose. The Buy Social Corporate Challenge (BSCC) partners are demonstrating effectively how their purchasing decisions can help them play their part in achieving a fairer and more sustainable economy. “What this sixth annual BSCC report reveals is that the Challenge is on track to deliver its ambitious £1 billion target, thanks to the commitment and vision of our corporate partners and the ability of social enterprises to deliver high-quality products and services.” The corporate partners on the programme are Amey, AstraZeneca, Barclays, CBRE, Co-op, Compass/Foodbuy, Deloitte, EQUANS, GSK, John Sisk & Son Ltd, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Landmarc Support Services, Lendlease, Linklaters, LV=, Mitie, Motorola Solutions, Nationwide, Nestle, NFU Mutual, PwC, Robertson Group, SAP, Siemens, Sodexo, The Crown Estate, Wates Group, Willmott Dixon and Zurich. You can read the full Year 6 Impact Report here

23 September 2022 Responding to Labour’s new National Procurement Plan, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: Social Enterprise UK has long been calling for social value to be beefed up in government contracts. Labour’s plan to prioritise the benefits for local communities and the environment in procurement is a big step in the right direction. It will send a powerful signal to businesses that everyone receiving public money has a responsibility to make our country fairer and our planet greener. The UK spends over £300bn through public procurement every year. The latest research by our Social Value 2032 programme, which brings social enterprises and businesses together, has estimated that we are missing out on over £50bn of added social value through smarter procurement every year. It is good to see Labour looking to close that gap and get value for money for taxpayers.

23 Septemeber 2022 Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, Peter Holbrook, said: The Government’s Plan for Growth sees the UK’s economic future being gambled on tax cuts in the hope that this creates growth. Evidence shows this will not work. With the risk of another painful recession increasing, we must look at building a different model. There are alternatives out there, and social enterprise is at the centre. We will continue to make the case for change because the country cannot prosper without it.

21 Septemeber 2022 Commenting on the energy bill relief scheme announced today, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: This vital intervention from Government will give social enterprises some of the help that they need this winter. The cap will help our sector to protect jobs and investment in local communities, ensuring that they can continue to deliver their social and environmental missions. We now need the energy companies to deliver this discount quickly. Any delay could harm the cashflow of social enterprises and create needless distress. “However, this crisis is not going to go away. Businesses need more certainty to plan and to secure investment for growth, which is why it’s crucial that the Government swiftly clarifies what will happen beyond March next year. Until the energy crisis is resolved, the cap must be kept.

Commenting on Patagonia’s shift to investing its profits into fighting the climate crisis, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: Patagonia’s decision to become a social enterprise proves that global brands can make the shift to build their business around purpose, while still delivering profit and aiming for growth. The company’s Board has explicitly stated that they believe by putting environmental purpose at the heart of their business, they will attract the best staff and deeper loyalty from customers. The scale of the climate crisis can no longer be denied and business has a vital role to play in protecting our planet. As more businesses explore how to improve their positive impact on the environment and society, Patagonia demonstrates the power of changing company structure and governance. We hope more business leaders will see this as a rallying cry and will be bolder in their pursuit of business where purpose and profit go hand in hand.

8 September 2022 Responding to the Prime Minister’s announcement on energy costs this afternoon, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: Today businesses needed to hear from the Prime Minister that the government has a plan to help them stave off calamity this winter and beyond. We have heard only some of the plan for winter, but social enterprises need more detail. It is crucial that businesses are given clarity quickly. We also need to avoid needless cliff-edges. This energy crisis is predicted to last at least a year, not six months, as the government has recognised for households. We must avoid a situation where businesses close or jobs are lost because we have not put in place a long-term plan. The Prime Minister is right to be looking at how the UK can shore itself up against energy crises in future. Two-thirds of social enterprises have or plan to have tackling the climate crisis as one of their legally binding objectives. It’s clear more businesses need to adopt similar commitments to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. We also need to invest in community energy, where social enterprises are working with local people to develop renewables that can reduce carbon emissions and help reduce the cost of energy over the long term.

1 September 2022 Commenting on the serious financial pressures facing social enterprises, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of SEUK, said: “Social enterprise performance has strengthened as we emerge from the height of the COVID crisis. But this growth and resilience is under threat as the business community and wider society face a financial crisis the likes of which has not been seen in almost half a century. Social enterprises are stepping up to the plate to continue to deliver for the causes, communities and people they support and to do the best they can by their staff. However, for many the costs of operating are set to skyrocket, to levels that may challenge even the most robust of social enterprises.  “There are many social enterprises that will be providing vital support to those worst affected by the cost-of-living crisis, and it’s crucial they’re able to keep doing so in the coming winter and beyond.” “We have been working with other business sector groups over the summer on what the package of support required might be and expect to meet with Government representatives to discuss the swift rollout of support once the new Prime Minister is in place.”

Social Enterprise UK is working in partnership with the University of Westminster on a programme of work focused on social enterprises and gender empowerment. Many social enterprises are working to tackle gender inequality – creating jobs, opening up opportunities and tackling entrenched social attitudes. This programme aims to work with social enterprises to help them embed gender empowerment into their work and day-to-day operations. Since November 2021 an expert team of academics from the university have been running a series of practical workshops with participating social enterprises to help them develop strategies to empower the women they employ or support. Early workshops took place online but have now moved to in person events, the latest of which looked at how the Theory of Change and Social Relations Approach can be used to develop gender empowerment strategies. Academics taking part in the programme are Dr Lilian Miles, Dr Maria Granados, Dr Vincent Rich and Dr Anastasia Alexeeva Why should I get involved and who can take part? The workshops are open to any Social Enterprise UK member interested in doing their part to create a gender equal world. Participating social enterprises do not need to have a primary social purpose of tackling gender inequality. The programme is a great way to provide your social enterprise with the organisational tools necessary to put in place systems which empower the women you work with and support, taking academic theory and putting it into practice. Workshops so have have looked in depth at areas such as creating a theory of change, design thinking and impact measurement. If you’re interested in taking part, please contact our membership team at membership@socialenterprise.org.uk Gender Empowerment Guide for Social Enterprises in the UK As part of this series of work the University of Westminster produced a Gender Empowerment Guide for use by social enterprises to empower the women they employ. Co-produced with social enterprises, the guide showcases best practice, potential challenges and how to address them, and provides clear indicators to measure the effectiveness and impact of gender empowerment practices. Click here to read the guide 

The Summer 2022 Social Enterprise Barometer report shows that social enterprises are stepping up to the challenges of the economic storms battering many businesses and communities, but signs of strains are beginning to show. The Social Enterprise Barometer is published quarterly by Social Enterprise UK based on survey feedback from social enterprises. The survey looked at the economic performance of social enterprises in the last quarter as well as the impact rising costs and the resulting cost-of-living crisis is having on these businesses. Overall, across the 173 respondents, turnover and staffing had recovered since January and social enterprises are generally optimistic about the future. There has however been a downward trend in cashflow among those surveyed with more social enterprises responding that they have less than three months’ funds available. Responding to rising costs A key focus of the report was on the impact of rising costs across the economy and the survey showed that two thirds (66%) of social enterprises reported an increase in operating costs with around a quarter (24%) saying costs had increased significantly in the last quarter. Leaders at social enterprises are responding to the challenges of increasing costs for their businesses, staff and customers in different ways. Despite an increase in running costs for 66% of those surveyed, just 27% of respondents had increased their prices. When asked how the cost-of-living crisis was affecting the people and communities they work with and support, a third (33%) of those surveyed expected an increase in demand for their services, and conversely a quarter (23%) expected a fall in demand as people would struggle to afford their products or services. One in five (19%) expected to have to refer people on more to other support services. Supporting and growing the workforce A third (33%) of social enterprises reported having increased their staff numbers in the previous quarter, compared to a quarter (23%) who had done so in March. This may demonstrate that social enterprises tend not to offload staff as a solution to financial difficulties or uncertainty. A third (31%) of those surveyed had increased staff pay and one in six (17%) have taken other measures to protect staff amid the cost-of-living crisis. One London social enterprise leader said: “I have allowed staff to do more hours than I know we can realistically afford in the long term. I let them take more food home and feed them more at work. I have reworked shift patterns to support more lift sharing to save petrol.” Report author Emily Darko, Director of Research at SEUK, said:   “This report offers a finger on the pulse of the social enterprise movement and shows that because social enterprises are mission-led, their emphasis is on responding to growing demands for support and services – not on profits. We know that social enterprises are resilient and are excellent at flexing to accommodate challenges and pushing for change. However, they of course are not immune to the effects of the economic turbulence: there are clear signs of strain emerging – financially, but also in terms of leadership and staff capacity and wellbeing." You can read the barometer report here

Norwich, Sheffield and Plymouth have been awarded formal accreditation as Social Enterprise Places by Social Enterprise UK for their commitment to developing and supporting social enterprises to thrive. Social Enterprise Places are hotspots of social enterprise activity where these businesses are collectively working to make their area a fairer, greener and more inclusive place to live and do businesses. Since being named the country’s first Social Enterprise City in 2013, Plymouth has seen millions of pounds worth of investment into the city’s social economy and is home to around 200 social enterprises which employ around 9,100 people and which bring in up to £580 million into the economy each year.[1] Norwich contains around 53 social enterprises with a combined turnover of £107 million employing 2,714 people and Sheffield is a city with long history of social enterprise activity with the region being home to 226 social enterprises operating in sectors ranging from tech and manufacturing to community farms, cafes, and even renewable energy projects. All three cities proved not only the progress they have already made on establishing themselves as hubs for social enterprise, but a commitment to build on their achievements. Each new accredited place had to set out a three-year plan for the future of social enterprise in their area. The plans contain a series of specific aims and ambitions to support and sustain the structure and function of the Social Enterprise Place as well as detailed plans and actions to boost each area’s social enterprise community. These plans range from creating programmes to grow markets for social enterprises through engaging with the wider private sector to working with universities to provide social enterprise education and putting on public facing awareness raising campaigns.  Commenting on the accreditation, Peter Holbrook Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: “Each of these three cities has a strong, dynamic social enterprise community. We heartily congratulate them on gaining accredited Social Enterprise Place status, showing their commitment to unlocking the potential of social enterprise. “Sheffield, Norwich and Plymouth are showing the difference social enterprises can make in local communities. As the cost-of-living crisis begins to bite and faced with the fallout of the pandemic now is the time to grow and invest in businesses which are reducing inequalities, creating jobs, and working to protect the environment. There can be no meaningful levelling-up without investment in social enterprise. “These cities are putting social enterprise at the heart of regional development and we look forward to seeing social enterprises continue to grow and flourish in these areas.” Find out more about Social Enterprise Places here [1] https://plymsocent.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Report-Final.pdf

The UK Social Enterprise Awards recognise the nation’s leading social enterprises shining a spotlight on the breadth and diversity of the social enterprise movement. From start-ups to multi-million-pound turnover businesses, health and social care organisations to cutting edge consumer-focused businesses, we’re proud to announce the 2022 shortlist. Congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted! The winners will be announced at a gala event on 8 December at London's iconic Roundhouse. UK Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Keegan and 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. auticon Change Please CIC Corps Security Hey Girls CIC London Early Years Foundation Stand4 Socks The Women’s Organisation Emmaus South Wales Habitat for Humanity Ireland (Habitat ReStore) One to Watch Sponsored by GLL 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. ChangeXtra Growing for Good CIC Growing Resilience CIC Serious Trampoline Menter Ty’n Llan Harry’s Place CIC Coffee Saints (Grassmarket Community Project) Prove It: Social Impact Sponsored by Linklaters For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. Breadwinners Cockpit Khushi Kantha (Happy Blanket) CIC London Development Trust The Women’s Organisation  Down to Earth  Buy Social Market Builder Sponsored by Amey 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. CBRE Global Workplace Solutions UK John Sisk & Son Limited Johnson & Johnson Sodexo Willmott Dixon Construction Social Supermarket Social Investment Deal of the Year Sponsored by Big Society Capital For an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. GMCVO and Pinc College Big Issue Invest and Meanwhile Space NatWest Social & Community Capital and Northumbria Youth Action Bridges Outcomes Partnership and Refugee Better Outcomes Partnership Resonance and Nacro Health and Social Care Social Enterprise Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson For a social enterprise in the health and social care sector with excellent vision and strategic direction, clear leadership and clear evidenced social, environmental and community impact. Care Opinion Forward Carers CIC Innovating Minds CIC Nickel Support CIC PPL  Lingo Flamingo Consumer Facing Social Enterprise Sponsored by eBay for Change For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. Acorn Early Years Change Please CIC Emmaus South Wales Sofab Sports CIC Toast Ale weheartfamily, ltd Education, Training and Jobs Sponsored by Corps Security 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. Acorn Early Years Central YMCA Change Please CIC Cockpit The Women’s Organisation Environmental Social Enterprise Sponsored by Landmarc For a social enterprise in the green and environmental sector with a clear evidenced environmental impact. Gather Goldfinger Green Machine Computers JUST ONE Tree Low Carbon Hub Groundwork North Wales Woodrecyclability Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Sponsored by PwC 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. auticon Generation Success Happy Smiles Training CIC RainbowBiz CIC The Women’s Organisation The Community Impact Initiative Social Enterprise Women’s Champion Sponsored by ISG For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Lorraine Copes – Be Inclusive Hospitality CIC Kerrine Bryan – Butterfly Books Limited Annie Warburton – Cockpit Celia Hodson – Hey Girls CIC Jo Summers – P3 Charity Jo McGrath – Sector3 Ellenor McIntosh – Twipes Limited  Karen Balmer – Groundwork North Wales Catherine Jones – Grassmarket Community Project Jayne Taggart – Enterprise Pathway  International Impact Sponsored by Zurich Insurance Group 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 CIC Ninety CIC Origin Africa Primary Care International The Washing Machine Project  Place Based Social Enterprise Sponsored by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation This award is for a place based social enterprise that trades for the benefit of their community. Friends of Stretford Public Hall Goldfinger Iridescent Ideas CIC Low Carbon Hub People Place and Participation Ltd (Flo’s – the Place in the Park) Galeri Caernarfon Cyf  Social Enterprise Team of the Year The Ingenuity Programme This category acknowledges those teams which have demonstrated the strength, passion and resilience which is so characteristic of the social enterprise sector. Cockpit Just Trading Scotland Lendology CIC (Trading name of Wessex Resolutions CIC) Radiant Cleaners Women’s Work Lab  Cardiff Cycle Workshop Tech for Good Sponsored by Fidelity International For a social enterprise that uses technology to achieve social impact. Care Opinion First Step Trust Hey Girls CIC IDEMS International Smart Money Cymru Community Bank Find out more about the UK Social Enterprise Awards here We are pleased to be working with Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland and Social Enterprise Scotland to deliver the Awards. Awards Sponsors

By Andrew O'Brien - Director of External Affairs at Social Enterprise UK After several years of consultation and new legislation meandering its way through Parliament, HM Government has launched a public consultation on proposals to distribute nearly £800m from reclaimed dormant assets in England. The last round of dormant assets helped to create Big Society Capital and lay the platform for the social investment market. We can debate the pros and cons of the approaches taken over the past decade but what is undeniable is that targeting investment at social enterprises was the right thing to do. The consultation lasts until 9th October and Social Enterprise UK will be responding on behalf of the social enterprise sector. Delivering the vision of the Adebowale Commission on Social Investment One of the questions in the consultation is whether social investment should remain as one of the causes eligible for dormant assets. Social Enterprise UK’s view is categorically yes, that social investment should be at the core of the next tranche of dormant assets. However, it must be used to reform and improve the social investment market. Readers may be aware that earlier this year our Chair, Lord Victor Adebowale, concluded a two-year independent commission into the future of social investment. The Commission found that whilst social investment had helped some social enterprises, it had not fulfilled its potential due to a lack of flexible capital which could be deployed to provide “enterprise-centric” finance. It also found geographical and racial inequalities in the distribution of social investment. The Commission made several recommendations to address these challenges including the creation of a £50m black-led social investment fund to tackle inequalities faced by black-led social enterprises, putting more investment into place-led infrastructure and creating a “Frontiers Fund” to provide capital to give flexible finance into social enterprises. If we get things right, the Commission estimated that we could help thousands of social enterprises and generate hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country, particularly in the poorest areas. The report has received widespread support from social enterprises, social investors and experts. A Community Enterprise Growth Plan has been developed by SEUK and other partners which builds on the Adebowale Commission proposals and outlines how dormant assets could be used to make social investment work better. We will be using the consultation to call on the government to invest in that plan and deliver the recommendations of the Adebowale Commission.   Levelling up our communities Alongside backing social enterprises as businesses, we also need to ensure that we revitalise our communities and high streets so that they are vibrant places for social enterprises to grow. One of the proposals in the consultation is the creation of a “Community Wealth Fund”. This fund would distribute locally administered pots of money which would be used to provide patient funding for social infrastructure – the community spaces and organisations that we depend upon and bring us together. This proposal is being championed by the Community Wealth Fund Alliance which includes Social Enterprise UK. Increasingly, this social infrastructure is run by social enterprises. There are great examples across the country from Social Adventures in Salford which runs a community centre, garden centre and other important services to the Onion Collective in Watchet, Somerset which has built a new cultural centre to revitalise the area. Social enterprises are finding ways to maintain and develop local infrastructure through a combination of community engagement and trade. Community Wealth Funds would provide a way to support the development of new and existing community-based social enterprises. Get involved As Matt Leach of Local Trust and Seb Elsworth of Access Foundation have written, the Community Enterprise Growth Plan and Community Wealth Funds are complimentary policies. Both these ideas would help to grow and support social enterprise. Social Enterprise UK will be putting together a template response that members can send to the consultation themselves on these proposals, but if you’d like to find out more, you can email me (andrew.obrien@socialenterprise.org.uk) for more information or to share your views. You can also get in touch with your local MP to give them your views and ask them to support these policies.

SEUK's Director of Corporate Services and Finance, Sabira Kanji and Yasir Bashir, our Shared Services Accountant delivered this webinar designed to provide guidance and tips for start-up social enterprises on the tricky subject of finance. Social Enterprise UK offers accountancy and financial management services for our members, more information about which can be found here. 20 July https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCQ3x3JrQOU

26 July 2022 Social Enterprise UK celebrated its 20th anniversary at a special event held at the House of Lords terrace in the Palace of Westminster last Monday, on one of the hottest days of the year. It was a chance to look back and celebrate what SEUK and its members have achieved together over the last two decades and an opportunity to look forward to the future. Since being formed as the Social Enterprise Coalition, 20 years ago, SEUK has been a strong voice and champion for social enterprise in the UK, raising awareness of social enterprise and lobbying for change. SEUK was instrumental in the passing of the Social Value Act, the establishment of the Community Interest Community as a legal structure; and making social investment more accessible to social enterprises through the creation of Big Society Capital and, more recently, the Access Foundation. Over the years our ‘Buy Social’ work has grown from a campaign encouraging social enterprises to buy from each other - to one which is helping shape the supply chains of some of the UK’s biggest businesses through the Buy Social Corporate Challenge – an initiative which now has 30 corporate partners, and which has directed millions of pounds worth of spend towards social enterprises. SEUK's public-facing Buy Social campaigns have raised awareness of social enterprise and spread the word about buying from social enterprises to consumers.  As well as marking some of SEUK’s achievements over the last 20 years SEUK’s two former chairs, Baroness Glenys Thornton and Claire Dove CBE, shared their reflections of their time at the organisation and how it, and social enterprise, has grown and developed. Our current chair, Lord Victor Adebowale CBE set out the critical role social enterprise needs to play in the future of the economy and how SEUK, as the champion for the social enterprise movement, needs to ensure that those who either do not know what a social enterprise is or who do not care understand the that the social enterprise movement is a real catalyst for positive change. Lord Adebowale commented: “We’ve got to make them understand that if they’re interested in the future of the country, in fact the future of the planet, it’s social enterprise that they need to be interested in. They’re looking for solutions and we’re it” The need for social enterprises to be part of the climate change solution was apparent to everyone gathered in the room, as the outside temperature hit just under 40 degrees. As well as hearing from our Chair, former Chairs and Chief Executive SEUK members present voted on a resolution that enables SEUK to continue to invest in political activity. This resolution was passed unanimously by a quorate number of SEUK members. This will help us continue to champion and push for policy change that benefits social enterprise and position social enterprises as a fundamental part of an inclusive and sustainable economy. We know that the extreme temperatures made it impossible for many people to attend but we would like to thank everyone who was able to join us in Westminster and celebrate the last 20 years. We’d also like to extend our thanks to all our members, partners and supporters who have been instrumental in supporting our work over the years. Social Enterprise UK is nothing without its members and none of our achievements would have been possible without you. We look forward to working with you as we move forward and continue to make the case as to why social enterprise represents business at its best.

Doughnut Economics is a vision for human prosperity – meeting the needs of all people within the means of the living planet. This session aimed to help social enterprises explore and articulate their enterprise design and how this distinguishes them from ‘traditional’ businesses, allowing them to transform the broader economy. The session was led by Erinch Sahan, Business & Enterprise lead at the Doughnut Economics Action Lab, who is the former CEO of the World Fair Trade Organisation and previously spent 7 years at Oxfam leading work on global business innovation. 11 July 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E84ON8_GrWE

June 2022 A special Pride Month interview with the founder of inspirational social enterprise Micro Rainbow. We talked about their work supporting LGBTQI refugees through offering safe housing, employing support and helping them find a sense of belonging and community in the UK. We also explore the impact of the hostile environment and their work supporting Afghan and Ukrainian refugees. Watch the recording below: WARNING: This interview features testimonies from people describing war and sexual violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH2mJEJeZbM

30 May 2022 The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Social Enterprise has announced that Jo Gideon MP has been elected as its new Chair, following the decision by Alex Sobel MP to stand down after five years in the role. Gideon, the Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent Central, was elected to Parliament in 2019 and has brought her experience as a social entrepreneur and small business owner to the Commons. The APPG for Social Enterprise is a cross-party group of MPs and Peers that seeks to raise awareness of social enterprise within Westminster. Earlier this year, the APPG published a report into the impact of COVID-19 on the social enterprise sector. The APPG holds regular meetings throughout the year to connect Parliamentarians and social enterprises together. Commenting on her election to Chair of the APPG, Jo Gideon MP said: “It is a privilege to have been elected as the Chair of the APPG on Social Enterprise. I have been an active champion for social enterprise throughout my life as they play a hugely valuable role within our economy and our communities through their vital work to improve the lives of those they support. Over the years I have both set up and advised a wide range of social enterprises and am keen to ensure a wider awareness of supporting the sector.” Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK which provides the Secretariat to the APPG said: “The APPG for Social Enterprise plays an important role in championing social enterprise and I am pleased that Jo has been elected as the new Chair. She comes to the role at an important time for our sector as we look to find ways for social enterprise to contribute towards levelling up the country and achieving Net Zero. Social Enterprise UK will continue to provide support to the APPG so that we build the best possible environment for social enterprise to flourish.” “I would also like to put on record the sector’s thanks to Alex Sobel for his chairing of the APPG over the past five years. He has been a dedicated Chair and advocate for social enterprise, and I am sure that we will continue to work together in the future.”

Like most households and businesses, social enterprises are concerned about rising costs and inflation. Their level of concern has increased significantly over the last quarter, with over two-thirds of social enterprises worried about the impact on their businesses. Yet when thinking about solutions, social enterprises are focused on longer-term impact and structural reform – they are not reacting to this pressure by requesting subsidy or seeking to cut costs. When asked what support they needed, less than half of respondents said that fiscal or grant-based support was what they required. As the lack of government measures to address inflation and rising costs impacts the whole economy, we are collecting data through the Social Enterprise Advisory Panel to understand how social enterprises are being affected. In our January Social Enterprise Advisory Panel[1], we saw that 34% of social enterprises expected cost of living to be a significant concern over the following 3-6 months. This was alongside ongoing COVID uncertainty and reduced income/revenue associated with both the pandemic and inflation. In March that figure had risen to 68%. Over a fifth are very concerned, and just 7% think that there will be no negative impact on their business. Don’t anticipate a negative impact on business7%No impact yet/not sure what the impact will be23%Somewhat concerned46%Very concerned – already seeing significant impact22% Level of concern about the impact of the rising cost of living In addition to concern about rising costs, we asked whether operating costs have changed in the last quarter compared to the previous quarter. 55% of social enterprises have seen operating costs increase, with 10% of these saying costs have increased significantly. Don’t know or prefer not to say4%Operating costs have significantly increased10%Significantly decreased3%Slightly decreased8%Slightly increased45%Stayed the same30% Operating costs changes in the last 3 months, compared to the 3 months before When asked about support required to mitigate the impacts of rising costs, we presented the options of tax relief and emergency grants. Just under a half of respondents indicated that these would be useful to them – meaning that over half didn’t see these as key solutions. What was more interesting from results was that social enterprises are thinking about longer-term solutions and wider, more structural reform. Alongside suggestions for temporary government support to address escalating property and energy prices and to reverse the proposed national insurance contribution increase, social enterprises are proposing solutions that are less focused on the immediate needs of individual businesses and address structural reforms needed to deliver strong and growing social enterprise activity over the medium and longer-term. For example, whereas social enterprises said that energy price caps would help them mitigate price rises, there is equal interest to address overall energy efficiency in the medium and longer-term as part of the solution to current high energy costs. “Help to reduce overheads by providing capital expenditure for more energy efficient heating & lighting“ Similarly, social enterprises want measures to address consumer discretionary spend – rather than providing support directly to social enterprises. Because many social enterprises work in and for communities in areas of high deprivation that were already stretched by the financial and wider consequences of the pandemic, cuts in discretionary spending are likely to have a more immediate impact than for many other businesses. But unlike direct financial support to businesses, fiscal support to impoverished people offers the double benefit of relieving those most in need – and, indirectly, ensuring that social enterprises which offer them support can continue to do so. “Government intervention to ensure that discretionary spend is still available for people to buy services like ours.” “Supporting community against the rising cost of living especially food and fuel costs.” Rising costs are not being mirrored by changes to contract fees and the need to address this procurement issue is becoming more acute for many social enterprises. “All our work is with statutory bodies, umbrella bodies and housing associations, these are contracts where fees have remained static for more than 10 years.” Also on a wider level, albeit not directly related to the rising costs, there is growing concern about a gap between the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and past EU funding and the implications this will have on poorer communities in particular, and therefore on social enterprise activity in these areas. What is the ask from social enterprise? Energy price caps in the short term and more support towards energy efficiency in the medium term. Procurement pricing changes to account for significant supplier and input cost increases. More support to mitigate costs for the poorest individuals and households in the short term and wider and deeper fiscal reform in the medium term.

23 March 2022 Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise UK said: “There is some good news in the Spring Statement today for social enterprises, with increases in Employment Allowance which will help social enterprises to continue to successfully create meaningful jobs, and the Chancellor’s VAT-cut on energy saving materials which will help strengthen the growing green social enterprise sector.” “The Chancellor set out the need for more investment in people, ideas and capital – exactly what the UK’s social enterprises are so effective at delivering. But instead of recognising the need to reform the private sector, he is cutting tax and hoping that business will do the right thing. All the evidence shows that it is not a lack of generous tax support which is holding our economy back, it is the short-termism of business and finance.” “SEUK will engage closely with HM Government on its proposals to reform our tax system to help businesses grow and we will champion social enterprises. But tax cuts are not a substitute for a plan to reform the economy. This is the case that social enterprises will keep making in the months ahead.” 

March 2022 This webinar was hosted by Berkeley Wilde, Executive Director, The Diversity Trust CIC. Berkeley talked about how the Diversity Trust works, outlining the journey the organisation has been on over the last two years, the impact of Covid-19 and the global awakening of Black Lives Matter and the impact this has had in the UK. Listen to the recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMuQaNgpoQE

8 March 2022 Leading businesses and social enterprises have announced a new programme of work to accelerate and expand the consideration of social value in public and private sector procurement. This programme has been announced on the 10th Anniversary of the passage of the Social Value Act, a world-leading law which requires public bodies to consider social and environmental impact when making procurement decisions. “Social Value 2032: Shaping the Future of Social Value” will be led by Professor Chris White, former Member of Parliament and author of the Social Value Act. The programme will be delivered by Social Enterprise UK supported by a coalition of companies at the forefront of the social value agenda including PwC, Siemens, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK and Shaw Trust.Since 2010, the estimated value of annual spend where social value has been considered in the award of the contract, has increased from £25bn to £100bn. However, despite quadrupling the amount of spending which is influenced by social and environmental factors, this is still only a third of annual Public Sector procurement spend. The programme will consider how social value can be expanded to cover all public sector procurement and go beyond this, influencing the spending of the UK’s largest companies. If this was achieved, it would unlock billions of investment in new low carbon products; creating thousands of employment and training opportunities and see millions of pounds reinvested back into providing social, environmental and cultural infrastructure for communities. Social Value 2032 will provide a new vision for social value at the Social Value Leaders Summit on 18th May 2022, taking place this year in Birmingham. Later in the year, the programme will unveil a “Social Value Roadmap” on the changes needed to enable the 100% target to be hit in the public sector and largest private sector companies by 2032 in time for the Act’s 20th anniversary. Speaking about the launch of the programme, Professor Chris White, author of the Social Value Act and programme lead, said: “I am proud of the role that I played with Social Enterprise UK in getting the Social Value Act through Parliament and encouraging public bodies and businesses to think about the social and environmental impact of their spending. But a lot has changed in ten years, from Net Zero to the renewed focus on reducing inequality in our society. Social value needs to adapt and accelerate to meet those new challenges.” “The fact that we have a coalition of leading companies and social enterprises in social value gives me confidence that there is more that we can do to spread the influence of social value to ensure that every part of the public sector and our biggest businesses maximise the social and environmental impact of their spending.” “The UK has been a world leader on this agenda since we introduced the Act but we cannot rest on our laurels. I hope that working together with these leading businesses and social enterprises, we can show how social value can provide practical help in the race to Net Zero and to level up the country.”     Speaking on behalf of programme partner PwC, Nancy Park said: “Delivering Social Value is strongly aligned to our purpose here at PwC.  Our responsible business framework informs the decisions that we make, the engagements we accept and the advice we give to our clients. Increasingly our public and private sector clients want to find out how they can have greater positive social and environmental impact.” “We take social value into account in all our spend as well as in our recruitment and deployment and strategic decision making.  These are key ways that we can achieve positive social and environmental impact. We are delighted to be part of this programme of work and to be able to contribute our expertise to the future of social value.” Chris Luck CB MBE, Chief Executive of Shaw Trust, a leading charity social enterprise and programme partner said: “Social value is at the heart of everything we do as a social-enterprise model charity, and we have been pioneers in utilizing social value since the Act was introduced ten years ago. Through our ‘charitable heart with a business brain’ approach, we have seen the benefits to our service-users and communities when social value is done well, but we need to do more to ensure that commissioning and procurement maximises the opportunities of social value. In particular, we need to ensure that social value supports the work of social enterprises, like ours, who work every penny to generate benefits for society.” “Accelerating and expanding the use of social value will create new challenges. For that reason, I believe it is important for Shaw Trust to be a partner and contribute our experience of using social value in practice to deliver high-quality public services.” John Scanlon, Chief Executive Officer of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, programme partner said: “At SUEZ we are clear that our activities must benefit more than the bottom line and social value forms a core part of our business strategy. In 2020 we created £1.98 billion in social value, up from £1.55 billion in 2019. This value is not just a number, it reflects the benefits from our work delivering essential services around the UK. Social value matters to people and communities and that’s why it matters to us.” “We’re passionate about sharing our experiences to support our customers and peers in using social value effectively, and we’re looking forward to learning from others about their work, to help us move forward on our social value journey.” Dietmar Harteveld, Head of Supply Chain Management, EMEA of Siemens, programme partner said: “Siemens is proud to be part of this programme and to support efforts to make business sustainable. We have put in place our DEGREE framework to decarbonize our business, ensure high standards of ethics and equity as well as improve our resource efficiency and the employability of our staff.” “Social value is an important tool in realizing our aspirations and we are proud to be part of this programme which will consider what more can be done to get business to contribute to making our society better and greener.” “Siemens has been at the forefront of improving our procurement to ‘Buy Social’ and develop new partnerships with social enterprises and SMEs to increase the social and environmental impact of our business. We look forward to working with our partners to expand the opportunities for social value in supply chains across the public and private sectors.”

February 2022 We were joined by two of the leading forces of the social enterprise movement in Africa for this webinar on what social enterprises from Ethiopia, Ghana and the UK can learn from each other. With Brukty Tigabu, Chair of Social Enterprise Ethiopia, Amma Lartey, Chair of Social Enterprise Ghana, and Dan Gregory, Director of International and Sustainable Development at SEUK  Listen to the recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0vWoJTdiDw

February 2022 Find out more about the incredible work of Manchester based social enterprise, Sharp Futures, in this interview with CEO Lee Stanley. From working with big media organisations like Channel 4 to offering a variety of training courses and apprenticeships in areas such as film production - listen to how this social enterprise is breaking down barriers for young people from working class background to entering the creative industries. Listen to the recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOgYstuWJP8

October 2021 What can social enterprises from Turkey, Lebanon and the UK learn from each other? We believe social enterprise is a global movement and we joined social enterprise experts and friends from Turkey and Lebanon to learn more about the rise of social enterprises supporting disadvantaged communities, how they creating opportunities for women and refugees and addressing inequality from the Eastern Mediterranean to the UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3OImNZllVY

July 2021 We interviewed Chief Executive of Social adVentures, Scott Darraugh to find out more about their story, their incredible work over the pandemic (including transforming a café into a social supermarket tackling food poverty) and what the future has in store for social enterprises working in health and social care. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYhBRTokRmc

June 2021 We were joined by social enterprise experts and friends from Colombia and Jamaica to learn about the role of social enterprise in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals, how they are making a difference to disadvantaged communities and addressing inequality in South America, the Caribbean and the UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcDCTbQmviE

March 2021 We were joined by social enterprise leaders from Thailand and Singapore to learn about the rise of social enterprise, the middle class and the economies of South East Asia, the potential Asian Century, the idea of Singapore-on-Thames, inequality, and social enterprise as a global movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SrQ6bHRumI View Da's slides on the state of social enterprise in Thailand here. View Casper's slides on Singapore's social enterprise sector here.

February 2021 We were delighted to be joined by Gareth Hart from the Plymouth Social Enterprise Network and Jodie Marshall from the Sheffield Social Enterprise Network for a public discussion on how social enterprises are driving change at a local level. Both Plymouth and Sheffield are accredited Social Enterprise Places, recognised as hotspots of social enterprise activity. Watch the recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOAacXQecxs

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

Social Procurement Connect makes it as easy as possible to connect with leading social enterprise suppliers – businesses that trade for a social or environmental purpose, putting people and planet first. 3 reasons to sign up for Social Procurement Connect Gain insight Practical advice and guidance on how your organisation can work with social enterprise suppliers Identify opportunities Supply chain review to help you identify existing social enterprises in your supplier base Mapping out opportunities and matching your business with the best social enterprise suppliers Connect and grow Premium access to our Social Enterprise Directory to find leading B2B social enterprises with a track record of delivering products and services to corporate clients ‘Meet the Supplier’ events to connect with social enterprise suppliers Join us as a supporter member Businesses joining us as supporter members can also: Gain valuable insights by accessing the UK’s only sector data repository, collected over 20 years Make future-proof decisions based on best practices in forming sustainable partnerships between your business and social enterprise Connect with the leaders of social enterprises and recommended suppliers suited best for your business’s ESG needs Benefit from know-how and guidance on how to find ways into your local community and form social enterprise networks Tap into social value expertise and embed it into your daily business operations Fill out the form below to start the conversation!

What is it, who’s in it and what will they do? Everything you need to know is here. What is the APPG? The Social, Cooperative and Community Economy All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has been created to increase understanding and support of diverse, mission-led business models (social enterprises, co-ops, mutuals, employee-owned and community business etc). As the name suggests, it will work to address issues important to building a more inclusive economy and try to influence legislative change so that diverse mission-led businesses can reach their potential. APPGs are informal cross-party groups that have no official status within Parliament. They are run by and for Members of the Commons and Lords, though many choose to involve individuals and organisations from outside Parliament in their administration and activities.  Social Enterprise UK provides the Secretariat for the APPG. We assist the chair and officers of the group with APPG administration including meetings and AGMs, develop and deliver work plans, and manage communications for members and stakeholders. Who’s in it? Chair of the group is Patrick Hurley, the first Labour MP for Southport. Patrick previously worked as a councillor for Liverpool City Council for 12 years and ran the city’s Social Enterprise Network. Vice-Chair Baroness Thornton, one of the founders of Social Enterprise UK, is a long-standing social enterprise and cooperative expert who worked in the Department of Health and Social Care when Gordon Brown was PM and now sits in the House of Lords. The group also has two officers - Josh Babarinde, Liberal Democrat MP for Eastbourne, who formerly ran the social enterprise Cracked It, and Conservative The Lord Balfe, a former Political Secretary of the Woolwich Arsenal Co-operative Society who served in the European Parliament. A growing number of parliamentarians have joined and expressed interest in the group and wish to be kept informed of its progress. You can find a full list here. What will they do? In addition to arranging visits for APPG members to meet social enterprises, coops and community businesses, the group will run two inquiries over the coming months. The first will look at how Labour’s manifesto commitment to grow diverse business models, such as social enterprises and coops, is being delivered, exploring past and planned government activity and the wider context for growth in terms of capitalisation, routes to market and ecosystem support. A second inquiry will explore public services provision and the role for social, cooperative and community business within it. The APPG will also host a Parliamentary reception in June, as part of work to raise awareness in Westminster of the work and contributions of social, cooperative and community business. If you’d like more information, please email appg@socialenterprise.org.uk

Connection Crew, the UK’s only social enterprise in the crewing industry, published their 2024 Impact Report on 20th February 2025, reflecting on a record-breaking year of social and environmental impact, and what that really means. The report, released on the UN Day of Social Justice, highlights the dual challenges of rising homelessness and the urgent need for a just transition; one that reduces carbon emissions without leaving people behind. In 2024, Connection Crew generated 34,384 hours of direct social impact — their biggest year yet. 30.6% of crew who joined them were previously affected by homelessness; 30.2% of their total crew were previously affected by homelessness. But look deeper at the numbers, and you see they're indicative of a harsh reality: more people than ever are at risk of, or directly experiencing, homelessness. According to Shelter, 1 in 160 people were homeless on any one night in 2024, a 14% increase on 182 in 2023. Connection Crew's Impact Crew includes individuals who:  have direct lived experience of homelessness  are at risk of homelessness are long-term unemployed have left institutions such as care, prison, or the military Through paid work, training, and mentoring, they’re helping peoples' journey to rebuild their lives. In 2024, they supported 15 people referred by partners through their Academy and into Living Wage Work, and a further 37 people who applied to them directly. That’s progress. But they accept that they need to go further and push for better working conditions in the gig economy. That means: helping crew access more stable hours advocating for fairer working conditions across the events industry finding new ways to make long-term social impact It's not going to be easy. There are obstacles in their way and the industry relies on last-minute bookings, with freelancing being the norm. Connection Crew's focus is environmental as well as social; to look after people, they need to look after the planet. They hold themselves accountable for their environmental footprint. In 2024, 98.2% of their clients opted into their Carbon Levy, supporting carbon removal projects and behaviour change initiatives within their crew. “A just transition means fairness at every level,” said Warren Rogers, Director at Connection Crew. “Reducing carbon emissions and tackling homelessness must go hand in hand. Our 2024 Impact Report is about being honest about our progress, as well as where we need to do better.” Read the full 2024 Impact Report connectioncrew.co.uk

Towards mission-driven procurement systems Our Social Value Leaders’ Summit on Wednesday 26 March in central London, brings together senior leaders and decision-makers from across the public, private and social enterprise sectors to discuss, debate and shape the future of social value. With the Procurement Act now live and the new National Procurement Statement (NPPS) giving social value an important role in the contracting process, this year will see the biggest changes to how government spends its money in a generation. The NPPS calls on public bodies to “maximise procurement spend with VCSEs (voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations)” and the Summit will look in depth at how these organisations can drive growth and deliver transformative change on a local and national level. Programme and speakers Our keynote speakers have both been instrumental in the passing of the Act. Georgia Gould MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, will be delivering an interactive session with the opportunity to ask questions and Gareth Rhys-Williams the Chair of National Highways and former UK Government Chief Commercial Officer will set out a vision of how procurement can deliver a fairer, greener and stronger economy.  There'll also be mix of insightful panel discussions featuring cross-sector speakers focusing on: The role of VCSEs in delivering mission-driven procurement How social value can deliver economic growth Improving public services Tackling regional inequalities In between discussions, there will be interactive roundtables looking in more depth at what mission-driven procurement means and whether the new procurement landscape represents an evolution of the established system or a revolution. View the full programme The Summit is an invite-only event for leaders in the social value space. If you’re looking to increase the positive social and environmental impact of the goods and services you procure, or are a VCSE with a track record of social value delivery you can express your interest in attending by filling out this form. The Summit forms part of our Social Value 2032 programme and is supported by our Partners: Anthony Collins, Jacobs and PwC. This ambitious project looks at how we can embed social value across all public sector procurement and influence the spending of the UK’s largest companies. If you are interested to know more about the partnership or Summit sponsorship please contact jennifer.exon@socialenterprise.org.uk

Our chair Lord Victor Adebowale founded the Commission on Social Investment, which published a landmark report on how it could better enable the growth of social enterprises. Three years since this independent group found a major unfulfilled opportunity and called for change, the Commission’s recommendations have been reviewed to identify what has changed and what has not - taking into context economic factors such as rising inflation and interest rates, the cost of living crisis and changes in government. Stress points in the original report included the deprioritisation of social enterprises over the past decade and the inequitable serving of social investment across the UK. The structure of the social investment market itself was pinpointed as the root of these problems — particularly the lack of patient, concessionary capital, and lack of flexibility in the structure of key institutions. New analysis broken down into a ‘report card’ recognises some signs of progress but also highlights concerns in areas such as government strategy, key market institutions and access to funding products. Looking ahead, the report recommends more interactions with this new mission-led government, which has already shown an interest in the social impact sector. It also proposes a shifting of expectations from social investment stakeholders, as well as addressing the diversity gap in the social enterprise sector. Overall, this marks a renewed call for structural reform, scrutinising the social investment ecosystem created over the last decade and considering how it might be better unleashed for more transformative impact - across all communities in this country, but especially for those where the need is greatest. Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “Over the past decade, the social investment sector has made slow and disappointing progress in reaching its true potential to support social enterprises and charities in very turbulent times. Despite clear recommendations for transformative change, this report suggests not enough has been done to capitalise on the opportunity created through dormant assets, too often mirroring the status quo of investor-first finance. The lack of imagination, from both the previous government and institutions within the sector, has been frustrating. “For the ecosystem of social investment to stay relevant for its intended beneficiaries, its leaders must look at what they can do to further dismantle the ongoing barriers to access that too many experience.  Mission-led businesses have a new opportunity from our new mission-led government. The social investment sector has the potential to embrace a shift toward greater accountability and innovation, but it will take leadership, an appetite, and ultimately some risk. But now is the time to act with purpose and focus.”

At its recent AGM in the City of London, social enterprise cleaning company Clean for Good announced that it was sharing 50% of its distributed profits with its workers. At a time when many employers are concerned about rising employment costs, this social business is showing that by investing in its workers it can deliver a ‘triple win’ – excellent customer service, financial dividends to shareholders and social impact for employees.   Clean for Good is a different kind of cleaning company, established as a social business to provide a fairer deal for cleaners and to drive change in a sector that is infamous for low pay and poor conditions. 50% profits shared with workers Clean for Good is only seven years old but has grown rapidly to a turnover exceeding £1m, employing 75 cleaners. At its AGM on 13th November it announced that it has now made an annual profit for the fifth year in a row, demonstrating that a responsible business can also be financially sustainable. The company also declared a dividend and announced that the company’s profits would be shared out equally between shareholders and employees, with each group receiving 50% of distributed profits. This is in line with the company’s highly unusual Profit Policy which is part of the company’s deep commitment to fair pay. A total of £20,000 of profits was distributed in November. Some 46 cleaning staff received a share of the profits in their November pay packet. A full-time employee will receive £378 of the profit share, with amounts varying depending on the hours worked during 2023-24. Most of the company’s shares are owned by the three founding charities, so most of the shareholder dividends will go to support other charities. Even for these charities, it is a powerful demonstration that philanthropic giving is not the only way to create a positive change. A triple win Clean for Good pays the real Living Wage and also provides better employment terms and conditions for its cleaners than most of its competitors – like occupational sick pay from day one of a cleaner’s employment. This approach has enabled it to deliver a triple win – high customer satisfaction, high employee satisfaction and financial returns to shareholders. A new independently researched Impact Report recently highlighted that the company’s cleaners were likely to have higher job satsfaction than the staff of the offices in which they are cleaning. Many employers in low pay sectors face higher employment costs arising from increases in the Minimum Wage and upcoming reforms to Statutory Sick Pay through the Government’s Employment Rights Bill. This is concerning many employers who see it as a negative, but Clean for Good demonstrates that paying higher terms and conditions is actually good for business. Clean for Good already pays the real Living Wage and offers employee benefits like occupational sick pay, all above statutory minimums already – and this has strengthened the business, not undermined it. What is good for workers can be good for business. Charlie Walker, Clean for Good’s Managing Director said: “At Clean for Good we don’t see our cleaners as a cost that needs to be managed down, but as our greatest asset that needs to be invested in. By sharing our profits we can demonstrate this value tangibly. It is great news for our cleaners but we also believe it is good for the business as staff feel valued, and recognised and this generates a sense of belonging and loyalty within the organisation.” Becky Morris, Finance Director for the Church Mission Society (CMS) and one of the company’s founding charitable shareholders said: “As a shareholder, it’s certainly gratifying to receive a dividend on the investment we’ve made in Clean for Good, because we believed – and still believe – strongly in its purpose and vision. And seeing the company continue to treat its employees fairly and sharing out the profits so equitably makes us feel even better about our investment in this model of enterprise.” Jacqueline Carrion, employed for over 5 years as one of Clean for Good’s cleaners, said: “This bonus makes me feel more valuable and more close to the company. I believe,  in London, that it is the only [cleaning] company that recognizes the values of the employee, by showing this generosity.” cleanforgood.co.uk

By Andrew O'Brien, Director of Policy and Impact at Demos “I am determined to do everything in my power to galvanise growth; determined for this country to be the highest growing economy in the G7 - that is our most important national mission.” These were the words of the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, at the Global Investment Summit earlier this month. It is no secret that the entire government’s political agenda depends on boosting growth.  But while Britain is desperate for growth after nearly two decades of stagnation, it needs to be a particular type of growth. Whether you call it good growth, inclusive growth or sustainable growth, we need growth that meaningfully improves the standard of living for working people. Our economy needs to grow not just by financial measures but in terms of social value – its contribution to local communities, its impact on individual wellbeing, its effect on the world around us. Take one issue: wages. Since the late 1970s, real wage growth significantly slowed down, from a healthy 5.5% per year to 4.4% in the 1980s right down to 1.6% in the 1990s. Despite the ‘Great Moderation’, it only ticked up slightly to 1.7% per year at the turn of the century, before the financial crisis led to wage stagnation and a permanent cost of living crisis. Growth also slowed in this period, but not as dramatically as wages. Median growth rates per decade fell by 24% from the 1970s to the 2000s, while wage growth rates fell by 70% in the same period. We made the wrong economic choices. We allowed highly productive, skilled industries to be replaced with lower productivity and insecure work. We oversaw an ‘extreme form of capitalism’ unique to the UK, where the ‘proceeds of growth’ went to a narrow group, both economically (the richest) and geographically (London and the South East). To be fair to the new government, they understand that they cannot just allow ‘growth’ to emerge organically; it needs to be directed. Their new Industrial Strategy says that “the government is committed to using the power of the state strategically to support and shape the UK’s economy and future growth”. Unfortunately, the UK has eroded state capacity over the past 40 years, and lacks the experience in steering markets needed to deliver good growth now. The new government’s position is akin to trying to win a Formula One race in a car that you’re building as you drive it. But there are tools available to help the new government drive inclusive growth – such as procurement, which it’s encouraging to see referenced in the new Industrial Strategy. The public sector is spending close to £400bn every year: 17% of UK GDP, and 14 times more money than the promised National Wealth Fund, reaching every part of our economy. There’s even more at stake in the private sector, where our largest businesses are spending billions on procurement every year. This presents an enormous opportunity to steer growth in the right direction, building a stronger but also fairer and more sustainable economy. If we can make better procurement decisions - spreading investment into social enterprises and SMEs across our regions, backing innovative new processes and technologies, and creating the conditions for long term planning and productivity gains - we can truly achieve good growth. This kind of focus on social value broadens decision making from short-term financial costs to factor in wider impacts, enabling the government to use procurement as a strategic lever for economic renewal. Central government‘s leadership role is critical; our whole economy is shaped by the standards they set, the organisations they buy goods and services from, and their appetite for risk. No other actor has the strategic capability to shape procurement, and unlock the full potential of social value, in the way that central government can. Early signs are encouraging. A review of the National Procurement Policy Statement is underway, including positive references to social value. Labour mayors are supporting ‘the social economy’ in London and Bristol, the VCSE sector in Greater Manchester and ‘business for good’ in West Yorkshire. The Procurement Act is due to take effect early next year, with an explicit government commitment in the new Industrial Strategy to using the legal framework it creates to deliver greater social value. However, social value must be a key tool for a mission-led government and a core part of their industrial strategy, not an afterthought. We need to create a national strategy for identifying the most socially valuable economic opportunities, encouraging their development, and rewarding businesses such as social enterprises that align to our shared priorities. The Social Value Act could be transformative, but there is much more that needs to be done, as outlined in our recent Demos paper ‘Taming the Wild West’. The government have limited economic levers they can pull to achieve good growth, and social value has a critical role to play in achieving their promised “decade of national renewal”. There is no time to lose.

Sponsored by Better Society Capital. Social investment plays a vital role in helping the social enterprise sector expand and develop. This Award recognises organisations that have 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. Find out which deals made the shortlist below: Barking & Dagenham Giving/The Boathouse Barking CIC The GROW Fund is BD Giving's flagship fund for social enterprises in Barking and Dagenham providing a £25,000 grant and business support. The Boathouse Barking CIC, a multi-purpose events space, was arecipient and used it to upgrade facilities to increase revenue from commercial event hires so more artists can access space and host community events. The GROW Fund is a 100% community-led funddemonstrating impact on local decision-makers, recipients of the fund and users of The Boathouse. @bdgivinguk @theboathousestudios Big Issue Invest/Lightning Reach Big Issue Invest is the Big Issue Group’s social impact investment arm. It invests in social enterprises, social-purpose businesses and charities creating core solutions to end poverty in the UK. Founded by entrepreneurs John Bird and Nigel Kershaw, from the Big Issue Group, it is one of the leaders in social impact investing. Lightning Reach is a financial support portal which makes it easy for people to find and apply for a wide range of personalised support (i.e. grants, benefits, and help with bills) in one place. In May 2023, it received an investment of £1million from Big Issue Invest and UnLtd’s Growth Impact Fund – a fund that targets its support at diverse-led, early-stage social enterprises with a vision for tackling inequality in the UK. @bigissueinvest @lightningreach Great Western Credit Union/Fair4All Finance Great Western Credit Union partnered with Ethex and managed to raise £980,000 from retail investorswhich was match funded by Fair4All Finance. This funding is used to improve and grow the access to fair and affordable financial services in the South West especially for low income households and people in vulnerable circumstances. This was the first retail raise by a community finance provider which inspired two other organisations to follow and many more to consider this route. @greatwesterncu @Fair4AllFinance Impact Finance Consulting/ARK Resettlement Services £700k social investment to ARK Resettlement Services provided by Social Investment Business FlexibleFinance Fund (£170k grant and £180k unsecured loan), and Trust for London (£350k secured loan) with the support of its advisor, Impact Finance Consulting. The deal has enabled ARKRS to secure its first repayable finance, and acquire a property to offer accommodation to more people on probation. @ark_resettlement_services British Land/Impact Hub London Impact Hub London secured a transformative deal with British Land who provided £3.5m of CAPEX and managed the Cat-A/B fit-out for a 10,650 sqft affordable workspace in Regent’s Place. Repayment for CatB and peppercorn rent with a profit share arrangement enabled what would otherwise have beenunaffordable. Not only did this secure a world-class space for inclusive innovation in Camden, with freememberships for underserved residents, but built aligned interests and a true collaboration to enablecommunity and global impact. @impacthublondon @britishlandplc Arts & Culture Impact Fund/Music Venue Properties A £1m secured loan from the Arts & Culture Impact Fund has enabled Music Venue Properties to launch a pioneering initiative bringing grassroots music venues into community ownership - protecting their vital contributions to their local neighbourhoods and to the UK’s music industry as a whole. @musicvenueproperties

Sponsored by Linklaters. An ability to effectively measure and communicate impact is vital for social enterprises, being used to evidence the difference they are making and also to attract additional funding and support. This award recognises a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. Read on to find out who has made the shortlist: Breadwinners Breadwinners is a not-for-profit social enterprise that provides artisan organic bread and pastries while supporting refugees through employment and work experience programmes. By operating market stalls and a wholesale model, it gives refugees jobs and creates a community of customers, socially responsible partners, and producers that promotes the integration of newly arrived individuals into the UK. All while offering the best sourdoughs, natural levains, and organic pastries! @wearebreadwinners Goldfinger Goldfinger designs and crafts timeless furniture and homeware from locally-sourced and reclaimed materials. It is an award-winning social enterprise working for the good of people and planet. Goldfinger’s craftsmanship is a central feature of the latest restaurant at the Tate Modern, Thomas Heatherwick’s new offices in King’s Cross and both Inhabit Hotels in West London. Goldfinger's artisans also design and craft bespoke furniture for private residents, often in collaboration with celebrated interior designers and architects. @goldfinger.design Hey Girls CIC Hey Girls exemplifies the principles of a leading social enterprise by addressing a critical social issue, promoting environmental sustainability, fostering community engagement, and committing to the professional development and equality of its team. It is a social enterprise with an innovative model, substantial impact on social equity and education, impressive business growth, and dedication to its team’s growth and inclusivity. @heygirlsuk Moneyline Moneyline, is a community development finance institution, with over two decades of community lending expertise. It offers small cash loans to the lowest 20% income households in the UK, those most excluded from mainstream financial services. Moneyline's mission is to offer essential and appropriate financial services to low-income households, reducing barriers to credit access; whilst acting as a line of defence against loan sharks. Moneyline is a Community Benefit Society, a member of Responsible Finance and a Living Wage employer. @moneyline_uk Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise CIC PDSE is committed to improving oral health in the Southwest through the provision of treatment, education and engagement with communities. Its unique model brings together dental education, high-quality patient care and community outreach to deliver demonstrable social impact. Its clinics were established to tackle oral health inequalities in underserved areas and to address the lack of availability of dental care, treating patients who may not otherwise have access to a dentist. The Skill Mill The Skill Mill is a social enterprise providing real jobs for young people exiting the youth justice system supporting their transformation and rehabilitation through the delivery of environmental improvement services in the local community. The young people receive on-the-job training and qualifications and support to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to enter the wider labour market. Partnerships with corporate organisations and local and central government ensure that the work carried out is meaningful and rewarding. @theskillmill Ravine Market Garden (The Advantage Foundation) Ravine Market Garden, a social enterprise by The Advantage Foundation Ltd, is dedicated to empowering young people facing mental health challenges through meaningful work, skills development, and nature-based activities. Located in South Belfast, Ravine has established itself as a transformative presence, creating a safe, supportive environment where young individuals can engage in horticulture, conservation, and environmental stewardship. The enterprise operates on social enterprise principles, reinvesting 100% of its profits to ensure continuous growth and support for its mission. By intertwining social and environmental goals, Ravine aims to build confidence, resilience, and employability in its participants, while promoting community engagement and social value. @theravineproject

Sponsored by Clear Voice. Social procurement and social value are increasingly shaping the way organisations spend their money, with more and more bringing social enterprises into their supply chains. This award is 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. Find out who made the shortlist below: Amey Amey is a leading provider of engineering, operations and decarbonisation solutions for infrastructure and complex facilities. Its purpose is to deliver sustainable infrastructure solutions, enhance life, and protect our shared future through expert consulting, design, and asset lifecycle management. Hays is the world’s leading specialist in workforce solutions and recruitment. Hays invests in lifelong partnerships that empower people and organisations to succeed whether it’s helping professionals realise what’s next in their career or assisting organisations in solving their skills gaps. @AmeyLtd Co-op Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, owned its by millions of members. It's the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer with more than 2,500 local convenience stores, the UK’s number one funeral services provider, a major general insurer and a growing legal services business. Alongside clear financial and operational objectives the Co-op is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes. It exists to meet members' needs and stand up for the things they believe in. @coopuk McLaughlin & Harvey McLaughlin & Harvey is a privately owned construction and civil engineering business, founded in 1853. Now in its 171st year, the business employs over 800 people and operates throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland delivering construction, civil engineering and fit-out projects and providing facilities management services to various sectors. McLaughlin & Harvey’s purpose is "Building Together, Unlocking Potential." It collaborates with its clients, value chain, and communities to shape the built environment sustainably and considerately. @Official_McLH National Highways National Highways are the government-owned company which plans, designs, builds, operates and maintains England’s motorways and major A roads, known as the strategic road network (SRN). The SRN is the backbone of our country. Over 4,300 miles of motorways and major A-roads connecting people, building communities, creating opportunities and helping the nation and economy thrive. National Highways makes sure that investment in the SRN results in safer, smoother and more reliable journeys for its customers. @NationalHways Nationwide Building Society Nationwide is a building society, not a bank. Its purpose is banking - but fairer, more rewarding, andfor the good of society. It aims to make a meaningful impact on customers, communities, and society by being a beacon for mutual good. This means being a good global citizen and creating positive social impact throughout its activities, operations, and supply chain. Nestlé UK&I Supporting social enterprise is a key foundation of Nestle's community regeneration approach. It is a proud member of the Buy Social Challenge, which it joined a few years ago in partnership with Sodexo and the company is excited about the opportunities to work with more social enterprises in the coming years. This is in line with its Procurement Supplier Diversity programme as social enterprises also help it to actively work with more diverse suppliers. School for Social Entrepreneurs Founded in 1997 by Lord Michael Young, The School for Social Entrepreneurs is a registered charity operating across the UK. Its vision is of a socially and environmentally just society, where the potential of all people is fully realised. To achieve this, SSE runs learning programmes to mobilise the experience of social entrepreneurs. Alongside a number of these learning programmes, it offers Match Trading grants: grant funding that pound-for-pound matches an increase in income from trading. By rewarding sales growth, MatchTrading grants incentivise social organisations to develop their trading base, so they can build stronger futures. @schsocent

The various forms of repayable finance in the social investment sector play an important role in the social enterprise support eco-system, and can be vital for growth and development. However, the sector has been subject to scrutiny in terms of staff and portfolio diversity - particularly in terms of racial inclusion, and its ability to direct investment where it is most needed. Our new report, published with the London School of Economics and supported by the Connect Fund, uses elite education as a proxy to investigate aspects of diversity not yet well analysed in the sector: socio-economic inclusion, and the role of power and privilege among those who work for social investors.  The LinkedIn profiles of individuals working at social investment institutions were used as the main source of information to inform this research. Findings showed that 19% of employees had studied at an elite university with 12% of those sampled having studied at Oxford or Cambridge, more than ten times that of the UK population. Elite-educated employees represent a higher proportion of employees in social investment organisations than in the population in general, and a similar proportion to those in the mainstream investment sector. Given the variety of types of social investment providers, the research looked at the educational background of staff at different sorts of investors - with venture capital investors and social investment ‘wholesalers’ containing the highest proportion of individuals with an elite education, while social banks and Community Development Financial Institutions contained the least. The education of social enterprise leaders themselves was also studied, with analysis suggesting that being privately educated did not mean you were more likely to access funding or finance. However, interviews with those working in social enterprises who attended a state secondary school raised the need for investors to have a better understanding of working-class businesses in working-class communities. Whilst many social investors are taking steps to address imbalances in terms of diversity, it is important that the role of socio-economic advantage is incorporated into this work, so that investment can be better directed to people and communities that have been historically disenfranchised. The research was supported by the Connect Fund

As a partner in the Future Economy Alliance, we were proud to host a roundtable with West Yorkshire’s Metro Mayor Tracy Brabin, bringing together social enterprises and other mission-led organisations for a discussion of how combined authorities can support them to fix regional economies. With ‘local power’ being a key pillar of our Future Economy Alliance campaigning, the event was an opportunity to show the importance of mission-led organisations to grow local economies and address the big challenges facing communities. Discussion centred on how West Yorkshire can become a beacon for mission-led organisations - which are vital to creating jobs and opportunities, delivering public services and creating safer communities. With valued community assets such as shops and pubs under threat, the role of mission-led organisations in saving these institutions was also discussed, as well as their role in spearheading schemes to protect the environment though running programmes such as recycling schemes. Some of the challenges discussed included the need to get mission-led organisations a seat at the table on key local bodies and to support them to access procurement opportunities. One solution offered was to create a local or regional version of Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge, where big businesses commit to bringing social enterprises into their supply chains, using their everyday spend to create positive social and environmental impact. There was also a call for more long-term support for the sector including making sure mission-led organisations can access suitable finance. Tracy Brabin was keen to find out more ways she could help the growth and development of mission-led organisations and asked for further details on what concrete steps she and the combined authority could take to support the sector. It is great to see the West Yorkshire Mayor, as well regional mayors in Greater Manchester and the West of England Combined Authority, leading the way in recognising the power and potential of mission-led organisations. We now need others to follow suit nationally. We would like to thank everyone who joined the roundtable, especially social enterprise, Shine, who kindly hosted the event. To find out more about the Future Economy Alliance and our Business Plan for Britain visit >> https://www.futureeconomyalliance.co.uk/

Unity Trust Bank, which supports organisations to deliver positive social impact around the UK, has reported a record level of lending in its annual results for 2023. Exceeding £1 billion for the first time in its 40-year history, almost half of Unity’s financing last year (45.3%) went into areas of high deprivation.  Overall lending increased by 21% to £1.01 billion (2022: £836.6m) while after-tax earnings rose to £48.9m (2022: £22.8m), resulting in a strong CET1 capital ratio of 19.7% (2022: 18.3%). Colin Fyfe, CEO at Unity Trust Bank, said: “Surpassing £1 billion in lending for the first time is testament to the principles that Unity was founded on 40 years ago – that a bank can deliver social purpose as well as sustainable commercial returns. “Our 2023 objectives were achieved against a backdrop of turbulent economic conditions, and supporting our customers continues to be at the core of our strategy. “The higher bank rate environment, alongside balance sheet growth, increased financial returns for Unity in 2023 and enabled us to continue to advance our purpose and our investment in customer services.” By only using customer deposits to lend to organisations that deliver quantifiable impact in local communities, Unity’s funding in 2023 helped to support 1,458 care home spaces; 572 day care and education spaces and 7,143 jobs. It also provided affordable homes for 1,225 households and 452 properties benefited from retrofitting activities. Unity continued to strengthen its support to customers in 2023, introducing a new digital banking platform and establishing sector specific customer hubs. Committed to developing the way it measures and manages its own contributions to people and planet, the bank joined the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) and released its first financed emissions reporting; strengthening its commitment to understanding its role in supporting customers facing the impacts of climate change. Unity also maintains its carbon neutral status for its own emissions through continued engagement with the Housing Association Charitable Trust’s (HACT’s) award-winning Retrofit Credits programme. Colin added: “Unity’s vision is to become the market leader in ethical banking in the UK and we will continue to help improve the lives of local communities into the next 40 years through responsible financing.” In 2023, employee-led Unity & Me initiatives continued to make Unity a great place to work and support positive outcomes for customers and communities. Unity increased its discretionary donations fivefold from 2022, supporting 26 organisations to deliver positive outcomes for the most vulnerable in society. It also maintained its partnership with the Prince’s Trust and volunteered with 123 young people throughout the year and increased its overall staff volunteering days by 2.5% compared to 2022. About Unity Trust Bank Unity Trust Bank is an award-winning, independent, commercial bank that uses banking to improve the lives of UK communities. Living by its principles of banking with integrity, Unity’s purpose is to help create a better society, not simply maximise profits. Now in its 40th year, it has supported like-minded organisations that share its values and address social, economic and environmental needs. With offices in Birmingham, Manchester and London, Unity offers a range of banking services, including current accounts, savings accounts and loans. Unity is a Real Living Wage Trailblazer and Disability Confident employer, holder of the Investors in People Gold standard and a member of the Global Alliance for Banking with Values, and its memberships ensure it’s engaged with best practices in the UK and globally as a bank with a social conscience. Visit www.unity.co.uk for more information. You can also follow Unity Trust Bank on Twitter and Facebook, or go to its LinkedIn page.

Today we brought together cross-sector experts at our Social Value Leaders’ Summit in Manchester, to discuss how this purpose-led approach to procurement and commissioning can be embedded across the public sector and influence spend in the UK’s largest companies. The keynote speech from Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig looked to the future of social value, with insight on the city’s plans for this tool to benefit the local community. Attendees also heard how social value is being used in large infrastructure projects such as London’s new giant Tideway sewer system, and helping drive positive impact for organisations from Liverpool Football Club to National Highways. It was made abundantly clear throughout the day that, when used effectively, social value can be transformative. It can create thousands of employment and training opportunities, unlock billions of investment in new low carbon products, and generate millions for reinvestment in vital infrastructure to benefit people and planet. However, while this agenda has made significant progress since the passing of the Social Value Act over a decade ago, our discussions through the day and the new research we presented also show there is still much more work to do before the full potential of this pioneering approach is truly realised. Launched at the Summit, ‘the state of social value in public sector spending’ showed that while local authority engagement has increased since we last ran this research exercise in 2016, many still never even apply social value. With council budgets squeezed and services at breaking point, a social value approach to ensure commissioning and procurement benefits local communities is needed more than ever – but unfortunately a lack of clarity and consistency across the country means this opportunity is often missed. CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT With a General Election on the horizon, Summit attendees discussed not only what changes are needed over the next decade but specifically in the next Parliament to better support our growing movement. If we are to achieve the goals on our Social Value 2032 Roadmap, it’s vital that we continue pushing for better and more complete implementation of the Act.  The Social Value Leaders’ Summit forms part of our ongoing Social Value 2032 programme. This ambitious work delivered in partnership with PwC and Jacobs looks to put social value at the heart of commissioning and procurement, maximising the positive impact of every pound spent. If you’d like to get involved, please email jennifer.exon@socialenterprise.org.uk

A leading social investor, Key Fund, is actively seeking to support social entrepreneurs from ethnic minorities. Key Fund, which operates across the North and the Midlands, offers investment (loans and grants) between £5,000-£300,000 to social enterprises in some of the most deprived communities. The move is in response to ongoing research from the Black United Representation Network (BURN) that shows only a fraction of ethnic minority businesses in Manchester are accessing and securing investment. The groundbreaking study concluded productivity could be boosted by almost £4bn in the Manchester region alone, if steps were taken to dismantle the barriers Black and Asian business leaders face. One million of the six million businesses in the UK are minority owned, yet people from minority groups face greater exclusion from the financial system, according to the Minority Businesses Matter Report*. Key Fund began in South Yorkshire in 1999 in response to the collapse of the coal and steel industries. A social enterprise itself, it was founded by like-minded social entrepreneurs and philanthropists to breathe life back into its communities, by supporting new enterprise. Matt Smith, CEO of Key Fund, said: “Key Fund has a long history of reaching the most disadvantaged places, but we’re aware the most marginalised groups in these places have traditionally been unable to access finance. Our mission to create successful communities can’t work if there are people still left behind. There is a profound need, and we have to step up to meet it.” Key Fund supports social or community organisations who work to create positive social or environmental impact, as well as profit. To date, Key Fund has awarded £49.4m in loans and £23.3m in grants, creating or sustaining 3,000 businesses, and over 4,000 jobs, with a total £370m impact. Matt added: “At Key Fund, we pride ourselves in getting the right money, into the right hands, at the right time. We need to do more to address shocking discrimination. If you’re a social entrepreneur who has been turned down by your bank, or struggled with cultural or language barriers, our door is open. Please talk to us.” Barriers include discrimination, and the lack of customised business and application support, delivered by diverse providers. Dr Marilyn Comrie OBE, an award-winning social entrepreneur and founder of BURN, said: “Understanding the specific barriers that ethnic minorities face is a crucial first step in creating solutions that can overcome long-standing racial inequities. We’re thrilled Key Fund as leaders in the social investment sector, has recognised this issue, and look forward to working with them to help our economy be one where all can thrive.” Key Fund’s commitment to inclusivity will feature a series of workshops aimed at ethnic minority social entrepreneurs, offering translation services as required. It is actively championing its existing BAME clients in the hope to inspire others. Key Fund investees in the last year include Highway Hope in Manchester, which has grown into a social enterprise hub, with discount food stores, a beauty salon for ethnic minorities, IT hub, re-use furniture store and educational programmes. Key Fund invested £19,200 in loan and £5,800 grant in 2023 to help its CEO, Esther Oludipe, develop its community café. It also invested in Toranj Tuition to allow them to purchase their own building and become more sustainable. Established by three Iranian nationals in Hull twenty years ago, it supports qualified migrants to re-enter their professions in the UK, and runs educational programmes for children from deprived backgrounds. Other recent investees include Newcastle’s Africawad, founded by asylum seeker Afi Dometi, which supports over 20 women into education or employment in the UK each year, and saves 300,000 kilos of unwanted clothes from landfill thekeyfund.co.uk * MSDUK (minoritybusinessesmatter.org) To access the BURN Barriers to Inclusion report for Greater Manchester go to: BarierstoInclusionReportJanuary2024.pdf - Google Drive

NOAH Enterprise is a charity supporting people struggling against homelessness and exclusion, with services across Bedfordshire working to find and help people with nowhere else to turn. Founded in the late 1980s by a nun, Sister Eileen O’Mahoney, the charity initially operated out of a block of condemned flats but has since grown significantly in scale and impact. NOAH now includes an outreach service to help people off the street, work experience and skills training to get people into employment, and social enterprise shops to raise money for the cause. Its welfare centre also offers warm meals, medical and dental care, accommodation support, clothing and laundry facilities, immigration advice and much more. In the last year, NOAH has supported 1,038 people at the welfare centre and 466 people on the streets, as well as helping 284 people into accommodation and 20 people into employment. How does NOAH work with government departments? NOAH’s primary work with central government departments is with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for which it delivers street outreach services under the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative. Winning this contract has allowed NOAH to expand this element of its work into central Bedfordshire and central Luton. NOAH has also worked on contracts with the Home Office to provide EUSS advice and, outside of central government commissioned services, is also working on a pioneering hospital discharge project with Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. How did NOAH succeed in winning the contract? Paul Prosser, Head of Welfare Services at NOAH, believes that core to the charity winning this DLUHC contract was its proven track record of transforming lives. The way NOAH operates means that they can “build trust, get to know people and work with them to create bespoke solutions”. Being an independent provider also has its advantages, as people are more likely to seek support from organisations they have a personal relationship with than bodies like the local council who they may have had a negative experience with. NOAH’s broader holistic support offer was another contributing factor in its DLUHC bid success, as people helped through the street outreach programme can also access the wider services provided by its Welfare Centre. Whilst the centre is not statutorily funded, the ability to co-locate services around a central hub adds value to the contract. When the service was put out to tender, NOAH’s application included a supporting letter from the local authority highlighting the charity’s expertise. What were the benefits to DLUHC of working with you? NOAH brings additional value to the contract through its commitment to impact and its proximity to the frontline. The charity’s years of being embedded in the local area mean that the community really believes in its work, meaning that the charity can work with volunteers who are passionate about delivering on its mission whilst also keeping down costs. Paul believes that commissioners now have a “greater risk appetite for embedding lived experience”, a core tenet of many VCSEs, which can be lacking in local authorities and private sector providers, who are driven by minimising costs and maximising shareholder value. What tips do you have for other social enterprises and charities who want to work with central government? A key tip from NOAH for other VCSEs is to use your existing knowledge, and the strong relationships you have built with the people you are set up to support, which is often a key differentiating factor between VCSEs and other providers. Paul also advised to not be afraid of proposing innovative solutions to funders, stating that: “VCSEs are in a strong place because they know what people are saying to them and they know what’s needed. They can be brave and test concepts with people and can go back to statutory funders and suggest new ideas and pilots. Sometimes there’s a willingness to try to new things.” While acknowledging there may be a degree of guesswork in establishing whether a statutory body is willing to test and trial new things, Paul’s experience with NOAH is that “where pilot projects have been co-produced with people who are experts by experience, that carries a lot of weight”. Based on a conversation with Paul Prosser, Head of Welfare Services at NOAH Enterprises noahenterprise.org

NOAH Enterprise is a charity supporting people struggling against homelessness and exclusion, with services across Bedfordshire working to find and help people with nowhere else to turn. Founded in the late 1980s by a nun, Sister Eileen O’Mahoney, the charity initially operated out of a block of condemned flats but has since grown significantly in scale and impact. NOAH now includes an outreach service to help people off the street, work experience and skills training to get people into employment, and social enterprise shops to raise money for the cause. Its welfare centre also offers warm meals, medical and dental care, accommodation support, clothing and laundry facilities, immigration advice and much more. In the last year, NOAH has supported 1,038 people at the welfare centre and 466 people on the streets, as well as helping 284 people into accommodation and 20 people into employment. How does NOAH work with government departments? NOAH’s primary work with central government departments is with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for which it delivers street outreach services under the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative. Winning this contract has allowed NOAH to expand this element of its work into central Bedfordshire and central Luton. NOAH has also worked on contracts with the Home Office to provide EUSS advice and, outside of central government commissioned services, is also working on a pioneering hospital discharge project with Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. How did NOAH succeed in winning the contract? Paul Prosser, Head of Welfare Services at NOAH, believes that core to the charity winning this DLUHC contract was its proven track record of transforming lives. The way NOAH operates means that they can “build trust, get to know people and work with them to create bespoke solutions”. Being an independent provider also has its advantages, as people are more likely to seek support from organisations they have a personal relationship with than bodies like the local council who they may have had a negative experience with. NOAH’s broader holistic support offer was another contributing factor in its DLUHC bid success, as people helped through the street outreach programme can also access the wider services provided by its Welfare Centre. Whilst the centre is not statutorily funded, the ability to co-locate services around a central hub adds value to the contract. When the service was put out to tender, NOAH’s application included a supporting letter from the local authority highlighting the charity’s expertise. What were the benefits to DLUHC of working with you? NOAH brings additional value to the contract through its commitment to impact and its proximity to the frontline. The charity’s years of being embedded in the local area mean that the community really believes in its work, meaning that the charity can work with volunteers who are passionate about delivering on its mission whilst also keeping down costs. Paul believes that commissioners now have a “greater risk appetite for embedding lived experience”, a core tenet of many VCSEs, which can be lacking in local authorities and private sector providers, who are driven by minimising costs and maximising shareholder value. What were the main challenges in applying for government contracts? Although NOAH’s experience applying for the DLUHC contract was a positive one, Paul states that when applying for government contracts there can generally be difficulties in understanding what is being prioritised. He highlighted the tension between showing innovation as a provider without scaring the commissioner, stating that “it can be a little unclear as to how much innovation to try compared to how much risk the funder is trying to take”. Other challenges include “trying to clarify why we are the most appropriate provider”, as well as complicated portals adding delay and difficulty to the application process, with VCSEs sometimes having to pay external fundraising consultants for support. Based on a conversation with Paul Prosser, Head of Welfare Services at NOAH Enterprises noahenterprise.org

We are proud to announce that pioneering social entrepreneur Joanne Anderson has joined us as an Associate Director leading our Social Value 2032 Programme. As the first female Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne spearheaded efforts to deliver social value for local communities, introducing and monitoring targets across local government contracts to make sure that procurement benefitted people and planet. Her achievements include setting up the first Black social enterprise community consultancy, Innervision, as well as leading community engagement policy work in the Crown Prosecution Service. She is also the founder of BlaST, a Black social traders network set up in 2021 as part of her work with the Kindred social enterprise community across the Liverpool City Region. Joanne brings nearly three decades of experience as an equality, diversity and inclusion practitioner to Social Enterprise UK, as well as a great passion for businesses that consider their social and environmental impact. Her new role will see Joanne helping us make the ambitious vision behind our Social Value Roadmap a reality, working to embed this pioneering approach to procurement across the public sector and in the UK’s largest companies. As well as driving forward the research and lobbying work of our Social Value 2032 programme, Joanne will host our next Social Value Leaders Summit in March 2024 for key cross-sector stakeholders to explore how this growing business movement can shape markets and organisational behaviour. Commenting on joining the Social Enterprise UK team, Joanne said: “This is going to show the nerd in me – I was completely excited and delighted to read the Roadmap! Every frustration I had around social value was labelled nicely in a report with a roadmap of what to do about it. Between my unique social enterprise and local government perspective, I’ve seen that there's just not enough understanding around social value. “Social value means ‘extra’; If you're a business that does something ‘extra', that has a positive impact on people, that's social value. You’re going to have an impact as a business and you can decide whether it's good or bad. Having a positive social impact on the communities and people around you are what makes the difference. “What's important is to get some standards around how we measure impact. I couldn't have been given a better Christmas present, really, than to get stuck in to try and lobby the next government about the real opportunities in using the Social Value Act - tackling our social problems at a local level and creating community wealth building. As a bit of a purist, I think all businesses can be good businesses. That's my vision, my utopia.” Find out more about our Social Value 2032 programme at socialenterprise.org.uk/evidence-policy/social-value-2032-shaping-the-future-of-social-value.

Thousands of young homeless people in London are to continue to benefit from a new state-of-the-art home following a seven-figure funding package from Unity Trust Bank. YMCA London City and North opened LandAid House, an ambitious 146-bed development in Errol Street, two years ago. With the new building complete, transitioning from development funding to a long-term financial product was the final step required to complete the project.   Thanks to Unity’s expertise and understanding of third sector organisations, a long-term debt solution was created which included a remortgage for the new premises and additional working capital for further housing programmes. Chris East, Director of Community and Enterprise at YMCA London City and North, said: “LandAid House was a £19.4m project started 14 years ago because the old building was no longer suitable for vulnerable young people. We created new ensuite bedrooms with lounges, kitchens and laundry facilities and it’s now a place where young people can get back their dignity and self-respect and experience being truly independent. “LandAid House will impact over 10,000 young people over its lifetime, so it was important that we found the right financial partner. The way this deal was structured secures LandAid House and gives us flexibility for the future and that’s a great place for us to be in. “Unity’s relationship manager Paul Kelly demonstrated a great ability to understand us as a client and a charity and to come up with a solution that met our financial needs and helped drive our vision for growth.“ YMCA London City and North serves seven of the capital’s boroughs with a combined population of 600,000. With pockets of affluent and deprived areas, the charity manages five sites which provide up to 400 bed spaces for young people. Each person referred to the YMCA is assigned a case worker and life skills coaching along with training and education to help them find employment. Paul Kelly, Relationship Manager at Unity Trust Bank, said: “The YMCA gives vulnerable and traumatised young people a safe place to live and the chance to rebuild their lives. “Being a Londoner myself, it was particularly rewarding to partner with an organisation that helps so many young people in the capital. “Unity’s mission is to do good through finance, and we are proud to work with organisations whose values are aligned with our own.” Gillian Bowen, Chief Executive YMCA London City and North, said: “The values of Unity resonate with our cause. They have been a consistent, understanding and an efficient partner, providing us with a flexible financial product that allows us to stay focused on our objectives to make life better for young people experiencing homelessness.” Paul Thornhill, Director of Thornhill Capital Ltd which introduced YMCA to Unity, said: "It has been a pleasure working with Paul Kelly and Unity. Paul did a wonderful job and developed a strong rapport with YMCA’s Board and Executive team. “Unity has provided a loan facility with very competitive terms which satisfies the requirements of YMCA London City and North. This is excellent news for all parties involved with this deal.” About Unity Trust Bank Unity Trust Bank is an award-winning, independent, commercial bank that uses banking to improve the lives of UK communities. Living by its principles of banking with integrity, Unity’s purpose is to help create a better society, not simply maximise profits. Operating for almost 40 years, it has supported like-minded organisations that share its values and address social, economic and environmental needs. With offices in Birmingham, Manchester and London, Unity offers a range of banking services, including current accounts, savings accounts and loans. Unity is a Real Living Wage employer, a Fair Tax Mark business, a Women In Finance Charter signatory, a member of the Banking Standards Board and currently holds the Investors in People Gold standard. Visit www.unity.co.uk for more information. You can also follow Unity Trust Bank on Twitter and Facebook, or go to its LinkedIn page.

We are delighted to launch our Social Impact Report for 2022-23 to coincide with Global Social Enterprise Day. Our video report provides a snapshot of our people, partners, and numbers, showcasing how we embed social impact in everything we do, building a kinder, fairer way to do business. Fundamentally Starts with you (SWY) is a Property Service company, with 85% of our income from commercial contracts in property clearance, caretaking, handypersons, and building safety inspection services. But those services are not “an end in themselves” they are the means to support what drives us, our Social Purpose “to create opportunity and empower people to make positive change”. Through commercial trading, we have been able to build a business that champions good employment, fair pay, and responsible business practice, supporting nearly 50 employees, over half in entry-level roles. We are a Real Living Wage and Living Hours employer, and a member of the GM Good Employment Charter. We build good practice into our business model to ensure that our people and customers have access to opportunities and are empowered to make positive change. We create opportunities for people to get into or return to work through our employability support services which have helped 77customers in to work in 2022-23, and direct employment, with 34% of the team recruited from being out of work. We work hard to invest in our team and to provide opportunities for personal growth and progression within the business. As well as building impact into our working practices we invest 100% of our profits in our social purpose, either in gift aid to charity, re-invested in the business, or to support services in the community including money, digital, employment, and energy advice. In 2022-23 the team supported over 1500 customers and delivered financial gains of £633,000, contributing to a total since 2017 of over £2 million saved for local people. We are passionate about growing our business so we can create more opportunities, empower more people, and make even more positive change! If you would like to learn more about SWY, what we can deliver, work for us, or how we make a difference you can contact us on any of our website pages.   startswithyou.org.uk

Together with the Directory of Social Change, Benefact Group will be hosting a new webinar: 'A Practical Introduction to Social Impact Measurement' on Tuesday 14th November between 10:30am-12:00pm.  We all know that your enterprise does amazing work, day in and day out. However, when it comes to demonstrating the impact of all your excellent work to funders and stakeholders, many organisations struggle, which in turn can negatively impact fundraising efforts.  Join Robert Foster, DSC Associate and Director/Consultant at Red Ochre for this introductory session on social impact measurement. As one of the UK’s leading Social Enterprise experts, Robert will share some simple and practical steps to begin or improve your impact reporting journey.    Simply register online and details will be sent directly to you via email.  About WRS As experienced Social Enterprise Insurance brokers, WRS can help you find the right insurance for your organisation. Get in touch with our team to discuss your organisation’s needs and request a quote. For more information call the team on 01206 760780.  WRS is proudly part of the Benefact Group. 

For a decade now, the much-anticipated annual event showcasing the social enterprise sector has been Birmingham focused. This year sees it evolve to being the West Midlands Social Economy Drive - a celebration of all things social economy across the seven West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) localities with support from both Power to Change and WMCA. Starting Monday 13th November 2023, Social Economy Drive is a week-long programme of Meet the Buyer, workshops, networking, conferences, roundtables and expert knowledge-exchange collaborations. It brings together key stakeholders, Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise organisations (VCSE), commissioners, public and private sector, and entrepreneurs who are passionate about ‘growing the regional social economy’. Strategic Lead for Social Economy Growth at West Midlands Combined Authority, Charles Rapson, says: “Community-owned, social and environmental purpose-led businesses, charities, cooperatives, social enterprises and other not-for-profit organisations are important players in ensuring growth is beyond economic and thereby includes all members of our communities. These organisations support disadvantaged people and the West Midlands Combined Authority is committed to inclusive growth.” Chief Executive of infrastructure organisation, iSE CIC, Zel Mason, says: " Through the diverse and vibrant programme for Social Economy Drive 2023, businesses and the community will be able to connect with like-minded individuals, explore the latest trends in social impact, and spark new ideas for a better, more sustainable future." iSE CIC has brought together Regional Partners from all seven WMCA localities to extend the reach and social economy impact of Social Economy Drive 2023. These include Coventry & Warwickshire CDA, Provision House (Dudley), Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations, Warwickshire & Solihull Community and Voluntary Action, One Walsall and Access 2 Business (Wolverhampton). A flagship event will be hosted on Thursday 16th November 2023, international Social Enterprise Day, by the Department for Transport, and organised by BSSEC CIC. This will be in the form of a VCSE ‘Meet The Buyer’ procurement event to strengthen local supply chains, increase localised social impact and support the growth of the regional social economy by engaging with a greater number of trading community and social businesses. The Department of Transport alone spends £24 billion a year in their supply chain, and will be joined by HS2 Ltd, Network Rail, National Highways and includes influential speakers: Claire Dove CBE, VCSE Crown Representative, says: "I'm delighted to attend the Department of Transport's first Meet the Buyer event. Engaging with and promoting supply chain opportunities to charities and social enterprises is a key to achieving the ambitions I've set out in my role of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Crown Representative, to ensure there is increased recognition of the great work they do whilst tapping into the additional social benefits that can be achieved by engaging them in government supply chains." Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Our region’s social economy is a relatively unknown but thriving sector made up of a diverse range of enterprises that collectively make a remarkable contribution to society. We’re home to around 11,000 social economy organisations directly impacting on over a quarter of a million people - as employees, volunteers or as beneficiaries. They contribute £3.5 billion a year to our region’s economy. “The Social Economy Drive is just one of several actions that the WMCA is happy to work with Power to Change to support - raising awareness of this important part of the economy. “Chiming with the themes of National Social Enterprise Day, we should see opportunities emerge for social enterprise to contribute to the supply chain - one of the best ways to support the social economy. I look forward to seeing the social economy continue to go from strength to strength in the months and years ahead.” Natalie White, Portfolio Manager at Power to Change as the key supporter for Social Economy Drive 2023, says: “From saving local shops and creating leisure facilities to providing training opportunities for local people and helping to build affordable housing, across the West Midlands community businesses are making places better. This year Power to Change are thrilled to be supporting the Social Economy Drive, a brilliant opportunity to connect with community businesses, celebrate their work, and envision how growing this sector can unlock positive change in communities across the region.” CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL PROGRAMME AND SIGN UP TO EVENTS

This week (18 October) we hosted our first Social Procurement Meet-up, bringing together hundreds of people from our Recommended Social Enterprise Supplier network and our Corporate Buyer network. After a welcome from our CEO Peter Holbrook, we heard the inspiring story behind our event venue, Good Company. Cemal Ezel explained how his Change Please coffee company has aligned with fellow social enterprise Toast Ale brewery to serve life-changing drinks by day and planet-saving drinks by night, working together to end homelessness and reduce food waste. CBRE’s ESG Director Amy Brogan spoke about the importance of social value and social procurement – across society generally as well as in her company specifically, which won our ‘Buy Social’ Market Builder Award last year for their impressive work building social enterprises into supply chains. Amy shared valuable insight and advice for buying organisations looking to ramp up their engagement with social enterprise suppliers. We also heard the social enterprise perspective on procurement partnerships from Jane Hatton, CEO of Evenbreak, who really brought to life what it means when big businesses work with our sector. Jane said: “When you buy with social enterprises, it’s not a transaction, it’s a transformation.” Following these powerful speeches, guests enjoyed a ‘speed networking’ session that enabled them to make hundreds of new contacts and explore professional connections. To help everyone connect with people suited to their business needs, we set up dedicated zones for common workstreams, covering everything from catering and facilities management to marketing and HR. Reflecting on the day, our CEO Peter Holbrook said: “It’s clear from the energy in the room today that procurement is changing – and in choosing the kind of business you want to work with, you can help create the kind of world you want to live in. With events like this and our social procurement services, we’re growing a life-changing and planet-saving movement, as companies big and small join forces to actively tackle the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time.” To find out more, go to www.socialenterprise.org.uk/get-involved/social-procurement.

On 18 October the Senedd played host to the annual Social Business Wales Awards this year, recognising the invaluable work of six Welsh social enterprises. Social businesses in Wales account for 2.6% of the total businesses in Wales, employing over 65,000 workers, with an annual turnover for the sector calculated ats £4.8bn. The Social Business Wales Award winners were: Câr-y-Môr: Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Câr-y-Môr is committed to starting the first commercial seaweed and shellfish farm in Wales, to motivate and inspire others to duplicate. With a commitment to making a positive impact on the Welsh coastline and the local community, Câr-y-Môr impressed our judges with their innovative approach to running a business that puts their people and community at their core. https://www.carymor.wales/ The Bike Lock: One to Watch Sponsored by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Cardiff’s first secure cycle storage facility. An independent bike storage and coworking space, serving locally roasted coffee in the heart of Cardiff. With a mission to build a space that encourages people to be more active and engage with their community, The Bike Lock impressed the judges with their passion and drive to support active travel in and around Cardiff, enabling a healthier and happier community. https://www.thebikelock.co.uk/ Outside Lives: Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, & Justice Sponsored by The Co-op With nature as their guide, Outside Lives are committed to connecting both people and communities, creating a more supportive, adaptable, resilient and resourceful environment for every living thing. https://www.outsidelivesltd.org Eleanor Shaw, People Speak Up: Social Enterprise Women’s Champion Eleanor is the Founder and Artistic and Business director of People Speak Up (PSU). Having spent many years as a leader in further education settings Eleanor felt the call to really make an even bigger impact. After making the brave move to leave her leadership role in FE she took time out and travelled to find healing and purpose. Eleanor found that through storytelling. https://peoplespeakup.co.uk/ With Music in Mind: Community-based Social Enterprise  Sponsored by Legal and General With Music In Mind is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company based in South Wales offering a regular service for older people in the community. The judges were impressed by the care and dedication With Music in Mind show towards the people that need their service, and their plans to extend their services to a wider area, ensuring more people suffering with isolation have the support they need and deserve. https://www.withmusicinmind.co.uk/ Creating Enterprise: Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year Sponsored by University of Wales Trinity St David Creating Enterprise, part of Cartrefi Conwy, is an award-winning building and maintenance contractor based in North Wales. The judges were impressed by their plans to build energy efficient, carbon zero homes, certified by Beattie Passive, whilst also employing the people supported by Cartrefi Conwy in the construction of these innovative homes. https://www.creatingenterprise.org.uk/en/home/ Social Business Wales, which is funded by the Welsh Government, provides intensive one-to-one support to social businesses and social entrepreneurs across Wales that are seeking  to expand or create jobs. Social Business Wales is delivered in partnership by Cwmpas, Unltd, WCVA, Development Bank of Wales, and Social Firms Wales. The programme is funded by the Welsh Government, and it is part of the Business Wales service Glenn Bowen, Director of Enterprise at Cwmpas, speaking on behalf of the Social Business Wales partners said: “Social enterprises embedded within their communities provide much needed support, services and jobs. “We have brilliant examples of businesses doing their bit to reduce the impact of climate change and reaching out to new members of the community through their equity, diversity and inclusion work. Congratulations to all our wonderful winners.” All the winners from the Social Business Wales Awards have automatically been added to the shortlist for their respective categories for the UK Social Enterprise Awards which will take place at the Roundhouse in London on 30 November. The headline sponsor for the Social Business Wales Awards 2023 is Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. Categories were also sponsored by Legal and General, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and The Co-Op

This month the Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) team attended Construction News magazine’s CN Meetup event at JW Marriot Grosvenor House in London. The event brought together professionals from across the construction industry to discuss key issues and trends affecting the sector. We were there to show the benefits of working with social enterprise suppliers and how businesses can unlock social value in their everyday spending. Our business relationship executive Francesca Maines spoke at a roundtable about embedding social value and sustainability in procurement processes, supporting the construction sector to engage more with social enterprises. We were also joined by SEUK members including Tarem Services and Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company. SEUK has a strong track record of working with big businesses in the construction sector. Our work has helped embed social procurement, where buying organisations actively choose to work with social enterprise suppliers, into their practices. Our flagship Buy Social Corporate Challenge has seen more than £255 million spent by 30 corporate partners with social enterprises, and our new Social Procurement Connect service helps to bring social enterprises into cross-sector supply chains. We were also instrumental in passing the Social Value Act in 2012, which has helped transform the procurement and commissioning landscape – placing an obligation on public bodies to consider how the services they procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the areas they operate in. The Act is also increasingly changing how the private sector operates, especially for businesses that work on public sector contracts. Commenting on the event and the benefits of working with social enterprises, Francesca said: “Working with social enterprise suppliers allows businesses to use their everyday procurement spend to create positive social and environmental impact. It’s using money that would be spent anyway to transform lives and protect the planet. We have seen construction companies use their procurement function to create jobs for marginalised groups, increase supplier diversity and embed sustainable practices into their work. What’s more, social enterprises deliver on quality while being competitive on price. It was great to meet an engaged audience of construction professionals, have meaningful conversations around social value and spread the word about social enterprise.” Other speakers at the table discussion included Syreeta Bayne from Muse, Heather Bryant from Galliford Try, Robbie Blackhurst from Procure Partnerships Framework and Liz Lee from Advance Social Value To find out more about bringing social enterprises into your supply chains visit our Social Procurement Page.

As the UK celebrates National Refugee Week (19-25 June), the Ideas Into Action partnership supporting entrepreneurial refugees will showcase ventures from 13 new social business leaders on Thursday 22 June in London’s Museum of the Home. Ideas Into Action is a partnership between Result Community Interest Company (CIC), Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) and The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) that supports refugees to develop their own social businesses or non-profit organisations. Participants are assisted with bespoke social business support and fundraising for their new social venture, while benefitting from one-to-one coaching and group workshops that help build the confidence and communication skills needed to run a successful business. With each entrepreneur on the programme having lived experience of the social issue they are addressing, Ideas Into Action is creating a generation of social businesses led by leaders from the communities they serve. Since launching in 2021, Ideas Into Action has worked with 30 refugee social entrepreneurs – and is due to reach 60 by the end of next year, thanks to a national recruitment campaign. Last year saw ten entrepreneurial refugees graduate from the programme, and this year 13 more founders will present their social ventures to potential investors, supporters and partners at the Ideas Into Action Demo Day on 22 June. Yusuf Ciftci, founder of Experts by Experience Employment Initiative who completed the Ideas Into Action programme last year, said: “I've had an absolute boost in my confidence with the crowd-funder campaign I launched with the amazing help of Ideas into Action. Thanks to quality advice and business support, I was able to raise seed funding to kick-start my non-profit, which is now a 60-organisation-wide network working towards improving refugee employment.” Jane Cordell and Hormoz Ahmadzadeh, Directors at Result CIC, said: “National Refugee Week is the perfect time to celebrate these entrepreneurs who have been refugees, but of course our work does not stop this week and we look forward to supporting even more people with this nationwide specialist programme. They will gain not only greater confidence in their ideas for starting or developing their own organisations, but also practical tools and crowdfunding to get started. The members of each group will be encouraged to support each other and, after finishing the programme, pass on their ideas to the next group. In this way we expect brilliant new organisations to start up plus a stronger community between its leaders.” Elaine Crehan, Head of Membership at Social Enterprise UK, said: “We’re delighted to be part of this vital programme to support refugees building their own social enterprises. From creating job opportunities to breaking down stigma and prejudice, the social enterprise sector has long been a space where refugees can find a sense of community and belonging. It’s wonderful to see this programme helping refugees to set up social enterprises, using their own ideas and experiences to create thriving businesses that do great things for people and planet. It’s a pleasure to welcome all the participants into our network, where they can grow even stronger together.” Fred Kastner, Director of Social Innovation at TERN, said: “Ideas into Action is an opportunity for our community members to show how they use their passion, ingenuity and hard work to help communities in the UK and beyond. Their lived experience and deep community connections enable them to create solutions that fulfil the needs of members of society who are often overlooked and unheard. We have thoroughly enjoyed our partnership with Result CIC and SEUK to build a thriving community of Ideas into Action graduates/alumni who can partner up, amplify each other’s missions, and guide the next generation of refugee social entrepreneurs for years to come.” The Ideas Into Action partnership that brings Result CIC together with SEUK and TERN is made possible by support from The National Lottery Community Fund, which awarded vital funding of £180,000 to the programme in 2021. John Mothersole, Chair of England Committee at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this scheme, helping to boost skills and employment prospects for refugees so they can lead fulfilled lives while settling into and contributing to life in the UK. It is thanks to National Lottery players that we are able to fund this impactful work that will result in improved opportunities for local economies and communities, enabling them to prosper and thrive.” Find out more at www.notion.so/tern/Ideas-Into-Action-2023. To attend the showcase event, register at www.ideas-into-action-demo-day-23.eventbrite.co.uk. If you’re interested in becoming a partner or funder on the project, email info@resultcic.com or call 07516 518194. ENDS About Ideas Into Action Ideas into Action is a partnership between Result CIC, The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) and Social Enterprise UK (SEUK). The programme supports refugees to create and launch new social products and services for communities in the UK and beyond. Vital funding of £180,000 was awarded to the programme in 2021 by The National Lottery Community Fund. So far, the programme has worked with 23 refugee social entrepreneurs, and is due to reach 60 by the end of next year. Find out more at www.notion.so/tern/Ideas-Into-Action-2023.

Social investment is a funding source that many have never heard of, need to learn more about or may be unsure whether it’s for them. In this webinar Adrian Bean from Key Fund helped demystify the world of social investment running through how it works and what kind of support is out there. The webinar aimed to help social enterprises with great ideas but need the capital and support to make them happen. 2 March 2023

Jeremy Nicholls is an international expert on social value and has written a paper on the Future of Social Value as part of our Social Value 2032 programme to stimulate discussion and debate. You can read the full paper here Jeremy’s views are his own and not representative of Social Enterprise UK or any of the Social Value 2032 partners. For those of us who think about social value in the context of the Social Value Act, the idea of social value is relatively new. For others it has been around a bit longer – rooted in the idea of value for society. Go back a bit further and economists, politicians and philosophers have been grappling with the question of value for society for a long time. The increase in the use of fossil fuels, the age of exploration – aka invasion, the enslavement of people whose countries had been ‘explored’ and the increase in the use of fossil fuels, alongside innovations in systems to manage all this; financial markets, accountancy, joint stock and later limited liability companies, all contributed to a rapid increase in global GDP.  All this drove, and still drives, more argument and debate over the nature of value. Arguments that became both revolutions and wars, over access to resources that drive capitalism and the distribution of the benefits that arise. And we built an economic system to allocate those resources to activities to meet those demands, And we talk as if markets had agency as opposed to being people, a few people in the end who either manage huge sums on behalf of others or own huge sums in their own right. Unfortunately we (I say we though I mean men) built an economic system on the premise that private financial returns will maximise wealth, a system where there is no feedback loop and no limit to that wealth – aside from there also being no control of its distribution - to the point that 1% of the world’s population own 52% of its wealth. So if social value is to be useful, it needs to be a vehicle for a more radical, systemic rethink of our economic system. It may be already too late to do this for so many people around the world, and the implications are coming closer to all of us. But it is not too late to redress some of this, to regenerate a damaged society or to provide hope for future generations.   We need to recognise that we allocate resources to activities that should meet people’s needs and that those needs relate to their well-being. This means realising that there is only so much well-being (currently largely measured still by wealth) that you can squeeze into somebody and that endlessly pursuing ever more wealth is no good for anyone. It means recognising that a living wage is one without endless worry and should not be a survival wage. It means recognising that dependency on supply chains where people work in conditions that are lower, much lower, than we would ever accept is a legal sidestep of responsibility as they are someone else’s issue. These are all issues that social value should address, and the international networks that promote and support approaches to accounting and management of social value seek to address. But they are also the issues that public sector accounting seeks to address, and that with a couple of small tweaks, even private sector accounting could address. Public sector accounting already references the purpose as being well-being. Charity trustees should already be able to evidence that the public benefits outweigh the negatives. Were it not for a private sector approach to accounting that allows obligations to be ignored, obligations that most people would, and company directors could, already be willing to recognise, it would quickly be much more aligned. Social value is a way that we can divert the corporation away from focusing purely on expectation of financial returns to an expectation of financial, and social and environmental returns. Ironically, despite the opposition from some, this more closely represents the real investor interest, the interests of you, me and wider society, not the “professional” investment managers. Remembering that the purpose of allocating our scarce resources is wellbeing, and that this means recognising how dependent we are on natural, social and human capitals, would allow us to align private public and charitable approaches to accounting, and to be held to account, even if indirectly, by the people experiencing the consequences of our private businesses and our public services. We could even unleash all our human creativity on a goal of contributing to sustainability (and those SDGs which would of course include financial returns). And we might find that sustainability, social value and multi capital approaches all share the same purpose of maintaining and enhancing well-being. Yes, I remain a resolute optimist, but these are all changes within our power, they are all systems created by people and they can be changed by people too. Public, private and non-profit sectors respond to the incentives that society sets in its legal frameworks. Small changes to these incentive systems - to the wiring behind the walls - can have significant consequences for how resources are allocated – to create social value. Some are already happening, like proposals around s172 of the Companies Act. Some changes will need to go further if we are to align incentives around well-being; changing the purpose behind international accounting standards, developing new public sector accounting standards and aligning accounting with cost benefit analysis. This is the future of social value.

Launched as a partnership between Bath Spa University and 3SG, the Bath Social Impact Network brings together like-minded groups and individuals to improve and grow the social economy in B&NES. Created with social enterprises at the heart, along with B Corps, CICs, co-ops, and those interested in the work of these types of organisations, the Bath Social Impact Network will provide the support its members need to flourish through collaboration and idea generation. You can join their launch event in Bath on Thursday 23 February from 5pm-7pm. Find out more and sign up here.

Launching in January 2023, Social Procurement Connect is a new initiative from Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) created to support organisations add social value and impact into their supply chains. Building on the successes of SEUK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge, which has directed over £250 million towards social enterprise suppliers, Social Procurement Connect will take our social procurement experience and expertise to a broader community of organisations. It will be a digital service to guide and support organisations who want to improve their purchasing and buy from social enterprises centred around an online resource hub which will contain best practice learnings, and tools developed by SEUK. Social Procurement Connect is open to any organisation interested in bringing social enterprises into their supply chain from social enterprises themselves to private and public sector organisations. Through joining Social Procurement Connect participating organisations will benefit from: Tips for creating and implementing an organisational social procurement initiativeExpert insights on social enterprise suppliersA review of your supply chain and the opportunities it presents to bring in social enterprise and social value.An online peer community of leading social procurement practitioners and fellow early adoptersTools for better understanding your organisation’s impact through its supply chain Introductory webinar We will be hosting an introductory webinar to introduce Social Procurement Connect and social sourcing on 19 January 2023 from 10-11 am. You can register for the free webinar here.

29 November 2022 Social Enterprise UK has launched a new podcast exploring the ways in which social value can be used to help businesses, the public sector and Government to develop a fairer, greener society.   Social value is a way of maximising the positive social, economic and environmental impact of organisations. The Social Value Act, introduced in 2012, made it obligatory for public bodies to consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the areas they operate in. The aim of the Social Value Podcast is to help leaders in the public and private sector, to understand how using a “social value” approach will enable better decisions. The podcast is a part of the Social Value 2032 programme, a partnership between Social Enterprise UK, Jacobs, PwC, Shaw Trust, Siemens and Suez Recycling and Recovery UK. The programme aims to extend the use of social value across the public and private sectors and highlight how procurement can drive improvement and greater sustainability in businesses and markets in the UK, transform public services and accelerate the drive to Net Zero. On the first episode of The Social Value Podcast, Michelle Levi, Social Impact Lead for Europe at Jacobs, discusses the importance of building an organisational culture that supports and champions social value. You can listen to The Social Value Podcast at https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/socialvaluepodcast/ Episodes are also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Find out more about Social Value 2032 here.

Impact is hard baked into the DNA of social enterprises: it’s what makes us who we are and drives what we do. And in 2022, Stitch, powered by Connection Crew, has been thinking hard about this: how to push further for greater social and environmental impact and nudge this change up and down supply chains. Powered by the award-winning team at Connection Crew, Stitch is designing and delivering production solutions that minimise environmental impact and maximise social outcomes. Taking off in 2022, Stitch’s exhibition stands alone have: Achieved 93% of materials being reused or recycledDelivered 785 hours of direct social value employment for people with experience of homelessnessRe-used over 12,500 kilos of materials, saving these from being single-use or going to landfill And it’s not just exhibition stands. Stitch is working on innovative projects for clients across industries. In 2022, Wates partnered with Connection Crew following a successful installation project delivered by Stitch. This has catalysed further work to design and install welfare areas for staff, in turn helping improving their Considerate Construction score and evidencing their commitment to working with social enterprises (and hitting ESG goals at the same time.) “[They] have proven themselves to be adaptable and professional. Having identified transferrable skills, they have built welfare areas and also completed a successful pilot in modular install. Their drive, passion and capability are as fantastic as the impact they are having on the lives of homeless people.” Su Pickerill, Head of Social Value, Wates Group Services Stitch has also recently won CBRE’s Going Above and Beyond award for service delivery, recognising their work to deliver film services that hit CBRE’s needs: “Stitch have delivered a brilliant service and we're really proud to be partnering with them. Their commitments to making a positive impact through their work is inspiring, and we've loved being part of this. For these reasons and more, this is why we wanted to recognise their work as winners of our Above and Beyond award for service this year.” Gemma Lindley, Supplier Engagement Director, CBRE We’ve now worked with clients in industries including pharmaceuticals, construction, real estate and more: delivering circular-enabled production solutions that are environmentally-sound and socially powerful. What next In 2023, the ambitions of Stitch are to do even more: develop, find and use more circular-enabled materials and processes; create new pathways and opportunities for our ex-homeless crew; and support change in processes for our clients and suppliers. Every project inches Stich’s ability to innovate new, better and more ambitious methods to deliver projects that help fulfil ESG commitments. Check Stitch out here or get in touch to find out how we can work together to deliver your needs: info@stitchlive.co.uk

Ideas into Action is a programme that supports people from a refugee background who live in the UK to develop their own social enterprises and non-profits. Delivered by Result CIC, TERN (The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network) and Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) – Ideas into Action provides specialist support including workshops, professional coaching, business, marketing and fundraising information and skills training, as well as public-facing events. Ten refugee entrepreneurs took part in this first programme. 100% say that they would highly recommend it to others, and 100% say that the programme helped them get closer to achieving their professional goals. Now, we're looking for participants for Ideas into Action's next programme, starting in October. Ideas into Action will take place from October 2022 to the end of June 2023 and is open to refugees and people from a refugee background in the UK who are motivated to start and run a successful social enterprise, charity or other not-for-profit organisation which benefits the community and/or the environment, in the UK or abroad. Participants will be given comprehensive support based around a series of workshops covering topics such as starting a business, crowdfunding and pitching as well as individual coaching sessions with experts. SEUK will be hosting a specialist workshop on building your contacts and networks to help participants The deadline to apply is 7pm on 21 September Click here to apply and find out more You can also hear from Ideas into Action participants themselves here.You can apply directly, online or via a word document, here. Most of the programme will be online but we hope to have a face-to-face start event, a face-to-face workshop in February 2023 and a face-to-face graduation event in June 2023. All these events will take place either in London or Manchester (you will be informed of the final location if you join the programme). Ideas into Action is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund

By Dietmar Harteveld - Chief Procurement Officer at Siemens UK Technology companies make a big difference to millions of people, because the products we develop - from security systems to trains, leveraging data sources at university campuses and even household appliances - directly impact on people’s everyday lives. Doing business in a sustainable way is crucial to us, and by creating more energy-efficient products and services, we can not only save our customers money, but enable them to reduce their carbon footprint, too. At Siemens UK we know that there is much more we can do to work towards our sustainability goals by working closely with partners across our supply chains; this is why we are proud to be supporting the Social Value 2032 programme. Our work on social value is being led by the Supply Chain Management team, and every member of the team is playing a pivotal role. In a company as large and multi-faceted as Siemens, we know that we can have massive impact if we put our efforts in the right places – that’s why in Supply Chain Management, we know we need to act now. As a function, we have the potential to make huge positive impact on society and the world around us, just by changing the way we work. At Siemens, we deployed the DEGREE framework (De-carbonization, Ethics, Governance, Resource efficiency, Equity and Employability) across the whole of the organisation back in 2021 as a way to approach sustainability. This umbrella framework gives the different parts of the business the freedom to apply principles of sustainability and social value in ways that are appropriate to their operations and location, while all working together towards a common framework. By partnering with Social Enterprise UK, Siemens has already introduced around 65 Social Enterprises into our supply chain and had a positive impact on over 2,000 lives in the UK and internationally. Working with such agile organisations has also brought about innovation, commercial savings (over 10%) and helped Siemens win new business, all while still delivering quality and price. It’s also proving highly motivating for our team: Tony Saleh, our Supply Chain Sustainability Lead, has been working in Procurement for 30 years but tells me this is the best job he’s ever had, and most members of the team are actively driving social value in each of their commodities. It has created an appetite to influence our European colleagues to onboard social enterprises. One of our targets is to help improve the lives of at least 14,000 people, the equivalent number to our Siemens UK workforce. We're excited at the world of possibilities available to do more with our purchasing spend, which totals £2billion across our UK businesses, and over 10,000 suppliers,.Engagement with social enterprises has not stopped at the door of Siemens; thanks to our influence, many of our strategic suppliers are now including social enterprises as part of their supply chain, too. After hearing about our engagement with Change Please, the coffee provider, our Tier 1 Facilities Management Provider, EMCOR, have also adopted Change Please to roll out across their client base. So, I think at Siemens UK, we’re providing a good example of what large companies can achieve in social value. We’re working to embed social enterprises across the supply chain and ensure that making decisions with sustainability in mind becomes business as usual. By building on and strengthening our supplier relationships, we are making a big impact on our employees, our company, and the world around us. You can find out more about the Social Value 2032 programme here

By Andrew O'Brien - Director of External Affairs at Social Enterprise UK Given all the uncertainty in Westminster these days, social enterprises would be forgiven for missing the Procurement Bill which is currently making its way through the House of Lords. The Procurement Bill seeks to create a new legal framework for procurement in the UK following our exit from the European Union. The Bill is long and complex, but at its core is the idea of creating greater flexibility for the UK in how it spends public money. Welcome changes For social enterprises, the Bill has several important changes. Firstly, the procurement system is going to move away from “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” to “Most Advantageous Tender”. At a basic level, this means that procurement decisions can be based on more than just price. This is a positive move in the right direction. Ultimately, the goal of any public sector procurement is to make society and our planet better. Price is a factor, but not the only factor. The shift away from narrow consideration on price towards a broader range of factors is a vindication for the years of campaigning by the social enterprise sector and other organisations which have pointed out the flaws in the previous system. There is also a requirement for public sector organisations to consider breaking out contracts into lots. We hear regularly from smaller social enterprises that they struggle to bid for contracts because they are too big. One of the lessons learnt from the collapse of Carillion was the need to spread risk more evenly throughout the system rather than contracts being dominated by one or two large providers. Cuts to procurement teams mean that this provision may still struggle to be used but encouraging breaking up contracts into smaller chunks should help increase the diversity of suppliers, including social enterprises. The Bill will also make market engagement before a contract is put out to tender easier by clarifying that this engagement is legal and specifying the process. Again, this is a welcome move as most social enterprises want to work in partnership, and we know that the best services are designed in collaboration with experts and service users. Where is social value? The biggest area of concern in this Bill is the absence of any reference to social value. Despite central government creating its own Social Value Model and championing social value across the public sector over the past few years, there are no references to social value in the Bill itself. Ministers have said that the duty to “maximise public benefit” covers social value and the National Procurement Policy Statement (guidance which lays out the government’s approach to procurement) does include references to social value, but this is far from ideal. Public benefit itself is not a term used regularly in procurement, it is something from charity law. Social value, by contrast, is clearly defined in law and is far better understood by public bodies given the ten years that have elapsed since the Social Value Act was passed by Parliament. Importantly, we need to give certainty and clarity to public sector bodies about what it is expected of them. A hokey-cokey where social value is in one minute and then out the next is not conducive to long term planning and engagement. Our Social Value 2032 programme, in partnership with Jacobs, PwC, Siemens, Shaw Trust and Suez recycling and recovery UK has found that there are huge opportunities to maximise the impact of public spending through social value. There is a £56bn “social value gap” that we need to close and this Bill will not help to address this. We have been working with members of the House of Lords from across all parties to table amendments to put social value into the Bill and these have received widespread support. Unfortunately, Minister’s are not budging. We will keep campaigning to set this right and hopefully fresh leadership will provide a renewed focus on how we maximise public money through greater use of social value. Next steps Social value is not the only area that we are working on, and we have worked with peers to put down amendments to encourage “open book accounting”, so that there is greater transparency on profits and surpluses in public sector contracting, as well as putting a duty on public bodies to consider the impact of their decisions on the social enterprise sector and SMEs so that we have a range of suppliers in the future. We will keep pushing for a procurement system which maximises social, economic and environmental impact and enables social enterprises to win contracts given the excellent track record of our sector. The Bill will be coming back to the House of Lords in September after the summer recess for further discussion of amendments and SEUK will keep working with peers to improve the Bill. Once it has passed through the House of Lords it will turn to the House of Commons and we can expect the Bill to be passed into law some time in early 2023. We’ll keep social enterprises updated about the passage of the Bill as it makes it way through Parliament.   If you have any question or would like to find out more about the Bill, feel free to email me at andrew.obrien@socialenterprise.org.uk.

We are proud to partner with Social Enterprise UK on the Social Value 2032 programme, which we joined to raise awareness of the benefits social value can create and ultimately to encourage wider adoption of social value in procurement by both central and local government. Social value is an approach that considers the holistic impact of a product or service, looking not only at value for money but also at social and environmental benefits and consequences. We believe that wider adoption of social value can unlock billions of pounds’ worth of value for individuals and communities, and help to support an evolution of our economy that considers both people and planet. In Social Value 2032: Creating a Social Value Economy, we set out, along with fellow partners PwC, Siemens and Shaw Trust, a collective vision for social value over the coming decade. We include a case study about our work with Greater Manchester Combined Authority to develop a reuse hub for the city. The purpose of this was to bring reuse to Greater Manchester on a scale not seen before, through a hub for upcyling, repair and distribution that feeds a network of shops for pre-loved items. Together these provide work opportunities and prevent hundreds of thousands of items from being thrown away, conserving resources and cutting carbon emissions – all the while helping people in Manchester with the cost of living crisis and enabling them to access items that don’t cost the earth. This is the kind of exciting development that can happen through partnership between local authorities and service providers with a shared ambition for social value. Local and national government, as key investors in public services, have an important role to play in unlocking the benefits of social value. In the environmental services sector, we have seen a trend towards social value in procurement, with increased importance placed on outcomes for society and the environment in the competitive tender process by forward-looking authorities. Social and environmental issues typically used to account for around 2% of the weighting for supplier decisions. Now, in a growing number of Invitations To Tender, we see that figure at 10 or 15%. This puts an onus on all of us to respond to our customers’ changing needs to meet the growing public appetite for social value in the services they use. But this is only one way of thinking about social value. Social value is much more than a public sector issue, and should run far deeper within businesses than simply adapting to keep up with demand. At SUEZ, our adoption of a ‘triple bottom line’ approach – where we strive to consider and balance people, planet and profit throughout our business – has driven improvements that go beyond whether we can meet the brief for a given project. Our journey towards social value began about 13 years ago. At the time, the environmental services industry was dominated by landfill, with far less emphasis on reuse and recycling than today. We recognised this and were determined to take a leading role in addressing the wider impacts of the services we provide. Partly this stemmed from the personal convictions of our leadership team, who were committed to looking for ways to improve our business practices. Early forays into social value took a project-based approach, which revealed the potential impact we could have, but flagged to us the need to be more joined up and think about how we could make changes across the business. Our CEO, John Scanlon, took up his post in November 2019 and, having worked across many parts of the business, had seen first-hand how we could optimise the benefits arising from our work delivering essential services to local communities the length and breadth of the country, whilst remaining a profitable enterprise. He led efforts to develop a more strategic approach, putting together a team including leads for environment and sustainable development, and sustainability and social value. The resulting strategy, which is best summarised as our ‘triple bottom line’, is now embedded in all parts of the business and continues to evolve how we operate. The approach, while governed from the top of the organisation, is owned by everyone in the business. We have built social value into all our work. Our bonus structure requires senior colleagues to deliver on social and environmental success measures, and staff are closely involved with implementing the strategy in the most appropriate ways for their part of the business by developing local initiatives. We operate across about 280 sites and each of these has a sustainability champion, who is tasked with thinking about how we can make operational changes at ground level to benefit the environment and our local communities. This is guided by our ten Sustainability Principles, developed using staff feedback on where they see the greatest opportunities to make a difference at a local level.  Examples include one site where our staff repurposed a wind turbine to generate energy for the site, removed single use plastic cups and helped a local school with their biodiversity projects. We’ve found that these small changes add up to a big overall impact – for our environmental and social impact, and our bottom line. Social value is increasingly an area of interest for new recruits joining the business. We are much more frequently asked by candidates about what we are doing in this area. We recognise the importance to employee engagement of helping our people to live up to their personal values through the work they do. Our social value story points to a virtuous cycle. In building our strategy to maximise the social and environmental benefits of our work, we are helping to meet the demands of our employees and customers. This in turn makes us a better partner and strengthens our business. For more information about the Social Value 2032 programme click here. Social Value 2032 partners:

July the 1st 2022 saw Leading Lives mark its 10-year anniversary as an employee-owned social enterprise, with a combined birthday celebration and awards event in Bury St Edmunds.  It also acknowledged the contribution of Tony Carr, who retires as Managing Director after 41 years in the Suffolk care sector. Leading Lives has grown significantly since it was established as an employee-owned social enterprise in 2012 and is now an award-winning social enterprise that delivers innovative high-quality care services to over a thousand people, with an annual turnover that has increased to £10.7m. Social care provision includes 24 hr supported housing, overnight stays to give family carers a break, bespoke 1-1 care in the community and in people’s homes across Suffolk.  Their community hubs provide a range of skills development and leisure activities as part of a county wide daytime, evening, and weekend offer. They have an expanding offer bespoke to young people with learning disabilities and autistic people 13-25yrs that is grant funded by Activities Unlimited. They have embraced new ways of working and used technology to support people during the pandemic through their Digital Lifeline Project, which won Innovative Practice at the 2021 Suffolk Care Awards. Leading Lives put much of their success down to their business model of employee ownership and not for profit. The board of directors is made up entirely of employee elected directors, voted for by their colleagues.  Leading Lives invests heavily in the wellbeing of employees and involves them in the running of the business, employees feel valued and that their ideas and opinions matter.  All profits go back into the organisation and to the local community. This year Leading Lives gave away £25k to local charities and third sector organisations in Suffolk.  Strong on values and always putting the person at the heart of what they do, Leading Lives is well respected nationally and locally within the care sector winning numerous awards including Health & Social Care Enterprise of the year 2015 at the SEUK national awards (and finalists in 2021), winners at the Suffolk Care awards in 2021 and named in the top 50 Employee-Owned businesses in the UK.    Tony says “I have thoroughly enjoyed working in these services over the years with so many fantastic people. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to help create Leading Lives and am extremely proud of where it is today and how well positioned it is for achieving even more in the future.” - Tony Carr. Lucy Humphrey formerly Director of Operations at Leading Lives and non-executive director at Care Development East has been appointed as new Managing Director to succeed Tony.  Lucy said “This is an exciting time for Leading Lives and despite the challenges in social care we have a wonderfully loyal and committed workforce. I am positive we will work together to make the leading lives difference over the next ten years.” - Lucy Humphrey. leadinglives.org.uk

For so many of us, the pandemic was a chance to revisit our passions, ambitions and dreams for the future.  For me, it was also a chance to try starting my own enterprise – a social impact venture in the education sector.  Here are three things all early-stage social entrepreneurs should know. Uncertainty actually brings opportunity As entrepreneurs (and as humans!), we’re often not a fan of uncertainty.  We want to be sure about things, with our next steps planned out and a set of predictable consequences.  Life, of course, is never this simple – but the last year or so has delivered much more uncertainty than normal.  So, how should we respond?  How can we plan for all the possible eventualities of a pandemic year? The invitation for all entrepreneurs – and especially those starting new ventures during this time – is to see pandemic challenges as bringing new opportunities.  Every major industry has been impacted by the events of 2020-2021, and it’s clear that some are more willing to capitalise on this change than others.  As social impact entrepreneurs, we’re uniquely placed to listen carefully to the market, and respond with a solution that is timely, relevant and important.  We can ask ourselves: what’s the real need that I’m trying to address with my business solution?  How has this need been impacted by the pandemic?  And then, armed with the answer to those questions, we can craft a creative, relevant solution. The next normal awaits It’s clear that the theme of uncertainty will continue to be prominent as we move into the ‘next normal’, but there will also be a lot of other important themes coming into view.  For example, themes of innovation, or disruption, or creative rebuilding.  We’ve been given a unique opportunity to play a part in constructing the post-pandemic world, and it’s up to us – collectively – to decide what comes next. As entrepreneurs, we’re perfectly placed to think creatively about the systems, markets and industries we’re working within.  What will the ‘next normal’ look like for your particular sector?  How will behaviours and preferences change?  How can we shape our actions to create a world we actually want to live in? And on a personal level, as individual entrepreneurs, we’re given a chance to redefine our own working lives.  Many of us will have experienced remote work, and decided not to return to the office.  Perhaps you’re part of the ‘great resignation’ – the movement away from the work you previously did, and towards something different; more exciting.  Either way, we have the option to see ourselves as creators of our own working lives.  How do we want our days to be structured?  When are we most productive, and how can we support this with our schedules?  What do we most enjoy doing, and how can we do more of it?  These are questions about the ‘next normal’ that every entrepreneur has the ability to determine for themselves. It can be a lonely journey, but it doesn’t have to be One of the biggest things that struck me, shortly after leaving my corporate job, was the isolation of being a solo founder.  Without a network of colleagues, supervisors and mentors, entrepreneurs can end up feeling alone.  It can be difficult to explain your exact feelings about your business, or the challenges faced in a start-up, to someone who doesn’t have any knowledge of what you’re talking about. But it doesn’t have to be that way.  The shift to digital work has opened up endless opportunities for networking, connection and interaction.  Joining networks (like Social Enterprise UK) can be a huge support as you begin the process of building something new – use them to your advantage! And finally, as you go about your entrepreneurial journey – noticing the opportunities amongst the uncertainty, finding your feet in the ‘next normal’, and building up those connections around you – remember that you might just be part of a new wave of entrepreneurs who are stepping up during this time, to rebuild the world in a better way. AUTHOR BIO Eloise Skinner is a social impact entrepreneur, author and teacher.  She is the founder of The Purpose Workshop, a social impact consultancy, and One Typical Day, an ed-tech start-up.  Eloise’s book, The Purpose Handbook, was published in 2021.  You can find out more about Eloise on her website, or on LinkedIn. The Purpose Workshop The Purpose Workshop is a social impact consultancy, helping individuals and businesses navigate a sense of purpose, mission and values. We believe that purpose-focused work should be available to everyone, regardless of background or experience. As a business, our social mission is to channel profits into creating educational resources, shared with our network of schools free of charge. thepurposeworkshop.uk

At the heart of the Plymouth social economy is Real Ideas Organisation – a social enterprise based in the city which works across the Southwest and beyond. Its mission is to solve problems and create opportunity for individuals, organisations and communities. It does this through a variety of programmes centred on helping young people into careers and employment, supporting the growth and development of social enterprises and acting as a hub for community, business, and cultural activity. Turning a cherished local asset into the heart of Plymouth’s social enterprise sector Real Ideas is based in the Guildhall in Devonport, a part of the city that, following decades of deindustrialisation, became one of the poorest parts of the country.  Devonport Guildhall, a magnificent Regency era building, became symbolic of this decline gradually falling into disrepair. Real Ideas took ownership of the building in 2007 in a community asset transfer from Plymouth City Council, securing £1.8 million to refurbish the hall from the Community Assets Fund. This was no ordinary building restoration - the social enterprise took ownership of the Grade I listed Guildhall to turn it into a space that gives back to the local community. Devonport Guildhall reopened in 2010 as a space for social innovation – a place which brings people and businesses together to help build a sustainable and inclusive economy in the city. It has incubated a number of local community sector organisations, is home to a few established ones too, and has helped new food businesses to set up and grow during the pandemic by sharing access to the commercial kitchens and bakery facilities there. Most recently, Real Ideas renovated the Grade II listed Market Hall in Devonport, a £7.6million project which opened in the summer of 2021 as a new space for immersive technologies, complete with contemporary co-work and a 360-dome environment.  As well as Devonport Guildhall, Real Ideas also runs Ocean Studios – a space for arts, culture and making, with resident artists, shared making spaces and creative co-work. Real Ideas is also the Arts Council’s Bridge Organisation for the Southwest of England and works with schools, youth and cultural organisations to connect young people with art and culture. Growing the local social economy A core part of Real Ideas’ work is growing the local social economy through the development of community business. Its Empowering Places Programme, funded by Power to Change, has supported over 15 community businesses to start-up and thrive through a mixture of hands-on business support, training, tailored expert support and seed funding.  The programme has developed a focus on renewing high streets as well as in protecting parks and green spaces. Real Ideas has also supported thousands of young people take the next steps towards their future career, delivering employability projects in Cornwall funded by ESF, ERDF, National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Work and Pensions. Environmental sustainability is woven into the business’ operations, underpinned Real Ideas’ One Planet Living’ approach. It runs a range of programmes with this focus. For example, the Enrich programme, part of the Plymouth Green Estates Management Solutions Project (GEMS), specifically looks at how social enterprises and community businesses can be used to find positive solutions to sustaining the city’s parks. realideas.org

As CEO of Social Enterprise UK, I have a unique opportunity to lead change. We are primarily a movement for social justice – and without racial justice there can be no social justice. Social Enterprise UK represents a movement of over 100,000 businesses. We have to get this right. – Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK Social Enterprise UK is an organisation that acknowledges racism and seeks to be inclusive to all within the social enterprise movement. It rightly aspires to be an anti-racist organisation. We will and we must become truly inclusive of those communities we are trusted to represent. I am pleased that staff have taken the initiative for change. Change must be practical, impactful, and measurable. – Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of the Social Enterprise UK Board Background Following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020 we promised to take a close look at how we can become a truly anti-racist organisation and to consider our role in the broader movement for racial justice. Since we published an initial statement of solidarity , we put together an internal working group to discuss how we become a more representative and inclusive organisation. We also looked at what our role should be as a membership body for the social enterprise movement and what we can do to influence, and shape change at a systems level. This statement sets out why we think anti-racism, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are important – and why they will be central to all our work going forwards. For more detail on the steps we are taking, read our action plan which accompanies this piece. What are we doing? Anti-racism is now at the core of our work, informing all our workstreams and, vitally, our role as a voice for the sector. Change must come from the top. Our CEO Peter Holbrook is our Executive Sponsor on Race and with the senior leadership team and Board is committed to this statement, the associated action plan and to driving us to become a robustly anti-racist organisation. However, we have not set rigid top-down targets. Progress will be delivered collaboratively and continually. All staff will be expected to play a role, and all staff will have a voice to drive change. In March 2021 we signed Business in the Community’s Race at Work Charter publicly committing us to taking action to break down barriers for racialised communities and to being an inclusive and diverse workforce. Our new justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) action plan focuses on our internal processes and also our role as a membership body for the wider social enterprise sector. It details how we work with our members and other businesses to ensure that we’re proactively and effectively addressing inequality and that we promote anti-racism across the sector. Why do we believe this is essential work? From its conception, Social Enterprise UK has sought to promote social justice and has seen equality and inclusion as integral to that. However, we acknowledge both shortcomings in our existing approaches and the potential for us as an organisation, and for the social enterprise sector, to do more. We recognise that our economy and society is unfair in terms of who benefits from opportunities and who faces disadvantages. We also recognise that resolving this inequity requires proactive change. We believe that justice, equity, diversity and inclusion should be reflected across every aspect of our organisation and the broader social enterprise movement. We are proud that as a sector, we are more diverse and representative than traditional businesses. Around 14% of social enterprises are led by people from racialised communities[1], and 31% have directors from these backgrounds. Social enterprises aspire to be progressive, but systemic issues persist. Social enterprises led by people from racialised communities report lower turnovers than the average. The median turnover for social enterprises led by Black women was £31,900 compared to the overall median turnover of £100,000. Our latest State of Social Enterprise report also showed that the number of people from racialised communities on leadership teams has fallen. Social enterprises led by people from racialised communities were more likely to apply for finance but secured only half of the median amount sought, compared to 80% for social enterprises as a whole. The Adebowale Commission on Social Investment found that “social investment continues to have a serious problem with inclusion and equity particularly, although not exclusively, in relation to race.”[2] Leaders from racialised communities are under-represented across the work of the sector. Social enterprises should all be change agents to break down systemic racism and build a more equal, diverse and inclusive economy – but these barriers prevent the sector from realising its potential. Many social enterprises realise they need to do more to become anti-racist organisations (and 43% have told us that want to learn how). We want to support our members to strive for racial justice – and to showcase the brilliant work that social enterprises themselves are doing to promote anti-racism. We believe that this has to start by us improving our own practices. What do we mean by justice, diversity, inclusion and equity? We understand diversity to mean diversity across protected characteristics and intersectional factors of the people in our society. Inclusion means that regardless of background, personal and protected characteristics and other factors shaping individuals, all people can participate as themselves with the same voice. Equity means that to achieve diversity and inclusion, some people may require different solutions because of how unequal society currently is – achieving equality cannot be done by simply treating everyone the same. Justice means addressing institutional barriers to achieving equity, inclusion and diversity. What do we mean by anti-racist? For us, being anti-racist means recognising that racism is systemic and that tackling it requires proactive change at a systemic and institutional level – change that might be unfamiliar, uncomfortable and challenging for some. Why are we focusing on race first? There is evidence that particular racial groups are under-represented in our sector and within our organisation. The Black Lives Matter movement acted as a wake-up call – that organisations committed to social justice have to embed anti-racism into their operations if we are to build the fairer and sustainable economy we strive towards. There can be no social justice without racial justice. We know that inequity and injustice is not limited to race. People face oppression based on gender, sexual orientation, class, disablement, sex and age and more. Our approach to JEDI is intersectional– recognising how different forms of oppression interlink. Working to dismantle racist structures will give us tools and approaches to reduce oppression in all its forms. Dismantling inherently racist structures will not be easy. We believe that social enterprises are the future of business and play a vital role in breaking the systemic injustices affecting society. The fight against inequality and injustice is a long one – new voices will need to be centred, new solutions debated, and new coalitions made. However, we can all play our part in creating a truly anti-racist movement dedicated to building a fairer economy. We feel privileged to work at an organisation and in a sector that is deeply committed to positive change. We look forward to working with you and to sharing our progress. [1] In this document the term racialised communities is used in place of the acronym BAME though wherever possible we try to use the term used by the person or group to self-identify.  The term racialised communities recognises the social construction of race – how people are viewed through the prism of race by others and how this is directly tied into ideas around colonialism and white supremacy. As social enterprise Spark & Co phrase it – “”Racialised” doesn’t define the community or the identity, but rather the phenomenon that has happened to them” – https://www.sparkandco.co.uk/news/four-letters-cant-define-81-million-lives When referring to people from specific groups we will refer to them through the ethnicity they define themselves as  i.e. Black led social enterprises. [2] No Going Back – State of Social Enterprise Survey 2021 [3] https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/adebowalecommission/

Launched at the Social Value Leaders’ Summit on 18 May 2022, which brought together key stakeholders to explore the future of social value, this important report sets out a new vision for social value and explores how social value can be a tool to shape markets and organisational behaviour. As the UK Government looks to take forward its ‘levelling-up’ plans, the report identifies the benefits of creating an economy with social value at its heart and using existing public sector spending to reduce inequalities and transition to a green economy. The report also calls on the UK’s largest businesses to adopt a social value approach to working with the public sector. This new vision for social value focuses on how best to use procurement to drive improvement and greater sustainability in businesses and markets in the UK; transform public services and accelerate the drive to Net Zero. The report is authored by Professor Chris White – former Member of Parliament and author of the Social Value Act  Download the full report Download the summary We’ve also put together this two-pager which outlines the Social Value 2032 partnerships’ collective vision for the Social Value Economy.

If you were asked to picture our health system you’d probably think of hospitals, GP practices, ambulances and care homes. What you probably wouldn’t think about are gyms, childcare, woodland adventures and supermarkets. In Salford, Greater Manchester, one social enterprise is radically changing how a community can address health inequalities through redefining what is possible when it comes to the delivery of care. It is doing this through genuinely placing communities at the heart of their work, thinking outside the box, setting up businesses to create a sustainable source of income and genuine employee ownership. Getting closer to the issues Social adVentures was set up in 2011, part of a wave of organisations which ‘spun-out’ of the public sector following the Government’s Right to Request programme which encouraged the creation of public sector mutuals. Founder Scott Darraugh and the rest of the team believed that moving out of formal NHS structure would allow them to be more innovative and closer to the issues faced by the people they are set up to support. Since taking these first steps they’ve not looked back. Social adVentures is a social enterprise embedded in the local community being co-owned by staff and local people. This has allowed for the co-design and co-production of services, allowing service users to have a voice in decision making and giving staff more autonomy to make decisions and come up with their own solutions. Its core mission is to enable people to live healthy lives and it started off as part of NHS Salford in the public health unit running community programmes including learning disabilities and mental health services. Since setting up as an independent social enterprise they’ve expanded on this to win a series of contracts including a partnership delivering social prescribing services in Salford. This involves working closely with partners in the public sector and the VCSE community to sign-post individuals to the most relevant services with an emphasis on preventative care. Funding services through setting up social enterprises “anybody that comes through that front door of this place is made welcome, dealt with in a sympathetic manner, made to feel human again” – Garden Needs participant Alongside public health and social care contracts Social adVentures runs a series of social enterprises, the surpluses from which not only fund services but which are themselves a vital part of increasing community health and wellbeing. These include day nurseries, a community garden, a community gym, forest school training and a social supermarket based at the organisation’s HQ, the Angel Centre – a complex which runs a series of programmes, classes and events from work placements, counselling and coaching to services around quitting smoking and drinking. Every individual business is dedicated to making a difference to help enable people to live healthy lives. An example is Garden Needs, a mental health contract delivered by Social adVentures from their community garden which provides around 2028 hours of support to adults with mental health conditions every year – bringing people together, building confidence and helping people manage their own mental health. The delivery of early years care fits into the social enterprises’ ethos of looking at the causes of ill health and coming up with solutions to deal with them. Joining the dots between the prohibitive costs of childcare, unemployment and mental health – the nurseries offer free childcare for those who need it and also provide opportunities for work though Social adVentures apprenticeship programme. Currently the social enterprise runs four childcare settings under the brand Kids adVentures. They also run forest schools, allowing children to build a connection with nature and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Transforming a café into a supermarket “It has been fantastic to be given the opportunity to grow the Food Collective from scratch and to implement my own ideas. There’s no barrier to making changes that you think will work in your area of the business and that means you feel trusted and valued - Dale Finney Retail Assistant at the Food Collective A major part of their work tackling health inequalities revolves around the addressing food poverty and during the pandemic the Social adVentures team created a food club with the support of food poverty charity, Fareshare, working with their school to provide food parcels to vulnerable people in their community and those who were shielding. Prior to the pandemic, one of Social adVentures most popular ventures was a community café run out of the Angel Centre but this had to close when the country went into lockdown. Staff decided that this space could be transformed into a social supermarket to act as a permanent hub to provide affordable, fresh food for the local community and to support the food club. Social adVentures shows how a social enterprises embedded in its community can work across sectors to link up care and join up the dots when it comes to recognising and dealing with the causes of ill health. What’s more they are showing how the freedom that comes with being an independent social enterprise can allow both staff and members of the community to come up with genuinely innovative ideas, such as turning a café into a supermarket. Through setting up social enterprises under the Social adVentures umbrella such as the nurseries, community garden and a gym, they have created a degree of financial stability rare in the public sector. Remarkably nearly half of all the money coming into the business is through trading income. socialadventures.org.uk

15 May 2022 Commenting on Big Society Capital’s response to the Commission on Social Investment, Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: “Social enterprises will support Big Society Capital’s decision to cut its target rate of return, an issue which has been raised over many years as part of the reason that our cost of capital is expensive relative to other businesses. This is a positive step forward and a big win for the Commission on Social Investment. We hope the benefits from this change will be passed down to social enterprises in lower cost finance.” “We are disappointed, however, that Big Society Capital has chosen not to accept the Commission’s recommendation to put social enterprises at the heart of its mission. They are right to say that they only have limited funds to make a difference, but this is even more of a reason to target helping social enterprises to grow rather than spending their resources thinly.” “Ultimately, as the Commission said, we should trust social entrepreneurs. Growing social enterprise is the most effective way to tackle homelessness, climate change, health and wellbeing or any of the many issues that Britain faces.” “Social Enterprise UK also urges Big Society Capital to look again at providing investment into a black-led social investment intermediary and fund. It has taken a creative approach to financing developments in the social investment market in the past. Given the obvious discrimination against black-led social enterprises in the market, Big Society Capital must take responsibility. There is no legal restriction on Big Society Capital using grants or creating a blended funding package including grants, equity and debt. We must not allow squeamishness about grants to block efforts to advance social justice.” You can read Big Society Capitals response to the findings of the Commission on Social Investing in this piece featured in Pioneers Post.

March 2022 This webinar, held by the Fair Tax Foundation team went through the benefits of gaining the Fair Tax Mark and how it can contribute to the goals of social enterprises. The Fair Tax Mark accreditation scheme seeks to encourage and recognise businesses that pay the right amount of corporate income tax at the right time and in the right place. It is the gold standard of responsible tax conduct. As with Fairtrade and the real Living Wage, businesses can take the lead by voluntarily showing commitment to best practice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myrWaDL3aKM

The 10 Year Plan feels like it's taken a lot of lessons from social enterprise models. But the Plan still seems blind to the significant contribution social enterprises make in delivering services, writes Social Enterprise UK Associate Director, Dan Gregory. Today (3 July) saw the much-heralded launch of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England. It tells us three important things about the thinking in Wes Streeting’s department. First, this is a 10-year plan. Yet this Government has been elected for a 5-year term. So, this is ambitious, it’s aspirational. And perhaps a little detached from reality. Second, they see the launch of a document as significant. From all the recent invitations Social Enterprise UK has received from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), they are very keen that we read the output of what they’ve been doing for nearly a year. Even if they remain less keen to listen to what we have to say. Third, this is the Plan that will lead to delivery. To change. To the future of the NHS. What's in the Plan? But how? What is in the Plan? What does it say? The plan is long (166 pages) as we might expect. But is remarkably short on how. It helps to have ambitions before you set off, of course. But this isn’t really a complete plan. More of a direction. Perhaps this is wise, and Streeting understands that dictating everything from the top down or centre out is not the answer. The department is directing whilst not directing – the Plan is “tight on what, loose on how”. It’s less of a plan and more a series of bets, trials, pilots and avenues to explore. Change will be slow. New Foundation Trusts (FTs) and Neighbourhood Health Centres will be gradually rolled out through programmes. Various other whizzes – a Choice Charter and Patient Power Payments - will be trialled and “rolled out progressively". On the money side, "in the next 3 years we will make a start on the journey to establishing a new financial foundation." New tariff models will be slowly phased in. New "year of care" payments will be trialled in pioneering areas. Later this year they will "publish a 10-Year Workforce Plan". Of course, this may be quite sensible. But it’s clear that much of the plan is still to be designed and delivered. The new operating model will be "devolved and diverse". This means more messiness in the medium term for sure. But what’s the direction then? Well, the ambition is great. And it’s very much aligned with the ethos and experience of our social enterprise members working in health and care. The ambitions are around prevention and community. Empowered staff, with agile and autonomous models embedded in the local community. Financial incentives to break even and reinvest. Some of this is even quite explicit: "more money towards areas with disproportionate economic and health challenges". Great. No more bailing out FTs in deficit. Good. Hospitals will be expected to “do more as anchor institutions to support wider societal and economic goals. Through their procurement, supply chains and role as an employer, they have significant influence over social and economic development in their communities.” Also good. FTs will have more freedoms to retain surpluses, reinvest them and borrow for capital investment”. Indeed, they will be more like social enterprises. Then of course, there is a lot on the NHS app, on AI and other innovations which I won’t attempt to summarise here, even if I understood them. But some of the detail is rather more troubling. The big new idea is the Neighbourhood Health Centres which will “co-locate NHS, local authority and voluntary sector services, to help create an offer that meets population need holistically” a good idea, for sure. But who is going to tell local charities and social enterprises they are going to have to relocate - is that what this means!? Meanwhile, the financing of new Neighbourhood Health Centres looks a lot like a new wave of Private Finance Initiatives. Then the Plan also seems to effectively nationalise Healthwatch, which was a social enterprise experiment that will now be forgotten and airbrushed away. What about social enterprises? What does it say about social enterprise? There are (phew!) a few mentions. So, we have the recognition we wanted as a baseline – the flag in the sand. Indeed, there are also two case studies - Primary Care Sheffield and Live Well Manchester, which are built around social enterprise. But unhelpfully, the Plan refers to social enterprise at one point as "outside the NHS", which is infuriating. Perhaps, this is partly our fault for reinforcing this idea? I am often annoying our members by asking them to say, “We span out of the public sector” rather than “out of the NHS”. We are part of the NHS! This is indicative of the wider problem here. Large parts of the Plan don’t recognise at all that significant chunks of NHS services are not delivered by the public sector. Where it says - "every NHS provider should be an FT" - it clearly means every public sector provider, not every social enterprise, hospice or GP practice. This blind spot is maddening and doesn't seem to want to go away. Social enterprises deliver several billion of pounds’ worth of NHS services but still we are forgotten and fall between the cracks when it comes to the backlog bonus, access to digital and capital investment, CPD resources, international nurse recruitment, and the list goes on. At Social Enterprise UK, we keep fighting to be included and not forgotten and pull all the advocacy levers we can lean on. Sometimes we win! Some parts of DHSC and NHSE listen. But others don’t. We are currently working with some very engaged NHSE officials on equal access to digital investment, which will be even more critical as these pots of money grow. We are talking to NHSE about how their new structures within DHSC might replicate the old Social Enterprise Unit. But the next day we meet a senior strategist who doesn’t even know that in West Yorks, Plymouth, Bristol, Nottingham. Grimsby, Medway and beyond, we are the NHS outside of hospital. We provide urgent out of hours care to 2/3 of the population. Yet we are nearly invisible to some system leaders. Maybe they don’t like us. Maybe we are too awkward. Maybe we don’t fit and they know it, and hope we go away. Or maybe they know we aren’t where the problems are, and they are mainly focused on the problems. Maybe NHSE and DHSC are just a mess and half the staff are facing redundancy. Or maybe the NHS is simply a massive, complex system equivalent in size to the Hungarian or Moroccan economies. Influencing a system of that scale is a Sisyphean task. We keep on regardless! The Plan ends with a Wes Streeting afterword entitled "Be the Change", which many will know is the well-established motto of the social entrepreneur. While the system largely ignores us, and even puts barriers in our path, it also seems to be moving our way, and trying to build an NHS more like us. While we aren't winning (though also maybe not losing) the battle of ideas and policy, across the country we are winning in practice, through the daily work of our members and their staff, leading the way. Health and care social enterprises will carry on delivering the future, whatever the plan. To see a few examples of how social enterprises are already transforming the delivery of health and social care across the country, read our series of case studies produced in partnership with King's Fund and Baxendale.

PossAbilities, the vibrant social enterprise on a mission to help people “live the life they choose,” has been officially named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025 and they’re absolutely buzzing. The award celebrates outstanding workplaces across the UK, highlighting organisations that lead the way in employee engagement, wellbeing, inclusion, leadership and team spirit. Even more impressively, this was PossAbilities’ first ever year entering the awards and they’ve gone straight into the Big Organisation category with a bang! Unlike traditional awards, this recognition isn’t handed out by a judging panel, it’s earned through honest, anonymous feedback from the people who know the organisation best: its staff. PossAbilities people shared what it’s really like to work there, and the message was clear: this is a workplace full of heart, humour, and purpose. At the core of PossAbilities’ work is a powerful mission of supporting vulnerable people to live independently, connect with others, discover passions and build fulfilling lives . But that commitment doesn’t stop with the people they support it extends to the people doing the supporting too. Professor Donna Hall CBE, Chair of the Board, said: “We are incredibly proud of our talented team and everything they deliver. This recognition is a direct result of their passion, commitment, and the exceptional leadership of our incredible CEO Rachel Law, her team and across PossAbilities. We care deeply about the work we do, and just as much about creating a happy, inclusive, and inspiring workplace where everyone can thrive.” From support workers and coordinators to the back-office wizards who keep everything ticking, PossAbilities is powered by people who bring compassion, creativity and energy to their work every day. And that energy is infectious, shaping a culture that’s supportive, forward-thinking, and fun (yes, fun is allowed at work). This Sunday Times award confirms what PossAbilities already knew: that making a social impact and being a great place to work aren’t mutually exclusive, they’re a perfect match. possabilities.org.uk About PossAbilities PossAbilities are a social care organisation delivering a range of services to adults across the Northwest and West Yorkshire, including supported living, outreach, day services, shared lives, short breaks and an employment service.  We support individuals to live the life they choose.

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.

On Tuesday, 15 October 2024, Tarem Services, a social enterprise dedicated to tackling in-work poverty and food insecurity, joined forces with leading UK construction company Wates Group to bring essential food support to families in Kilburn Square through their Mobile Foodbank initiative. Tarem Services has partnered with Wates as a member of their supply chain, employed by the group to provide cleaning services and labour supply in Brent and on several other of their London contracts. Wates are currently delivering a wide range of planned works at Kilburn Square on behalf of Brent Council. A total of 100 food bags were distributed, each containing enough food to feed at least two people, benefiting approximately 200 individuals. This distribution directly addresses immediate community needs and demonstrates the commitment of both Tarem Services and Wates to supporting local communities. This collaboration forms part of Tarem Services' broader mission to provide support where it is needed most. Managing Director Titus Komolafe expressed his gratitude for the partnership and the positive impact achieved: “At Tarem Services, tackling in-work poverty starts with addressing fundamental needs like food security. Our partnership with Wates reflects what can be achieved when businesses are driven by shared social values. Together, we are making a real difference in the lives of families here in Kilburn Square.” James Gregg, Regional Managing Director for Wates, said: “Improving the lives of residents and creating thriving communities is at the core of our business. Partnering with social enterprises like Tarem to deliver initiatives like this allows us to support the local community in becoming stronger and more resilient. " Building Stronger Communities This initiative demonstrates how corporate and social enterprise partnerships can drive positive change and foster resilient communities. By collaborating with organisations like Wates, Tarem Services not only delivers high-quality services but also creates social value that uplifts the community. To learn more about Tarem Services’ Mobile Foodbank and discover how you can support our community initiatives, visit: taremservices.com/foodbank About Tarem Services Tarem Services Limited is a social enterprise focused on tackling in-work poverty and food insecurity, especially among cleaners in the UK. Founded in 1999 with the support of a Prince’s Trust grant, Tarem Services has built a reputation for responsible business practices. The company provides office and school cleaning, construction labour supply, pest control, and waste management services, all while remaining committed to social responsibility and environmental sustainability. About Wates Group Established in 1897, we are the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance company. In 2022 we employed over 4,000 people and generated profits of £33.7m from a turnover of £1.89bn, working with a wide range of public and private sector customers and partners. Now in our fourth generation of family ownership, we’re committed to the long-term sustainability of the built environment and to making our industry more inclusive and representative of the communities we work in. We are one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality and an Investors in People Gold accredited company. We are driven by our shared purpose of working together to inspire better ways of creating the places, communities, and businesses of tomorrow. wates.co.uk

Social enterprise The Fair Tax Foundation has launched a community share offer on social investment platform Ethex looking to raise £450,000 to expand its operations and bring five times as many businesses into its progressive movement. Across the globe, 35% of multinational profits (£1trn) are artificially shifted to tax havens each year, robbing the public purse of funding for vital public services such as transport and healthcare. The UK suffers from a corporate tax shortfall of £12.5bn each year because of this multinational profit-shifting. Some 10 years ago the Fair Tax Foundation saw there was another way to do business. Since then, it has enjoyed a decade of steady income growth and seven consecutive years of surplus. With the Fair Tax Mark, the gold standard responsible tax accreditation, the Fair Tax Foundation is central to a movement of progressive businesses that are proud to pay their taxes and celebrate the enormous contribution this makes to public services. Some 250 distinct trading businesses are Fair Tax Mark accredited, including FTSE-listed companies such as SSE and Marshalls, and household names such as Lush, the Coop and Timpson. Collectively, Fair Tax businesses employ over 275,000 people and contribute more than £1.7bn in corporation tax annually. Co-operatives and social enterprises were early pioneers of the Fair Tax Mark, with Midcounties, Scotmid, Energy4All, Suma and the Co-op being amongst the first businesses to become certified. These have since followed by other well-known co-operatives and social enterprises such as Arup, Jerba Campervans and Lendology In order to increase its impact on creating a fairer society, the Fair Tax Foundation will use the new investment to: - Create a new sales and business development team, broaden its product offering, expand its back-office and recruit and train new technical staff - Increase its income from c.£500,000 to c.£2mn per year - Quintuple its corporate engagement in the UK and overseas, leading to hundreds more Fair Tax Mark accredited companies Fair Tax Foundation Chief Executive Paul Monaghan said: “This share offer is a rare opportunity to buy community shares in, and become a member of, the Fair Tax Foundation – with subscribers becoming shareholders in the Society alongside existing members. We believe the more businesses that stand up for responsible tax conduct, the more likely legislators are to create better laws, and the more likely regulators are to implement those laws robustly. Since our inception a decade ago, much has been achieved in reversing the global race to the bottom on corporation tax. But there is still so much more that needs to be achieved, both in the UK and across the globe. By supporting us to scale up our business, investors will help expand our influence, bolster public coffers and help steer the economy in a more enlightened direction at this critical moment in history.” Ethex CEO Lisa Ashford said: “We are very excited to offer our community of investors the opportunity to support this share offer. We see it as a great chance to use your money to help create a more just and equitable world where corporations pay their fair share of tax and everyone in society can reap the benefits." The offer opens on 2nd September for a period of three months - targeting an initial annual return of 6%, and UK base rate plus 1% thereafter. There is a minimum investment threshold of £200, and a maximum of £60,000 for individuals and £100,000 for organisations. As with all investments of this nature, capital is at risk and returns are not guaranteed. Investors can participate in the offer via the Ethex investing platform at https://www.ethex.org.uk/invest/fairtax Notes to editors: Fair Tax Foundation was established as a not-for-profit social enterprise in 2014, and is registered with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority as a Community Benefit Society. It’s rules incorporate a statutory “asset lock” to ensure that any retained surpluses are used solely for the promotion of good corporate tax conduct. Ethex aims to help everyday people make ethical investments that fund extraordinary organisations.” It is a not-for-profit with a mission to ‘make money do good’, and has spent the past ten years creating a vibrant marketplace for positive investment. Community shares are withdrawable shares that cannot be sold, traded or transferred between members, unlike shares in a typical company. Members are entitled to one vote, regardless of how many shares they hold. Members can be paid interest on their shares, and can withdraw their shareholding (along with any interest accrued) by selling shares back to the Society, subject to the board’s approval. Any money invested is fully at risk and is not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Sponsored by Zurich Insurance Group. Social enterprises are part of a global movement, making the vision behind the Sustainable Development Goals a reality. This award is for a social enterprise working internationally, and which is having a big impact in their field. This award is open to UK-based organisations only with existing international operations. auticon UK First established in Germany in 2008, auticon now operates in 15 countries across three continents making it the largest majority-autistic business in the world. Leading by example, it continues to address the inequalities in employment for neurodivergent adults, highlighting the benefits of hiring neurodivergent talent and helping other organisations to follow suit. auticon is challenging outdated assumptions on who can and can’t contribute to a workplace. @auticon_uk Finance Earth Finance Earth is an employee-owned social enterprise with a mission to scale up funding into natureconservation, climate, and communities. Current investment to tackle the twin crises of climate changeand biodiversity loss falls billions of pounds short of what is required. Finance Earth works with leadingenvironmental charities, governments, and businesses to secure investment in projects that deliver realsocial and environmental impact. This year, Finance Earth facilitated the UK’s biggest ever transfer ofenergy assets into community ownership. @finance.earth IDEMS International CIC IDEMS builds open technology and digital public goods for social impact, delivering services in partnership with local organisations to build equity in the place of exclusion. An international team working globally, it has developed not only cultural competences to identify analytic methods from new perspectives, but also a collaborative approach to delivery that can be as transformative as what is actually delivered. This approach, and the values on which it is based, are codified in its organisational principles. Stand4Socks 16 hours. That's the average amount of time spent wearing socks every day, yet socks are typically dull, poorly made, and standardized. Despite existing since ancient Egyptian times, there's been very littleinnovation…until now. Stand4 Socks is the direct-to-consumer challenger brand in the sock market. Thebusiness has spent years developing socks that have enhanced comfort and durability without sacrificing style or ethics. For every pair of socks sold, means a donated pair to someone in need. @stand4socks Tea People Tea People is a speciality tea focused social enterprise. Its vision is to eliminate poverty in tea growingregions of the world. It procures, curates and sells a wide range of high quality whole-leaf tea and herbalinfusions many of which have won the prestigious Great Taste Awards. Tea People tea is sold to consumers and businesses in eco-friendly packaging and is available in loose leaf form and in pyramid teabags which are 100% plastic free. @teapeopleltd The Burnt Chef Project CIC The Burnt Chef Project is a global not-for-profit dedicated to improving mental health within the hospitality industry. It provides comprehensive education, accessible therapy services, and pioneering research to support hospitality professionals. Initiatives include stigma-busting merchandise, free e-learning programs, a podcast, workshops, and free therapy across multiple continents. The Burnt Chef Project collaborates with international organisations using creative campaigns to raise awareness, promote a healthier, more supportive working environment and advocate for sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. @theburntchefproject

Sponsored by PwC. Increasingly more and more people are setting up social enterprises, using their entrepreneurial ideas for the benefit of people and planet. The One to Watch Award is for a start-up social enterprise and key to winning this award is an ability to clearly articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it. Read on to find out who has made the shortlist: Amplify Goods Amplify Goods sells suds and scents with solidarity. It embraces intersectionality with a diverse, women-owned social enterprise and stepping-stone employer for those facing barriers to work, dedicated to transforming the B2B hygiene sector through sustainability and social equity. It designs and sells premium, planet-aware hand and body care products that drive circularity and minimise waste, harsh chemicals and carbon emissions. Reinvesting at least 51% of profits into mental health and wellbeing initiatives, Amplify Goods puts people and the planet first. Arts Care Arts Care is a limited company and a charity. It is a Northern Ireland wide regional arts, health and well being organisation established in 1991 as an initiative of the then Department of Health. It delivers a wide range of innovative, impactful and participatory arts projects, arts events, performances and exhibitions primarily (but not exclusively) within health, social and community care services (e.g. hospitals, residential homes and day care centres) throughout Northern Ireland. Art Care's mission is to help people transform their lives and well-being through participation in creative activities. @artscareni Construction and Engineering Opportunities Construction and Engineering Opportunities (CEO) is a community interest company founded in 2022. CEO empowers disadvantaged communities by providing essential skills and opportunities in the construction and engineering sectors. Through innovative programs, practical training, and mentorship, it promotes diversity and inclusion while fostering personal and professional development. With a strong commitment to social impact and sustainable growth, CEO is dedicated to creating a skilled, inclusive workforce for the future. @ceo_cic Courtyard Pantry Enterprise The Courtyard Pantry Enterprise's objective is to reduce the effects of poverty in Glasgow, using food as a vehicle for change. Its not-for-profit Pantry Hub tackles the root causes of poverty in the community through the provision of affordable food and by widening access to cost-of-living support services to its members. It also seeks to address economic inactivity in the local community, through its for-profit social enterprises, by providing employment, training and volunteering opportunities to those that face barriers to the job market. @courtyardpantryglasgow Down to Zero Ltd Down to Zero is a not-for-profit Community Benefit Society established to support community-led environmental activities that help tackle climate change and champion a low carbon green economy. In a nature and climate emergency this is more important than ever for current and future generations. Its business activities include - capturing carbon on land through activities including tree planting, agroforestry development, growing fruit and vegetables, and working with local people and volunteers; developing a low cost vegetable subscription services (Llysh Bocs); developing and selling sustainable charcoal and biochar (which is a carbon capturing peat free super fertiliser); and providing mentoring, education and training opportunities for local people young and old. Esports Youth Club CIC Esports Youth Club (EYC) is a pioneering social enterprise, empowering marginalised young people through gaming and esports. With hubs in Lambeth and Lewisham, EYC offers engaging activities that develop social skills, teamwork, and career opportunities in the gaming industry. EYC's innovative approach prepares young people for a changing future of work and enhances inclusion, addressing gaps in access left by mainstream education and created by systemic inequities. It creates pathways to high-demand skills and helps break cycles of poverty. @esportsyouthclub Half the Story Half the Story is a social enterprise biscuit business started in 2023. Its biscuits taste great - but as it says on each packet: ‘It’s not about the biscuit…it's about the people who bake them’. Half the Story creates life changing employment for people with major barriers to work including homelessness. Wrapped in ecofriendly packaging its biscuits can already be found in retail outlets, on boardroom tables, at conference centres and hotels. These are biscuits that taste good and do good! @halfthestoryuk KERB+ KERB+ is a not-for-profit social enterprise launched in 2023, cooking up positive social impact through street food. Born from over a decade of positive change from KERB, supporting small businesses in the hospitality industry and individuals facing barriers to entry. It supports people into work and people at work. It is all about driving positive change by providing vital support and a slice of opportunity for those who need it the most. @kerbfood

ChangeKitchen CIC is a social enterprise based in Balsall Heath that is passionate about food justice in our city, and has launched a September crowdfunding campaign to create positive change in the local community. Their Crowdfunding UK campaign focuses on increasing the health and wellbeing of people and families in the local community, reducing food poverty, and enabling job creation for those experiencing worklessness. Match funding from both Aviva and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, means that for the first £150 of each donation ChangeKitchen CIC can claim match funding of x5 until 29th September 2024. Meaning £25 becomes £125, and £150 becomes a huge £750! Why is this needed? Communities are still struggling with the cost of living and food poverty, especially among families. Balsall Heath is a deeply rooted, multi-cultural neighbourhood that is also one of the most deprived in the country. ChangeKitchen CIC are proudly located in the heart of the Balsall Heath community. In the last year, ChangeKitchen CIC has seen the need for free community meals rise from 200 per week to currently over 500 per week. With this Crowdfunding campaign they are being ambitious and aiming to raise £50,000 to ensure the nutritional health and wellbeing of individuals and families during this continued cost of living crisis. What ChangeKitchenCIC will do ChangeKitchen CIC can provide a free community meal for £1 – so every £1 donated can make a real difference to a real human who is experiencing real hunger right now. ChangeKitchen CIC are using this crowdfunding campaign to raise awareness of Birmingham food insecurity, help change the financial ability of families to feed themselves nutritiously, and create added social impact: Produce and distribute more free community meals to people experiencing food poverty. Provide healthy eating training within the local Balsall Heath community supporting meal planning and promoting good household budgeting. Create and seek out more work experience and employment opportunities (for those who are struggling to find work in catering and hospitality). ChangeKitchen CIC will do this by developing their ready meal offer and creating more sales, therefore creating more income, meaning more profits will be re-invested into the ChangeKitchen CIC social enterprise aims. In the first week, over £25,000 has been raised and is already making a real difference. Local people have been donating already and businesses can book catered events through the Cooking Up Change for Birmingham Crowdfunder UK campaign page. Birgit Kehrer, founder of ChangeKitchen CIC, says, “On behalf of the whole ChangeKitchen CIC team, we are so incredibly grateful for the support and kindness of our network and the community. It’s a firm belief within our social enterprise that no one should be going hungry in this day and age. Many parents give up their own meals to ensure their children have something to eat. There is a taboo, a real sense of shame, around people not being able to afford a basic human need such as nutritious food. We, at ChangeKitchen CIC, are committed to changing that, so we’re #CookingUpChange and asking people and businesses to get behind our crowdfunding campaign and donate to make a difference this September.” The crowdfunding campaign runs until 29th September 2024. Read the ChangeKitchen UK crowdfunding journey here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/changekitchen About ChangeKitchen CIC A social enterprise based in Balsall Heath providing catering and hospitality services with profits invested in reducing food poverty, reducing food injustice, reducing food waste, and improving skills, life opportunities and healthy eating by providing volunteering, training and community meals for vulnerable people in the local community. www.changekitchen.co.uk/ _ _ _ About Crowdfunder UK At Crowdfunder, we're on a mission to spread positivity across the globe. United for good, our team is dedicated to turning innovative community ideas into meaningful realities, going beyond the confines of traditional fundraising. We're a unique force in crowdfunding, driven by a desire to think creatively and address societal challenges through community-driven change and engagement. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ _ _ _ About Cooking Up Change for Birmingham We're Crowdfunding to ensure the wellbeing of our communities during this cost of living crisis. This new initiative allows us to use our experience as a social enterprise event caterer to share our delicious and nutritious recipes with everyone! www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/changekitchen/

Evenbreak is a social enterprise set up to close the disability employment gap, giving disabled people access to the same opportunities in the workplace as others. From not knowing which employers genuinely welcome disabled candidates to inaccessible recruitment processes – disabled people face multiple barriers in entering, thriving and progressing in the workplace. Many often lack self-confidence in a work culture where negative perceptions of disabled people still exist. Breaking down barriers Through everything it does, Evenbreak works to break down these barriers. The social enterprise runs an online jobs board specifically for disabled candidates to find work with inclusive employers. The majority of its income is through charging organisations for advertising their roles. Since the social enterprise was set up, over 700 employers have advertised on the site and more than 90,000 candidates have registered on the platform. Evenbreak also delivers training and consultancy services to help organisations make their systems and processes more inclusive, removing any disabling barriers people may face. To counter negative perceptions, it promotes success stories of disabled people in work. Income from the jobs board and training services enables Evenbreak to run its Career Hive: a career support service for disabled people containing online resources and workshops, a directory of support services, ‘meet the employer’ events and one-to-one career coaching.  The Hive improves candidates’ confidence by giving them the skills and support needed to succeed. So far, around 200,000 people have accessed the Hive, with 500 receiving personalised coaching. Experts through experience Evenbreak was founded by Jane Hatton in 2011. She had been working in the field of inclusion and diversity when, on becoming disabled herself, she established Evenbreak. Working largely from bed following spinal surgery, she set up a business dedicated to connecting disabled candidates and inclusive employers. All Evenbreak’s staff are disabled, with all services designed and delivered by disabled people, bringing an authenticity to its work that is grounded in lived experience. Creating an inclusive workplace culture is embedded within the social enterprise itself, which has a strong focus on incorporating the principles of intersectionality into its operations. Given disability doesn’t discriminate, this approach looks at different, interlocking aspects of a person’s identity - such as race, gender, age and sexual orientation - and how these can result in individuals facing multiple forms of discrimination. Taking an intersectional approach allows Evenbreak to understand the multiple issues faced by candidates, and better tailor its work to the needs of individuals. All its training and consultancy work includes an emphasis on intersectionality. Setting up as a social enterprise was important to Jane, as it allowed the business to focus on the people it supports, unlike a traditional business focused on shareholder value. As she puts it: “We didn’t want to be a traditional company, as it would mean profiting from the inequality that disabled people face - and also, we wanted to be driven by the needs of disabled people, not the needs of shareholders. But we didn’t want to set up as a charity, as that would send out all the wrong messages; our candidates aren’t charity cases, they are a valuable source of talent to employers.” An award-winning social enterprise Evenbreak’s work transforming the world of employment for disabled people was recognised in 2023 when it won the Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice Award at our UK Social Enterprise Awards. Commenting on this success, Jane said: “Winning the UK Social Enterprise Award for Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice was a great opportunity to endorse our work to existing and future clients - and showcase the benefits of diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice more widely, from a social impact perspective.”  evenbreak.co.uk

This month marks a significant milestone for Tarem Services Limited as we celebrate 25 years of pioneering efforts as a social enterprise. Founded in 1999 with crucial initial support from The Prince's Trust, we have dedicated ourselves to tackling in-work poverty and promoting sustainable practices. Through our high quality cleaning and labour services, we lead in driving social value, demonstrating the power of integrating business excellence with profound social responsibility. Celebratory Highlights: A Commitment to Social and Environmental Progress The anniversary celebrations will spotlight Tarem Services' unwavering commitment to employee welfare and its influential role in enhancing community and environmental sustainability. Key events include: Youth Empowerment Initiative: The 'Empowering Young People Through Enterprise' event, scheduled for Tuesday, 14 May, in collaboration with The Prince’s Trust and the Young Lewisham Project, aims to spark an entrepreneurial spirit in young individuals and steer them towards sustainable futures. We are honoured to have the support of the Mayor of Lewisham, Brenda Dacres. Volunteer Initiatives: Employees from Tarem Services and CBRE will actively volunteer at local food banks - Burnt Oak Foodbank (9th May), White City Community Food Hub (13th May), and Community Food Enterprise (16th May). These efforts focus on combating food insecurity and strengthening community support, underscoring our commitment to these vital causes. Looking Ahead: A Commitment to Growth and Empowerment Titus Komolafe, Managing Director of Tarem Services, stated, "This milestone isn’t just a celebration of our past achievements; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to future growth and empowerment. We remain driven by the founding principles established with the invaluable support we’ve received from The Prince’s Trust, Social Enterprise UK, our clients, and other organisations we’ve worked with. This has empowered us to remain dedicated to fostering an environment where our employees thrive and driving social impact where our community flourishes.” A Supporting Voice from The Prince’s Trust: Kevin Sutton, Head of Service Delivery for London at The Prince's Trust, said, “At The Prince’s Trust, we work with young people from disadvantaged communities by supporting them in building the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn. The success of Tarem Services Limited is evidence that when young people receive support in the early days of starting a business, there will be a benefit to both the wider community and future economy for decades to come.” To find out more about Tarem Services Limited, visit www.taremservices.com   About Tarem Services Tarem Services Limited is a pioneering social enterprise with a critical mission to tackle in-work poverty, particularly among cleaners in the UK. Established in 1999, with the support of a Prince’s Trust grant, the company has evolved into a beacon of ethical business practices, offering a range of professional services, including cleaning, construction labour, pest control, and waste management. Our business model uniquely integrates high-quality service delivery with a strong commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Morgan Sindall Construction have completed work on the Elm building at Oxford Brookes University’s Clive Booth Student Village. The Elm building is one of four buildings being created as part of the first phase of the redevelopment of the University’s accommodating site, delivering 515 new en-suite rooms and social spaces for the 2024/25 academic year. Handed over to the University ahead of Semester Two of the current academic year, the Elm building can provide up to 98 students with sustainable and attractive accommodation as part of Oxford Brookes’ Headington Campus. As part of the fit-out at the student accommodation site, Morgan Sindall and the University worked collaboratively with social enterprise RAW and the scheme’s architects Mica to produce a high quality design. RAW have delivered the first 14 sets of an overall project of 80 stylish RAW 300 range benches and tables in the communal kitchen areas – with tops all made of 100% recycled domestic appliances.  RAW is a social enterprise that specialises in making high-quality, sustainable indoor and outdoor furniture in Oxford that has both social and environmental value. RAW employs people who have overcome some of life’s most adverse scenarios, with 70% of its workforce having fought and won against challenges including addiction, mental health issues, and criminality previously. RAW prides itself on the high quality of its products and services, which in turn tackles prejudice and preconceptions of what people who’ve had diverse experiences can become and achieve. United with their embedded social value the RAW 300 range sets also deliver on sustainability goals. They are designed incorporating tops that are 100% recycled and 100% recyclable. Using the internal plastic from domestic fridges destined for waste, the RAW 300 delivers a more sustainable, attractive and hard wearing option. Alongside the new furnishings, RAW’s Recycling Service has also collected offcuts from construction from the Morgan Sindall site. 50% of the waste collected is then given a second life by RAW in products or resold to the local community. The Morgan Sindall team have purchased picnic benches and upcycled office chairs from RAW for their own use. Steve Vaux, Operations Director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “The redevelopment of Clive Booth Student Village was created to make a sustainable and social home-from-home for students, so RAW was a natural fit when it came to furnishing the interior. It’s great to work with such an inspirational social enterprise which has a profound social impact in the immediate area. The furniture is exceptional, and we can’t wait for the students to enjoy them.” “The fact that our social principles are closely aligned with Oxford Brookes University and RAW really supercharged our collaborative partnership. The project’s success is a great showcase for the various ways a development can generate benefits for the local area, as not only were we engaging the local supply chain, with RAW situated very close to the site, but we provided valuable opportunities and support to people from the local area with challenging backgrounds. What’s more, by using recycled materials we’re driving down the building’s carbon footprint to provide a truly sustainable environment for students and the local community.”  Mark Tugwell, Deputy Director of Estates & Campus Services at Oxford Brookes University, said: "We partnered with RAW due to their high-quality furniture, commitment to sustainably sourced materials, and inspirational social impact which continues to change lives. For a project as important as the redevelopment of Clive Booth Student Village, we are ensuring that the living spaces for our students are of the highest quality. RAW worked closely with us to ensure their final product met this standard and I am sure students will love the furniture and the fact that it is made out of old domestic appliances." Rick Mower, Managing Director of RAW said: “The commitment from Morgan Sindall and the team at Oxford Brookes University to truly embed social and sustainability value at scale has been inspiring. At RAW we set out to prove, by the quality of our products and services, that a person’s past doesn’t define them and this project has been a perfect platform to do that. It highlights that visionary and determined leadership on the client and main contractor side is what ultimately makes the difference, powering real change in society with no compromises on project delivery.”

The social enterprise community was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of the death of Dai Powell OBE, who passed away earlier this month. Dai was a true social enterprise pioneer and is probably best known for his time heading up HCT Group as chief executive, transforming it from a small community transport provider to a national social enterprise running bus routes and accessible transport services across the country. A proud Welshman and former coal miner, Dai joined HCT as a bus cleaner and worked his way up through the business, which grew more than a hundredfold over his 29 years there. Dai helped to show how a social enterprise can deliver public services at scale without losing sight of the business’ mission to support the community. The revenue from HCT’s commercial routes was used to fund transport services for the elderly and those suffering from social isolation, as well as to provide training and work opportunities for the long-term unemployed and people at the margins of our society. Dai was heavily involved in our work at Social Enterprise UK as a passionate advocate for the social enterprise movement. He played an active and important role on our board for six years and, up until his death, was actively involved in our governance. He was the Chair of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee from 2009-2014 and also chaired the Community Transport Association. In 2006, he was awarded an OBE for services to disabled people. Commenting on Dai’s huge contribution to our sector, our chief executive Peter Holbrook said: “Dai was someone who was deeply invested in social enterprise, Social Enterprise UK and growing our movement into a global force. He exemplified the values of social enterprise throughout his long career in the sector. He was revered and will be remembered both as an icon and founding father of modern social enterprise. He will be celebrated, remembered and missed. He was a real friend to so many people and respected hugely by those he met. He was joyful, insightful, easy and witty company.” Our thoughts are with Kate Markey, Dai’s partner, who we know will be suffering terribly in the wake of Dai’s sudden and premature death. We are forever grateful to Dai for the contribution and inspiration he gave to our movement over so many years.

On New Year’s Day, the social enterprise community woke up to the news that Nobel Laureate, Professor Muhammad Yunus was to be sentenced to six months in jail on charges of violating labour laws in his home country of Bangladesh. He is currently on bail pending an appeal. Professor Yunus is one of the true pioneers of the social enterprise movement crediting with lifting millions out of poverty through the innovative use of micro-finance, something which earned him the title of ‘banker to the poor’. The harassment and now sentencing of Professor Yunus has been condemned by fellow Nobel Laureates, global leaders and concerned citizens from around the world as being politically motivated. Amnesty International stated that the Bangladeshi Governments’ actions are “emblematic of the beleaguered state of human rights in Bangladesh, where the authorities have eroded freedoms and bulldozed critics into submission.” Not only is Professor Yunus an inspiration to social entrepreneurs around the world he is also a real friend of Social Enterprise UK, having spoken with and met some of our members at a reception in Parliament and also taken part in our online Social Enterprise Futures conference in 2021. Our Chief Executive, Peter Holbrook believes that not only is the persecution of Professor Yunus politically motivated but also point towards the real dangers faced by those who dare challenge the status quo, telling Pioneers Post that “if you really get close to achieving your mission [of] positively changing the world in a structural and systemic way, then existing sources of power will come after you.” Show your support and solidarity We’re encouraging our members to show that they stand in solidarity with Professor Yunus through sharing a picture of them holding a sign stating ‘I Stand with Yunus’ and then posting this on social media using #IStandWithYunus. Whilst work proceeds behind the scenes to fight for the overturning of this unjust sentence, showing that Professor Yunus is supported and appreciated by the movement he did so much to inspire will keep his case on the radar and hopefully help keep his spirits up. His team at the Yunus Centre are encouraging everyone to get involved and are in direct contact with him passing on messages of support. Please do show your support by taking this simple online campaign action.   You can also still add your name to this open letter signed by 188 global leaders created when the Bangladeshi Government’s harassment of Professor Yunus became apparent. Signatories include over 100 Nobel laureates, Barack Obama, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. To add you name email protectmdyunus@gmail.com.

Charitable social enterprise GLL has signed a new 2-year contract with Bedford Borough Council for the management and operation of leisure facilities and programmes across the borough. The new partnership means customers and staff will transfer to GLL from Thursday 1 February 2024 with services provided under the ‘Better’ brand. Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL said: "We are delighted to be a new partner with Bedford Borough Council. We are looking forward to working together to enhance leisure services and provide health and wellbeing opportunities for Borough residents. "As a charitable social enterprise and the largest operator in the leisure sector, we will bring our experience and expertise to increase services on offer. We look forward to sharing plans and developments with users and local communities." Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Councillor Sarah Gallagher, said: “We look forward to working with GLL on the provision of leisure services in Bedford Borough. Our aim is for our leisure centres to serve as more than just places for exercise; they should also be vibrant hubs that promote well-being and create shared experiences for everyone. “During the course of this contract we will be working with residents and local sports clubs to develop a modernisation and investment strategy that reflects the future vision for leisure provision in the borough.”

The UK’s foremost charitable leisure & library social enterprise GLL marked its first 30 years with a special celebration at The House of Commons (2 November) attended by an array of industry, sporting and library leaders alongside politicians and Members of the House of Lords. The staff-owned co-operative, which runs over 350 public facilities including swimming pools,  libraries, sports centres and children’s centres under the ‘Better’ brand, welcomed keynote speakers The Rt Hon Lady Glenys Thornton, former GB track and field championSally Gunnell OBE and CILIP Library Champion and broadcaster Bobby Seagull. Each added their support to GLL’s remarkable three decade journey from a small ‘spin out’ in Greenwich to the largest national provider of public libraries and leisure centres in the UK and providers of the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme – operating from Bromley to Belfast, and from Cumbria to Cardiff. GLL sees itself very much at the heart of community health and wellbeing and works to tackle inequality and protect and modernise essential public services. By prioritising expanding accessible public leisure and cultural facilities, GLL (which returns all surpluses to improving local communities) has devised a model that is self-sustaining and truly for public good. The event also saw GLL present its ambitious 5 Year Corporate Plan ‘Creating our Future’ that will deliver £2bn in social value, get 1m more people more active across 5 years, reduce energy use and see a ground-breaking launch of the GLL Literary Foundation. GLL CEO Peter Bundey said: “GLL is a unique organisation, a staff-owned co-op that shows social enterprises can succeed at national scale. “Over 30 years we have expanded our public service offer, bringing measurable benefit to local communities - while keeping facilities open in challenging circumstances. “As the largest player in our sector we have responsibilities to lead the way and our next 30 years will see us do just that, working closely with our partners and clients to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of the nation. “I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been part of our journey.” In addition to celebrating 30 years, the event also marked 15 years of the GLL Sport Foundation (the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK) and 10 years of running public libraries; GLL operates facilities in Bromley, Dudley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Lincolnshire and has some of the highest borrowing rates in the UK. Long time GLL advocate The Rt Hon Lady Glenys Thornton said: “GLL is a beacon for value –led leisure services and a great supporter of athletics and libraries too.  Happy 30th Birthday GLL.” CILIP Library Champion and broadcaster Bobby Seagull called for more support for libraries: “Libraries are knowledge and the central lynchpin of communities. “We are a nation of readers and we need physical libraries in our communities.” Commenting on her Patronage of the GLL Sport Foundation, former GB track and field championSally Gunnell OBE said: “GLL’s impact has been undeniable - supporting dreams and aspirations, eliminating barriers and acting as a catalyst to release athlete potential. I commend the GSF for its commitment to the future and helping even more people reach greater heights in the world of sport.” GB and Northern Ireland Pentathlon Olympic Gold Medallist Lady Mary Peters DBE also joined the event.  GLL works closely with many sports bodies – including the Mary Peters Trust, SportsAid and Switch The Play Foundation – to widen and deepen athlete support through its GLL Sport Foundation. www.gll.org www.better.org.uk www.gllsportfoundation.org

The Liverpool City Region has won Social Enterprise Place status from an expert judging panel in recognition of its thriving social economy, with former mayor Joanne Anderson accepting the award at our Future Economy Alliance roundtable in Blackburne House.  The Social Enterprise Places initiative, established by national sector body Social Enterprise UK, formally identifies areas of the country where local stakeholders are dedicated to supporting social enterprises.   With deep-rooted social enterprise activity, Liverpool City Region boasts 1,400 social organisations generating £3 billion in annual income and employing 45,000 people. These encompass diverse areas, from cultural institutions like Future Yard and Shakespeare North Playhouse to urban farms, creative maker spaces, bike couriers and care organisations.  Mayor Steve Rotheram initiated social trading community Kindred in 2020, with support from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Power to Change. Former mayor Joanne Anderson leads Kindred’s Black Social Traders Network, as well as the Liverpool City Region’s Social Investment Pathfinder which aims to increase sector investment from £5 million to £50 million.  Lord Victor Adebowale, patron of the Pathfinder and chair of Social Enterprise UK, praised the Liverpool City Region contribution to broader economic and social development through social businesses. Our CEO Peter Holbrook also commended the achievement, saying:  “It’s fantastic that Liverpool City Region has been recognised a Social Enterprise Place – and particularly pertinent while it hosts Labour Party Conference, with politicians discussing some of the major challenges where social enterprises can offer real solutions, from levelling up to Net Zero.   “Liverpool’s social enterprises already play a key role in the local economy, not only providing vital services but supporting the community and improving the environment. We hope its new Social Enterprise Place status will act as a lightning rod to supercharge the sector’s growth and deliver the economic transformation needed for communities across Liverpool to realise their full potential.”  To find out more about Social Enterprise Places click here.

Our Chair, Lord Victor Adebowale CBE, has written to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and to the leader of the Labour Party, Kier Starmer, urging them both to help bring justice for Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Professor Yunus is a true hero to the social enterprise movement, both in the UK and around the world. His work has inspired millions, showing how enterprise can fight poverty, how business can be a force for good, and how finance can serve society. In August this year, 188 global leaders - including over 100 Nobel laureates, Barack Obama, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon - signed an urgent letter calling on the government of Bangladesh under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stop the “continuous judicial harassment” of Yunus and end his persecution. We encourage our members, friends and supporters of social enterprises everywhere to consider adding their names to the open letter, also signed by our Chief Executive Peter Holbrook. Click here to read the open letter To sign the letter you will need to email protectmdyunus@gmail.com. More information about the campaign to protect Professor Yunus can be found here.

Unwritten social rules of corporate office culture and recruitment practices can present real barriers for neurodiverse people, both in finding employment and then thriving at work. Only 29% of autistic adults in the UK have paying jobs, compared with 80% of working-age people without a disability [i], despite research showing the vast majority want to work [ii]. The seemingly successful minority who do find work still face challenges, often struggling to be themselves in the workplace and not receiving the support they need. auticon is a social enterprise on a mission to change this and build a more inclusive world, by addressing inequalities in employment for neurodivergent adults and showcasing the strengths of neurodiversity in society. It was initially founded in Berlin in 2011 by Dirk Müller Remus, a father wanting better employment opportunities for his autistic son. The business model was simple: employing autistic adults as IT consultants, tapping into the STEM skills often associated with neurodiversity to help organisations in need of tech support. Following investment from Germany’s first social investment fund, the business grew to have six German offices, with large clients such as BMW and Allianz. Global expansion followed, with auticon UK opening in 2016. The company operates in 14 countries with two main workstreams: IT consulting (in data science, analytics, engineering, cyber-security and quality assurance) and offering EDI services on neuroinclusion. Creating jobs and changing lives auticon employs adults on the autism spectrum as technology consultants, supported by job coaches and project managers, who are matched with client organisations to suit their individual skills. Its innovation lab, auticon Labs, is where neurodivergent teams-members collaborate with clients and investors to develop technology solutions to the challenges of neurodivergent people in the workplace and in their day-to-day lives. Globally, auticon currently employs more than 450 autistic consultants on full-time contracts with big businesses including PwC, NatWest, Deloitte and Zurich among their many UK clients. 67% of auticon consultants had been unemployed for more than a year, despite 85% having a professional qualification or degree, and the impact of supportive employment has been transformative [iii]. 92% of consultants feel supported at work, 87% say their quality of life has improved since joining the organisation, and 91% believe they’re valued for who they are. auticon consultants Chris Lever said: “Before I joined auticon, I had been unemployed for 15 months, and was being treated for depression for the third time. auticon took me in and I’ve been working consistently for 3.5 years now. That is the power of a social enterprise.” Transforming business culture As well as directly supporting autistic people to build successful IT careers, auticon works with other employers to shift perceptions of neurodiversity in the world of work. auticon’s Neuroinclusion Services help organisations to become confident neuroinclusive employers through consultancy, training and support. 85% of clients report a greater understanding of neurodiversity as a result of working with auticon, and the same percentage say their team feels more confident working with autistic people. Furthermore, the skills and insights of auticon consultants are having a real positive impact on clients’ work; 93% reported that consultants made valuable professional contributions to projects, with increased accuracy and efficiency as well as more innovative approaches cited as benefits of their alternative perspectives. Gareth Crabtree, Head of Data Design Enablement at auticon client PwC UK, said: “Throughout my time working with auticon consultants, they have consistently demonstrated a range of technical skills that have allowed them to produce innovative and high quality work. Having autistic people on my team has led me to having a much better understanding of neurodiversity, helping to make me a more well-rounded leader. The support that auticon’s job coaches provide is highly valued, and it is very clear that the needs of their consultants are very much at the centre of everything that they do.” Shifting perceptions auticon works closely with customers, local communities and other partners to raise awareness across society of the benefits that autistic people can offer employers as well as the barriers they face. So far auticon has delivered more than 235 awareness events and trained 66 organisations. Last year, they also launched a podcast series, featuring leading voices on autism from around the world. auticon places neurodivergent people at the heart of its workforce. All consultants are on the autism spectrum and 78% of the workforce are neurodivergent, making it a majority autistic business. Its success shows how a social enterprise can transform the lives of people facing real barriers in the workplace, not only empowering individuals but changing the way they’re viewed by big businesses and wider society. In 2022, auticon’s incredible impact was formally recognised when it was named UK Social Enterprise of the Year at the UK Social Enterprise Awards, and since then the company has gone from strength to strength. This summer, auticon joined forces with a Norwegian social enterprise called Unicus that runs a similar model, making it the largest autistic-majority company in the world.   You can find out more about auticon's impact in their latest impact report auticon.com/uk [i] ONS statistics on outcomes for disabled people in the UK [ii] See the Autism Employment Gap Report from the National Autistic Society [iii] auticon Impact Report 2022

Bridgit Care, a social enterprise supporting unpaid carers across the UK, is providing services to help the approximately 5.7 million unpaid carers in the country who take care of their friends, family, and neighbours.   Due to the large number of carers and limited government resources, it is difficult for healthcare and social care teams to provide the level of support they would like to offer this community. Bridgit works in partnership with the NHS, Local Authorities, and Carer Charities to address this challenge. Their services identify carers, link them to appropriate support, and help them access the assistance they need. Bridgit use technology to scale up the support that can be provided. Designed by carers and care experts, Bridgit’s resources are specifically tailored to the busy and often stressful lives of people who regularly care for others. The platform is user-friendly with simple navigation and a clean layout, ensuring comfortable exploration even for those with limited digital skills. Bridgit’s Online Self-help tool designed to be inclusive and free to use, for any carer in the UK, and have already supported carers from every UK town and city.   This tool allows carers to explore wellbeing, employment, finance, and care advice, as well as events, local and national support services, and training opportunities.  This free support now also includes the ability to have a Whatsapp chat via the new virtual Carer Coach Ask Bridgit, the first of its kind to use Chat GPT to support social care. Announcement It’s Carers Week, and Bridgit Care are proud to announce that they have received an Inclusive Innovation award from Innovate UK.  With the funding from this award the team have worked with Dorset Council to develop a new interactive, and inclusive online service that allows carers to easily complete a carers assessment and submit it to their local authority.  In May 2023, Carers UK issued a report highlighting the importance of access to carers assessments and the importance of providing an online option.  Local Authorities have a statutory requirement to support carers to complete an assessment to understand the needs of their carers, providing them with extra support that they are entitled to.  Due to increased pressures in Social Care many regions are struggling to process carers assessments as quickly as they would like. Cllr Jane Somper, Cabinet member for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing, said: “Bridgit is an exciting and important step for the council to encourage more people who care for others to access the free support they are entitled to. To have shaped Bridgit with local expert input has been excellent and I encourage anyone who is or thinks they may be a carer, to explore Bridgit for themselves.” Since the solution went live in May 2023, carers and professionals in Dorset have also been positive about the new service.  A carer for their mum & sister said “So far I’ve learned about so much out there I had no idea about. Absolutely invaluable. Thank you so much.”  Darren Crombie, founder of Bridgit, said: “Getting help for carers who do an invaluable but often unseen job, unpaid, is at the centre of everything we do. Working with carers and care professionals in Dorset has been a great experience for us and I hope this truly local online tool encourages people to come forward and sign up as a carer to get all the support that is available. Bridgit Care are in discussion with a number of Local Authorities to provide this service within their regions.  If you are a Local Authority of Carer Charity and would like additional information on the new service or Bridgit’s broader support, you can book a meeting here to find out more.

Breadwinners is a social enterprise set up to help refugees gain work experience and employment. The company produces organic artisan bread and pastries to sell at market stalls and wholesale to restaurants, cafés and businesses. Breadwinners was founded in 2015 with the goal of helping people struggling with employment to set up their own businesses, with a specific focus of supporting refugees. After some grant funding to get off the ground, a year later the business was ready to launch. Initially, it provided training, financing and equipment to help people start their own bicycle delivery service selling bread to customers – but in 2017 its business model shifted toward market stalls. From that first stall in East London’s Victoria Park, now there are 14 across London and Brighton, with all the profits supporting young people seeking asylum and those with refugee status. Director, Martin Cosarinsky Campos, explained: “We chose the social enterprise model business model because it allows us to directly address the problem of unemployment faced by refugees. By selling a product - in this case, bread and pastries - we are able to provide employment opportunities and give young refugees their first job in the UK. Traditional charity models are also important and helpful, but they are unable to provide the same level of direct support through employment.” Supporting people at all stages of the asylum process Breadwinners runs three separate programmes designed to help people at various stages in the complex asylum process. The core Breadwinners programme supports those who have been granted refugee status but who are struggling to find work, offering them their first job in the UK as market stall managers earning the Living Wage. Programme participants receive practical training, help with their English and support to gain professional qualifications. When Covid-19 lockdowns meant demand for online shopping rose dramatically, the Proofers programme was created, training refugees to become online sales representatives. Breadwinners no longer has online shops, so people who developed their IT skills and customer service experience on the Proofers programme now help to manage the wholesale business. There’s also the Risers programme of early intervention support for young people aged 16 to 24 who are seeking asylum, providing them with work experience and training as market stall assistants. Business success and award-winning impact So far, Breadwinners has supported 315 refugees and young people seeking asylum, delivering 405 employability training sessions and 2,904 hours of mentoring. 92 per cent of programme participants have progressed into further employment, university or volunteering work. 93 per cent report a significant increase in their wellbeing. Breadwinners is leading the way in developing innovative ways to communicate its impact, winning the Prove It Social Impact Award at the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2022. Martin said: “This award is a great source of motivation for us to continue improving and making a positive impact in the community.” The organisation’s 2022 impact report used a Participatory Action Research methodology, led by graduates from their programmes, ensuring that the voice of participants was central to the impact measurement process. Martin commented: “We are very proud of what young people who have been through our programmes go on to do. We have future doctors studying in university, charity workers supporting young people with housing, IT consultants and many people in hospitality and services which will continue to grow and develop. We are also very proud to have kept doing what we do through all the recent unprecedented challenges, and the fact that we were able to continue finding ways to support young refugees when they needed us the most.” Learn more in this short film from Martin and market stall manager Jamal, who came to the UK as an asylum seeker from Sudan, explaining some of the major challenges refugees face in finding work. You can read Breadwinners impact report here. breadwinners.org.uk

Leading events crew supplier and flagship social enterprise Connection Crew CIC have launched a major advertising campaign. As a London Living Wage Employer, the company aims to help break the minimum wage ceiling, raise awareness, and recruit new crew as it prepares for further expansion following a 132 per cent revenue increase last year.  The campaign is being delivered by global advertising agency TBWA\London, through a digital billboard, and referral marketing campaign that involves Connection Crew’s existing staff identifying potential recruits. The campaign will be seen across dozens of sites throughout London.   The advertising campaign highlights opportunities to work in exciting jobs in crewing at major exhibitions, festivals, concerts, and other events, as well as construction, sport, television and film locations. To drive job applications, Connection Crew team members are being challenged to find ambitious gig economy workers including delivery drivers, baristas, security, bar and catering staff, and students, and present them with a card with links to a job application form.  "We’ve grown significantly in the last two years while maintaining our high standards and providing employment opportunities for those that need it most. Now we need to support another phase of expansion," says Warren Rogers, Connection Crew Director. "Part of the measurement of our success is that we demonstrate that social enterprises can be highly successful as commercial operators, competing against other major companies. Our aim is to continue breaking new ground both as a crewing company, and as a social enterprise."   The success of Connection Crew as a supplier of trained crew for major events such as the Coronation, London Marathon, Ideal Home Show, Clerkenwell Design Week, Glastonbury-BBC and Creamfields, is evidence of how a social enterprise can outcompete traditional business model rivals. It provided crew for more than 3,600 events in 2022. Long standing clients include  BAFTA, Underbelly, Media 10 and Wates Group. The organisation’s premium level service ethos and reliability has enabled it to establish a unique position as a crew provider within the events, television, film and construction industries, where reliable staff are needed for an array of manual handling and technical work.   "Imagine if every event in London and beyond helped to make a positive impact on people within their community, it would make a big difference to society." says Leasa Slater, Connection Crew Resources Manager.  "A huge strength of Connection Crew is the amount of impact we make socially, culturally, and environmentally." In parallel with its commercial success, Connection Crew has recently hit the significant milestone of providing more than 200,000 hours of employment to those that have experienced, or been at risk of, homelessness, or who traditionally face barriers to employment. Currently, 20 per cent of their crew have faced one or more of these barriers.  It’s employment opportunities and a supportive environment helps foster a strong work ethic, willingness to learn and a robust team dynamic. These attributes are reflected in the organisation’s award-winning reputation within the business sectors it operates in, and high repeat business rates.  A major part the organisation’s success, both commercially and socially, is its Academy, that provides a hands-on three-day employment preparation programme. Graduates are guaranteed an interview, and a 12-week mentoring scheme in which Academy graduates are provided with an experienced crew member as mentor, who is a trained volunteer for the role. For 18 years, Connection Crew has worked on some of the biggest and most prestigious events in London and the UK. Their ambition is to expand their reach and grow their impact on a national scale.

We pass on our very best wishes to His Majesty King Charles III and all those celebrating the coronation this weekend. The King has a long association with social enterprise, founding Duchy Originals as a social enterprise which donates 100% of profits to supporting young disadvantaged people right across the UK. Through the Prince’s Trust, he has enabled thousands of aspiring social entrepreneurs to get their ideas off the ground and create positive change in their communities and beyond. We thank him for his dedication to supporting the next generation of social entrepreneurs and his commitment to responsible business practices and the protection of our natural world.  

Allia, the impact focused social enterprise, has released a short film to share has released a short film to share how supported modular housing communities help people who have been previously homeless or are sleeping rough to rebuild their lives. It features Eamonn Kelly, a resident of one of Allia’s modular home communities in Cambridge talking about how: “Having my own front door, my own shower, my own wardrobe and TV… at one time I couldn’t think of it as a reality because I was on the streets. It’s given me a chance to go back to who I am”. The film, which is available on YouTube and on Allia’s Future Homes webpage, highlights the first two modular housing projects that Allia created in Cambridgeshire. Modular homes are custom built units that are specifically designed to be used on smaller or fixed life sites, keeping them affordable for both the residents and the homeless charities that that manage them. As a result of working on these housing communities, Allia Future Homes now has a specialist team with hands-on experience of siting and project managing modular homes - and can provide expert advice and resources to homeless organisations, faith groups with land, local authorities and partnerships who would like to develop their own. The film also features Reverend Danny Driver, Vicar of Christ the Redeemer Church in Cambridge, which leased the land for Allia’s first modular housing community in 2020. Working closely with Jimmy’s Cambridge, a well-respected homelessness charity which provides intensive personalised support on-site for the residents, the units were built by New Meaning Foundation, a local charitable social enterprise which trains young, disadvantaged and formerly homeless people in modern methods of construction.  Partnerships such as these are key to making these projects successful - and the film shares six steps required to create this kind of community in any location across the country - along with business plans, securing sites and planning, fundraising and managing integrated building contracts, using meanwhile or permanent sites, and on modest footprints making them a feasible addition to existing church, council or community land. Allia’s film is being released the same week that the University of Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research (CCHPR) host an online event to share their latest research assessing the impact of these modular home communities, on Thursday 16th March at 2pm, focusing on those in Cambridge. People interested in attending can register at www.eventbrite.com/e/modular-homes-discussion-event-tickets-541183663907. Earlier research by CCHPR showed real benefits for the residents of such communities, stating: “The evidence suggests that providing modular homes in tandem with robust support services has the potential to improve outcomes for people experiencing homelessness” and that “Modular homes are a cost-effective and flexible stepping-stone that help rough sleepers in desperate situations transition into permanent homes and settled lives.” Allia Future Homes Manager Lewis Herbert said: “Our team are here to help potential modular communities every step of the way, including how to secure funding, like the national £200m Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme working with their local councils. We are sharing our experience and expertise of what works to give as many former rough sleepers access a quality home of their own. We want to help double the 20 similar communities being built across the country, essential extra provision if we are to fulfil the objective that UK Government has set of near zero rough sleeping by the end of 2024. Residents in new modular communities support each other, as well as re-establishing family connections, developing new skills and beginning the journey back to work.” Lewis was previously Leader of Cambridge City Council from 2014 to 2021, where he secured £70m for the building of over 500 new council homes and to fund three more modular housing communities for former rough sleepers and homeless people in Cambridge.

Three social enterprise start-ups are celebrating the successful completion of the DIF Allia Accelerator Challenge at a demo day, which concluded with a share out of a £30,000 prize fund. For the last six months, the ventures have worked with teams from DIF Capital Partners, who have given bespoke mentoring and coaching to help them develop and grow their businesses. At the recent demo day, each start-up had a chance to pitch their venture to an audience from DIF Capital Partners and Allia, explaining how they felt they’d progressed their business over the course of the challenge, and what they hope the future holds for them. The winning venture, Paige Braille, which focuses on making multiline braille display more affordable to the blind, was delighted to accept the top prize of £15,000 - and plan to use the funds to bring their working prototype into market launch. The two runners up, InCommon Foundation, a social enterprise connecting young people with their older neighbours in London via community programmes and Lylo Product, which focuses on developing a portable washing machine that uses waste shower water to promote water efficiency, were awarded £7,500 each. The three ventures were: Paige: the world’s first low-cost, multi-line braille display. Existing braille displays are limited to a single line of text. This makes them unsuited to subjects which require context or a spatial layout, such as STEM, music, tables, and graphs. They are also incredibly expensive, costing between £500 and £9,000. By lowering the cost per braille character, Paige has been designed to tackle both of these problems and transform braille literacy and education worldwide. Lylo Products: promoting water efficiency by finding innovative ways to reuse water. Lylo’s product collects water when you shower, and then reuses it for laundry washing, using less water, as well as saving 90% of the energy typically used to heat it than an average washing machine. InCommon Foundation: a social enterprise that brings generations together, through delivering intergenerational programmes, mainly working with schools and retirement homes in 3 ways: primary school Connect programmes, social action programmes and resources. Jason Loo who was one of the DIF mentors, was very positive about the experience of taking part. He commented: “The Accelerator Challenge is an amazing way for me to volunteer my time effectively by applying my relevant skillsets in helping ventures make a difference in people’s lives. I see tangible impact in what we do and have continued to be inspired by the passion, drive and commitment of venture founders. We have learnt from them as much as they have learnt from us. I am proud to be part of yet another successful accelerator programme.” Andrew Brisbin, Director of Ventures at Allia said: “Really grateful to the team at DIF for building up three social impact businesses with their skills and knowledge. We need great examples like the DIF team to show others that there are meaningful ways that professionals can engage with impact businesses to accelerate significant positive change. Every action taken with intentionality can contribute to a positive ripple effect in society.” Gregory Hargraves from winning venture, Paige, added: “Paige has greatly benefited from being part of the DIF Accelerator Challenge, and winning this prize brings us one step closer to our goal of reducing the barriers to braille worldwide. The funding received is a huge boost on top of the support we have received from the DIF team. We strongly believe that braille is essential for literacy, and we are dedicated to making it accessible at an affordable price to people around the world. Throughout the Accelerator, the DIF team has dedicated their time and expertise to support our mission. With the funding, we can complete the CE marking process for our first product, Paige Connect, and continue to work closely with braille readers. We would also like to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding work of Lylo Products Limited and InCommon." This was the second Accelerator Challenge that Allia worked with DIF on. It has also recently concluded an Accelerator Challenge with BRAN Investments, which offered mentoring and coaching to eight impact start-ups, with an investment of up to £100,000 available for successful ventures after the pitch day. If you have interest in getting involved in an Accelerator Challenge, please email our venture support team on hello@allia.org.uk and find out more.

In this webinar, we heard from Camilla Rigby, the Co-Founder of the Women's Work Lab CIC - a South-West based social enterprise that helps mums transform their lives by rebuilding confidence and helping them on their journey to find work that works for them and their families. The Women's Work Lab were the winners of the Social Enterprise Team of the Year Award at the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2022 and were also featured on the BBC's We Are England last year. 26 January 2023 https://youtu.be/tZtKJhqd57Q

We’re proud to officially publish our 2021/2022 Social and Environmental Impact Report! Every day we see the impact our teams have on behalf of their patients, one another and within their local communities, genuinely making a difference to those who need us most. We are therefore thrilled to publish our Social and Environmental Impact Report for 2021/2022 – another truly remarkable year for all of us at Smile Together. The national challenges facing dentistry are well documented and demand for our emergency, referral and private dental care across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly remains at an all-time high. We can’t thank our colleagues, commissioners and other partners enough for their commitment, resilience and support as we continue to navigate our way through the ever-changing dental landscape. This report demonstrates how we’ve continued to innovate our impact and patient care and respond positively to those changes. This is our sixth year as an employee-owned CIC and what an impact we have together through our breadth of patient care and health inclusion initiatives, with such exciting plans for the future. As our report shows, 2021/2022 was another successful year crowned with our achievement of B Corporation certification – independent verification that we meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability in balancing profit and purpose. We hope you enjoy reading our annual Social and Environmental Impact Report. Our thanks as always to Fuel Communications for their creative support and to St Austell Printing Company for ensuring we print in the most environmentally friendly way. Do let us know if you’d like to join us in tackling oral health inequality and improving oral health outcomes. We’d love to have a conversation! Click here to download your digital version of our Social and Environmental Impact Report 2021/2022 and happy reading!

Supporting social entrepreneurs to scale sustainably. Applications now open. Application deadline for North 2023 and UK mentoring-only programmes is 9th January 2023. What is Accelerate? The Accelerate programme supports young social entrepreneurs and social enterprises with a focus on supporting young people into employment, education, or enterprise. We want to help social enterprises to grow and thrive so that they can continue to play an important role in stimulating local economies and affecting social change. We offer a full 3-month programme, and a 1-month mentoring-only programme. The full programme offers a 3-month timetable of support and consists of: A business coach relationship: offering 1:1 support in understanding and leveraging business performanceTailored workshops: targeted at understanding the key financial and operational levers of businessNetworking events: to connect with potential clients, supporters and advisorsProcurement opportunities: opportunity for successful candidates to apply to join large corporate supply chainsLegal support: join legal support clinics around IP and employment law The mentoring-only programme offers 1-month of business mentoring supporting you with: A specific objective in your chosen focus area (operational, strategic or commercial)1:1 Support from an Expert/Specialist in the Field/Subject AreaFree access to a market-leading online growth planning tool Who will I work with? Accelerate is supported by volunteers from a range of teams across EY and external organisations across the UK. Participants will receive support from: Business coaches The wider EY network, including legal professionals Trainers and facilitators from a wide variety of sectors, all specialists in their field   Can I be part of the Accelerate programme? Individuals who meet the below eligibility criteria can apply to the programme: Running a social enterprise that supports young people into education, employment or enterprise or A social entrepreneur aged 18-30 Plus, at least three of the following: Your organisation is already established with 1+ years of tradingYou (the social entrepreneur) are working full-time within the businessYour social enterprise is generating revenueYou have a credible plan to grow at a local, regional or national level which in turn will create employment opportunities in the future Join Accelerate If you meet the eligibility criteria above, apply now to become a part of the next cohort. ⏰Application time: 3-5 minutes  📆 Application deadline: 9th January Further information: https://lnkd.in/eNxxszMRApply now: https://lnkd.in/eVrqEx6J

SEUK is campaigning in support of the Community Enterprise Growth Plan – a plan which will support social enterprises get access to the suitable and affordable finance they need to develop and grow. We’re calling on all social enterprises to support the campaign by writing to their MP using our simple template letter and online portal. The letter asks MPs themselves to write to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to ask the Government to invest dormant assets in social enterprises and community businesses through the Community Enterprise Growth Plan. Click here to contact your MP The Community Enterprise Growth Plan is part of a wider campaign to direct dormant assets towards social enterprises. Dormant assets are financial products, such as bank accounts, which have not been used for many years and which have proven to be impossible to reunite with their owners. Over the next decade the value of these assets could be worth as much as £700 million and we’re calling for these to be used to help drive more inclusive access to social investment, to reform the market and ensure social enterprises are able to access the finance they need. We are campaigning for this money to be invested into social enterprises and supporting communities develop stronger local economies. You can find out more  in this blog by SEUK’s Director of External Affairs, Andrew O’Brien. Please do take 5 mins to send our template letter to your MP. All you need to do is enter your postcode and our campaign tool will do the rest! Click here to take action We need to put social enterprise front and centre of the minds of political decision makers – as a way to help level up the country, to reduce inequalities in health and opportunity, and as a means to grow a more inclusive economy. Contacting your MP will help raise the profile of your work and the work of the broader social enterprise community as well as giving them a concrete action to take to Government calling for better support for the sector. If you write to you MP and they get back to you please contact Andrew with the response andrew.obrien@socialenterprise.org.uk

24 October 2022 Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: As Rishi Sunak becomes the new Prime Minister, we look forward to hearing his plans to bring stability and clarity for business in the coming months. The Prime Minister has stressed the economic challenges the UK faces. It is time for a reset of Government economic plans. We urge the new PM to address the challenges we are facing as a society and unlock the potential of social enterprise in tackling the issues facing our communities and our planet.

Sally Callow, Managing Director of social enterprise Stripy Lightbulb CIC, hosted a webinar on how to identify and support the challenges faced by staff with invisible disabilities within working environments.  The webinar covered Definition of an invisible disabilityTypes of invisible disabilitiesHow workplaces may be challengingWhy is nondisclosure an important issue?How can employers support employees with invisible disabilities? Watch the recording below: 19 October 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJfMR-nQylc

This week the Labour Party gathered in Liverpool to mobilise its supporters, discuss policy ideas and develop their pitch to voters. It isn’t a secret that the mood in the Labour Party was very confident with events in the City and the financial markets only strengthening the sense within Labour that they could be on the cusp of returning to government. But what would a Labour Government mean for social enterprise? Would this be a new dawn for the sector? Don’t frighten the horses If there was a theme for the conference (beyond the strapline: A Greener, Fairer Future) it was responsibility. Labour wants to be seen as responsible stewards of the public finances. They want to be seen as responsible custodians of the NHS and public services. They want to be seen to be responsible on climate change. This responsibility manifested itself as a desire to avoid doing anything that could spook the media or business. Yes, Labour would create a new energy company – Great British Energy. But it will not sell energy directly to customers, that will remain with the current market providers. It won’t be nationalising any existing companies, it will work in partnership with what is already there. Yes, Labour will create a new National Wealth Fund, taking stakes in the projects the state invests in. But this is not new money. It is essentially a sub-section of the £28bn Labour has already promised on net zero. Yes, there would be more money for the NHS – but it would be funded by reversing the scrapping of the 45p tax rate – worth around £2bn a year or 1.4% increase. This is not to say that these are bad ideas. Far from it. However, those expecting that a massive poll lead was going to unleash radicalism or significant investment in public services are misjudging the mood. At the moment, the closer that Labour feels to victory, the more cautious the party becomes. All business is good business? Social Enterprise UK attended a number of events and discussions at the Conference on business. The mood was generally positive. Labour wants to collaborate with business and businesses, seeing the way the wind is blowing, want to collaborate with Labour. Again and again the phrase “partnership with business” echoed throughout the meeting rooms. Labour would not “lecture” business. Labour believed that businesses want to do the “right thing”. But do they? Is all business good business? Business can be a powerful force for good, but that does not mean that all businesses are interested in unleashing that potential. This is where Labour needs to be more sceptical and look back on the performance of the British economy over the past forty years. If business as usual really worked, would we be in our current situation?  In parts of our sector, there is a view that given the alignment between the values of Labour and the values of social enterprises, a future Labour Government would naturally be a strong supporter of social enterprise. Investment and support will naturally flow from their electoral victory. The truth is more complicated. There was some good news at Conference. Social enterprises were referenced in Labour’s new industrial strategy, as was social value. The Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Angela Rayner, announced higher standards in public procurement – which we understand will include strengthening social value to help more SMEs and social enterprises. However, we still have work to do to convince Labour that talking about and investing in social enterprise is not rebuking the rest of the private sector, it is a pro-business measure. We have to remove that hesitation and get Labour to see social enterprise for what it is – the fastest growing form of business in Britain, firmly in the mainstream of our economy. Labour should not be worried about social enterprise, it should embrace it. If we can do this, we can get the investment and support our sector needs and make our economy fairer and greener for all. That will be Social Enterprise UK’s mission from now until the next election.   By Andrew O'Brien - Director of External Affairs at Social Enterprise UK

By Tom Cracknell - Co-Founder Origin Africa Problem 1: Historically, in manufacturing, the value-added activity has been prioritised to the Global North. Hence the wealth gap increases. This leaves individuals and communities in places like Kikambala, Kenya, with very little control over their own economic path. Problem 2: The textile industry has a responsibility to clean up its act. Enormous swathes of polyester and energy consuming materials are produced to satisfy an increasingly fickle market of consumption in the global north. All this production takes energy, resources and often denatures water and fertile land (let's not forget recycling clothing takes energy too). Fashion Revolution Kenya worked with the British Council in 2020 to investigate what materials really are the most efficacious and least environmentally damaging to produce apparel. They looked to establish the pros and cons of each fibre and where improvements still needed to be made. The fibres were nettle, flax, pineapple, banana, hemp, water hyacinth, sisal, cotton, silk and fish leather and wool. A lot of these do not produce suitable fabric for garments but it's worth having a look at this paper because the options are exciting! The latest evidence points to the use of cotton but not in its traditional sense of landscape changing vast production that harms environments and livelihoods. However, the Report does highlight, along with other cutting edge non biased research such as the Transformers Foundation's Cotton Myths Debunked, that a sustainable solution is to overcome the issue of water consumption (an oft-quoted criticism of cotton) by ensuring production is catalysed by rain water rather than mass hectares of irrigated land: 'A shift to mainly or solely using rain-fed cotton is a tangible solution when looking to create a more sustainable industry.' When looking to establish our own supply chain from the get-go, it took time. We had to make sure we were making the right choices. This included country of origin, textile of the garment, materials consumed, methods employed, dyes used, pesticide consumption, quality of garments, nature of factory and finally, conditions in which the garment workers worked. Let's come back to that in a moment. So, having done our research, we settled on rain-fed cotton, using an absolute minimum of pesticides along with natural water-based dyes that would not denature water, and we would go to establish the ethics of production ourselves as cottage industries in Kenya have yet been unable to establish the expensive 'Organic' certification, albeit in planning. Environmentally satisfied we were doing everything possible to tackle problem 2, back to Problem 1! We needed to find a way to ensure clothing was being produced in a way that was respectful and even beneficial to those working in the supply chain. This needed to include ensuring basic employment rights such as maternity leave, secure contracts and protection from unlawful loss of employment. It also meant looking at working conditions to make sure that harmful materials were not being used, that working hours were not exploitative and that the factory was at a temperature which was not detrimental to health. Finally we also needed to ensure that workers had the opportunity to progress and develop. According to a 2019 Oxfam Australia report, 9 out of 10 garment workers felt that their income is not sufficient or partially sufficient to meet their needs and, as a result, 87% of workers take loans from the local shop to fill their income expenditure gap. Fashion companies are forcing this to happen and consumers, all too often, don’t pay attention to the detail enough to see the harm caused in the production of their new garments. In the fiscal year 2021-22, Next Plc (the UK’s largest fast fashion brand) reported a profit of £823 million, up 140% from the previous year. With some years of experience under our belt, we have come to a certain conclusion in fashion: If an organisation is not talking about the good things they are doing, they aren’t doing them. Basically, as consumers, we should be asking the hard questions. So, in researching our new supply chain, when we approached factories and organisations who could not explain to us their employment methods, their conditions of working or whether their employees were paid above the living wage, it was obvious to us that the organisation does not align with the ethics of Origin. We simply did not work with them. However, after lengthy research and really at a point when we felt ethical production in Africa may well not be possible for Origin clothing, opportunities began to spring up that offered hope. We began to see this may be possible and may actually happen. Working with garment factory SOKO Kenya in Kikambala and farm-to-fabric business Tosheka Textiles in Wote (both female-led businesses that emphasise female opportunity every day) one can see the unquestionable opportunity generated by good employment. Women are paid above the living wage, given appropriate training for personal and entrepreneurial development and are respected to pursue their own path for establishing themselves and ensuring a bright future for their families. With such an empowering culture for women, we decided we had to work with them. When profits are generated from this clothing, we share the profits equally with each step of the production process. This means that garment workers and their communities directly benefit from a greater proportion of value-added activity in the production process of the garments they actually made, thus fighting the enormous inequalities that have historically come from large companies keeping the poor down by extracting low-cost goods and adding all that value in the Global North. It is proven that for every woman that is lifted above thefinancial poverty line, she brings 7 people with her. Now, why? Well, as Sven Beckert explains in 'The Empire of Cotton', it is curious that after millennia of equal development in the Global South and North, what academics refer to as the 'great divergence' occurred at a time when cotton's properties were being fully discovered and utilised to propel clothing into a massive world changing engine. The previously Southern industry of cotton was usurped by an increasingly Europe-centric business class and the seeds were ironically sown for this 'great divergence' to create a rich Global North at the cost of the Global South. Our supply chain methods directly combat this damaging skew. We believe fashion has a responsibility to reverse the deleterious effects it has had on the Global South. The opportunities generated within our ethical and responsible supply chain are the weapon we can use to pursue that change and, as long as brands stick to the principles that make a social enterprise (or truly ethical brand), we can fight that battle together for as long as Origin keeps trading originafrica.co.uk

Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for charities and social enterprises, has signed up to the Diversity Forum Manifesto, reaffirming its commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Created by The Diversity Forum, a network with a mission to improve inclusion in the UK Social Investment sector, the Manifesto sets out 7 clear commitments that organisations are required to report on annually alongside 10 suggested initial implementing actions. The 7 EDI commitments ensure organisations are taking ownership of their EDI, creating meaningful collaborations, building an inclusive culture, being open and transparent, investing in equitable representation, engaging in sustainable inclusion, and advocating for marginalised voices. As part of their commitment, Charity Bank is joining the Diversity Champions Network which regularly meets to review best practice in the sector reviewing recruitment, training, and overall culture. The Champions network plays a crucial role in collecting data and sharing best practice relating to diversity and inclusion from across the social impact sector, helping to support the mission of the Diversity Forum. Charity Bank becomes the 12th organisation to sign the new Manifesto after its launch in January 2022. The Manifesto 2.0 was developed with the support of the Diversity Forum Steering Group and representatives from the Diversity Champions network. The Diversity Forum is funded by the Connect Fund, a joint fund supported by the barrow Cadbury Trust and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment. Other organisations that have signed up so far include; UnLtd, The Key Fund, Social Investment Business, Big Issue Invest, Access, Big Society Capital, Social Tech Trust, Social Investment Scotland, Co-operative and Community Finance, Architectural Heritage Fund, Resonance, Bristol and Bath Regional Capital and the School for Social Entrepreneurs. Ed Siegel, CEO of Charity Bank said “We’re proud to have signed the Diversity Forum Manifesto which reaffirms our commitment to improving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion through our investing activities as well as our own day-to-day operations, employment practices and working culture. The 7 commitments outlined by the Manifesto will help challenge our whole organisation, empowering us to improve and work collaboratively towards a more inclusive future. We hope that more organisations will join us and the other Manifesto signatories in our efforts to rectify the longstanding disadvantage experienced by systemically excluded and underfunded groups.” Amir Rizwan, Chair of The Diversity Forum said “We are absolutely delighted that Charity Bank has signed the new Diversity Manifesto that we launched earlier this year and taking us to a total of 15 social investment signatories to date.” “The leadership shown by Charity Bank and its commitment to holding itself accountable to diversity, equality, and inclusion is much welcomed and we are looking forward to working with them over the coming months and years as they start their journey to become a more diverse and equitable organisation. Also, we hope that this signals to others in the sector that have not yet signed up to the new Diversity Manifesto to explore how they can join us on this journey.” About Charity Bank Charity Bank is the loans and savings bank for charities, social enterprises and people who want to make the world a better place. It uses its savers’ money to provide much needed loans to UK organisations working to drive positive social change – bringing benefits for people, communities, and the environment. Since 2002, Charity Bank has made more than 1,100 loans totalling over £400m to housing, education, social care, community, and other social purpose organisations. Charity Bank is owned by social purpose organisations and aims to use its expertise, commitment, and flexible approach to lending, to help charities and social enterprises get the support and funding they need. www.CharityBank.org About The Diversity Forum The Diversity Forum is a collective on a mission to drive inclusive social investment in the UK. We do this by commissioning research, sharing knowledge, and convening sector-wide groups to discuss equity, equality, diversity and inclusion in depth. The Diversity Forum is led by the Steering Group made up of representatives from across the social investment sector, including our Chair, Amir Rizwan. The Forum also has a Champions network of employees working within a number of social investment organisations who have a passion for EDI or are in an EDI related role, including EDI leads from organisations who have signed the Manifesto. The Champions network meets quarterly at present with the addition of one-off events and training as required or suggested by those within the network. In addition, the Diversity Forum holds monthly online events on topical EDI issues that are available on our YouTube channel here. We also have a monthly newsletter to promote diversity awareness and celebration days and recent updates within the sector. We commission research including our notable Inclusive Impact report on the diversity of UK social investment sector in 2018. Finally, the Diversity Forum are proud to be actively engaged in collaborating with EDI partners from across the sector, including EIIP, EquallyOurs and Addressing Imbalance.

Members of the public can now donate to Ukrainian refugees looking for stable jobs and homes in the UK, thanks to a new service from Tech for Good social enterprise start-up Beam.  Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are set to benefit from Beam’s platform, which uses crowdfunding to remove financial obstacles to starting work or moving into a home. The news comes amid reports that 1,300 Ukrainian refugees face homelessness in the UK, just six months after the start of the war.  Through Beam, members of the public can now fund job training, childcare, laptops, smartphones, travel costs and rental deposits for Ukrainian refugees resettling in the UK. They can also send messages of encouragement through the platform, becoming part of their new support network in the UK.  100 per cent of donations fund the items refugees need to get a career or home. Beam also provides a dedicated caseworker and matches them with jobs at companies including Arriva, Bupa, Pret and Securitas, as well as stable housing through a network of ethical landlords.  Kateryna from Kyiv The first person to benefit is a 33-year-old single mother from the Kyiv region in Ukraine, who fled to the UK with her young son. Before arriving, Kateryna was working as an English teacher and had dreams of becoming an interpreter.  After escaping to the UK through Poland, she’s now living with a host family in Enfield, North London. With Beam’s support, she fundraised £1,683 from 63 strangers to pay for a diploma, travel costs and work clothes. She has since landed a job working in administration for a medical centre in central London. On her days off, she works part-time as an interpreter while also studying for her diploma. She said: “My purpose was to become independent, like I was before the war happened. I’m now an administrator at a medical centre. I’m really happy to have this opportunity to grow. Thank you from all my heart.” Alex Stephany, founder and CEO of Beam said: “Over the past six months, we’ve seen a huge desire from the British public to support refugees coming over from Ukraine. We’re now pooling that community spirit into Beam, where you can quickly donate and send encouraging messages to Ukrainian refugees resettling in the UK. We’re excited to bring Beam’s technology to hundreds of refugees and empower them to secure stable jobs and housing for the long-term.” Launched in 2017, Beam has already supported over 1,000 homeless people into jobs and homes. Now, with a growing number of Ukrainian refugees becoming homeless, the start-up is looking to make another huge positive impact by using tech to help refugees access jobs and homes.  About Beam Launched in 2017, Beam is a tech for good social enterprise creating equality of opportunity at scale. Working in partnership with registered charities and local authorities, Beam is helping hundreds of homeless people and refugees to gain work in sectors facing critical skills shortages, and move into stable housing. Beam has amassed a giving base of more than 25,000 supporters, who between them have donated over £3.4m to support 1000+ people into stable jobs and homes.  beam.org

10 August 2022 In this webinar we spoke to Peter Atherton, the Founder and CEO of Community Led Initiatives (CLI). CLI is an incredible social enterprise that is taking concepts of service co-production and lived experience and taking them to the next level. Peter spent most of his life in and out of the care system and prisons with problems around drugs and mental ill-health being a constant factor in his day-to-day life. We spoke to him about his story and how he used his own experience of recovery to set up a social enterprise which is transforming the lives of people who often see no way out of the situations they find themselves in. We spoke at length about CLI’s ground-breaking work, the barriers society creates and how we need to reframe conversations around criminality and addiction  Listen to the recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oewg57Rx_Y4

Glasgow families struggling with rising living costs are to be offered additional support to purchase essential white goods through a new pilot programme delivered by social enterprise ethical lender, Fair for You.  Up to 1,000 households in the Glasgow postcode area will be able to shop for new Whirlpool appliances, such as washing machines, fridge-freezers and cookers, on new flexible, affordable credit terms. The programme has been set up in response to the cost of living crisis, with Fair for You on a mission to help low-income families avoid high cost credit or the hardship of living without essential household items.  The pilot is backed by a £350,000 funding package from responsible finance provider, Social Investment Scotland (SIS), and will be trialled in the city before potentially being rolled out to other Scottish postcode areas.  Bespoke eligibility criteria have been outlined for the initiative to reach families with young children and those with other caring responsibilities – for instance, customers must be over 21 years old and have dependents – and applications will be assessed on a case-by-case using a combination of open banking and credit checks. Open banking allows the ethical lender to get a broader view of the affordability of a loan which enables them to accept applications from people who are declined elsewhere.  Last year, Fair for You received almost 10,000 credit applications from families in Scotland with almost half looking for help to purchase household appliances where average loans were around £350.  Moira Berry is a single parent living in Drumchapel with her four sons and purchased a new washing machine through Fair for You earlier this year. Moira is not able to work because of health issues including fibromyalgia, a syndrome causing pain all over the body. She said: "I've used Fair for You for a number of years, the last thing I bought was a washing machine - I've also bought furniture and other things. Their products arrive really quickly, and they let you choose how you want to pay back, they don't put you under pressure and they don't want you to get into debt. As a single parent on benefits with a bad credit rating, I'm not sure where I'd turn if it wasn't for Fair for You - people like me just get refused if you try to buy things on finance elsewhere."  Fair for You was set up as a community interest company in 2016 as an alternative to high-cost lending and aims to support people who might not be able to apply for credit through traditional channels.  Emma Goodwin, deputy CEO and CFO of Fair for You, said: “Scotland has a complex and expensive debt recovery system which can create real headaches for families struggling to make ends meet, and make them ineligible for further credit from other lenders. If someone’s fridge or washing machine packs in, we want to help them to solve that problem, rather than seeing them go without fresh food or clean clothes. High-cost, predatory lenders shouldn’t be the only option available to families in need and we know that ethical, affordable credit can have a big impact in the community.  “We’re kicking off the new pilot scheme with support from SIS and hope it will make a real difference to Glasgow families while the costs of essentials like food, fuel and energy continue to rise.”  Chris Jamieson, head of investments at Social Investment Scotland, added: “Fair for You plays an important role in helping low-income families access the funding they need for essential household items, without having to turn to high-cost loans. Fair for You has identified significant demand for its products in Scotland and we’re pleased to support this pilot programme in Glasgow, which will hopefully lead to further support for families in other towns and cities too.” fairforyou.co.uk socialinvestmentscotland.com

Diversity and Ability is a pioneering social enterprise led by and for disabled people. It supports individuals and organisations to create inclusive cultures where diversity is celebrated and people can thrive. Based in Brighton, 85% of its team identify as neurodiverse and/or disabled. The social enterprise provides one-to-one support to people through the education system, runs training and workshops for workplaces and institutions and also runs an international programme which spreads its message of inclusivity and educates people on the practical means through which they can better understand and welcome disabled people. They work to redefine how society views disability, actively working to break down barriers that limit the opportunities and freedoms of disabled people to flourish through centering the importance of lived experience Reframing the discussion Two core modes of thinking run across the social enterprise’s work which inform all of its programmes – the idea of disablement and that of intersectionality. Far from being academic buzzwords these principles are used to both empower marginalised groups and shift attitudes amongst the wider population. The concept of disablement originates in the social model of disability and the disabling situations in which people are placed. Framing things this way shifts the emphasis away from how an individual can change to fit in, to addressing the social barriers which result in people being excluded. In the words of Chief Executive Atif Choudhury, Diversity and Ability’s model looks at “what is a disabling situation and how do we change it”. The second principle of intersectionality recognises the importance and diversity of lived experience respecting how different people live different lives. An understanding of how race, gender, class, sexuality and other aspects of identity interact with each other and with the social concept of ‘disability’ is core to their work allowing the social enterprise to better tailor support and create system wide change. Using the examples of epilepsy, muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy, Atif highlighted that how individuals experience these conditions is heavily influenced by socio-economic status, their support networks, sense of shame and trauma. Having an intersectional lens allows you to look beyond medical diagnoses to look at how society creates situations of disablement. “Intersectionality is just about basic respect – respecting the idea that people have different experiences to share and that they have been categorised again and again for the convenience of others” What does this look like in practice? Diversity and Ability is underpinned by the desire to “pave the way for a future where everyone is welcomed and included” and all their work, be that with individuals or with organisations is undertaken with this in mind. The social enterprise runs one-to-one support sessions for young people facing disablement providing individualised peer support through further education, higher education and on into the workplace. These are delivered by trainers with shared lived experience of disablement themselves. Individuals are provided with assistive technology training, mental health mentoring, study skills tutoring and also workplace strategy support and coaching. Assistive technology is tech that can help remove a barrier that is presented to an individual, allowing people to fully participate. This can include things like screen readers, screen masks or software to speak into which writes copy. It can also in a wider context refer to items such as glasses or even apps like Google Maps which addresses barriers of access. Diversity and Ability partner with businesses and universities on their Diversity and Inclusion agendas, centering once again the lived experiences of disablement and intersectionality. This work is not just limited to the UK and the business works with grassroots organisations around the world to transform perceptions around disablement and create environments where difference is celebrated. They work to put in place disability needs assessments that are enabling for an individual and which take advantage of free open-source technology. The work with organisations is similar to that with individuals – focused on shifting the language used and how environments can be changed in order to create “an anticipatory welcome for everyone.” Work with students is funded by the Disabled Students Allowance and Access to Work schemes as well as earned income through organisational training programmes and the social enterprise’s international work. “if it’s not intersectional, how can it be relevant” The lens of disablement and intersectionality is applied throughout these three workstreams of individual support, organisational training and international work. Diversity and Ability deliberately challenge the habit of corporate diversity and inclusion work to break off conversations into silos of race, gender, sexuality and disability recognising that dividing lived experience into silos takes away from the full experiences of individuals. As senior communications officer Ellie Thompson puts it “that’s not how disablement is experienced, that’s not how life is experienced”. In this way when a workshop is run on understanding disability and celebrating neurodiversity an understanding is established that these are not universal experiences with each disabled or neurodiverse persons experience being set within their other lived experiences. Shifting the narrative Diversity and Ability is helping reframe the entire discussion on disability, shifting the narrative to one focused on the societal challenges which place people within a situation of disablement. Their commitment to this and to intersectionality has led them to not just work within the education systems and in EDI training but to partner with organisations such as Crisis, St Mungo’s and Homeless Link to tackle homelessness and digital exclusion through building digital literacy skills. Over the pandemic they worked with local and national charities to provide internet access to those in emergency accommodation in the Brighton area, providing 100 tablets and Wi-Fi dongles as well as delivering personalised digital skills training workshops to digitally excluded people throughout the country. Research carried out by UnLtd and the New Economics Foundation has proven the incredible impact the social enterprise is creating showing that for every £1 spent on Diversity and Ability’s services a return of £16.55 of social value is created. When expanded to look across their higher education work this translates to £9.48 million of social cost-benefit a year. Diversity and Ability’s work is helping broaden the conversation on what disablement means and the harm done when society prevents the meaningful participation of so many people. As Atif puts it “D&A isn’t really about assistive technology or disabilities, it’s about participation and what does it take to meet that participation. What are the barriers involved in preventing meaningful participation and what do we lose as a whole civil society when we lose that meaningful participation” With only around 53% of disabled people in work compared to 81% of other people[1],  the work done by Diversity and Ability also raises an important challenge for the social enterprise community – how can we do more to address barriers to participation and inclusion so difference is celebrated and lived experience is at the centre of our work? As businesses committed to social justice and reducing inequalities it is important that we challenge an economy and society which creates disabling situations in order to strive towards the fairer future we are working towards.  Based on an interview with Atif Choudhury and Ellie Thompson at Diversity and Ability diversityandability.com

By Jennifer Clair Robson - Content Director at Climate Action North The shift toward net zero will bring economy-wide transformation on an unprecedented scale. The transition will impact many industries, jobs, and communities. A Just Transition concerns the fair treatment of workers and communities affected by these changes. It involves investment in new skills and infrastructure while protecting and creating high-quality jobs and employment for a green economy. Approximately 6.3 million jobs in the UK, equating to around one in five, are likely to be affected by the transition to a green economy, according to the Just Transition Jobs Tracker. A Just Transition applies not only to large multinational corporations and governments; it is also critical that small and medium businesses, who play a crucial role in creating employment and are often at the heart of communities, are involved. Yet, while the importance of a Just Transition is a priority for the global climate agenda, it has been noted that many people don’t fully understand what it means. Here we demystify the Just Transition and consider: what is the Just Transition, why should I care, and what can my social enterprise do? What is the Just Transition? The Just Transition movement is a rising concern calling for the fair treatment of workers and communities who will be most affected by the shift to clean energy and the phasing out of fossil fuels. Greenpeace is campaigning to ensure that this move doesn’t leave anyone behind; they want to see workers, especially those in the oil and gas sector, retrained to keep green energy powering the world. The COP26 summit saw a 190-strong coalition of countries and organisations commit to phase out coal power and agree to: End investment in new coal power generation domestically and internationally Phase out coal power in economies in the 2030s for major economies Rapidly scale up the deployment of clean power generation Make a just transition away from coal power in a way that benefits workers and communities The push for clean and renewable energy is important because coal is responsible for nearly half of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. A report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in August 2021 was described as “code red” for humanity; it warned that without immediate deep cuts to carbon, including the phase-out of coal, the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement will be unreachable.  Why should I care about the Just Transition? Without a Just Transition, many workers, particularly those in the oil and gas sector, will lose their livelihoods creating unnecessary hardship for them and their communities. Many will have spent a significant proportion of their life employed in their area of expertise and will not have the abilities to work in evolving professions. New jobs may not be available in the same locations that jobs are lost, and they may not be available at the time when people become unemployed. This is a pattern that has been repeated around the world, closer to home it happened when coal miners across the North of England lost their jobs in the 1980s. Sunderland City Council Deputy Leader Claire Rowntree told Climate Action North: “it’s vital that we do all we can to ensure the communities and jobs most affected by the inevitable switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy receive the levels of support required as we plan for a cleaner, greener future.” Fossil fuels is an obvious example, but the impacts will affect other industries such as automotive production, agriculture, construction and housing, manufacturing, and scientific and technical services. All affected industries will need to upskill their workforce or hire new employees. It is often forgotten that the Just Transition applies not only to large multinational corporations and governments. It is also relevant for small and medium businesses and social enterprises who may struggle to adjust without support, advice, and incentives. Yet the International Organisation of Employees (IOE) has stated that it believes that not enough focus is placed on small businesses in the Just Transition. It is essential social enterprises are engaged. They add a huge amount of value to communities and are connected through employees and their families. Any changes made in a social enterprise will spread out through the community via its workforce. Businesses that fail to act will face mounting pressure from investors, customers, staff and potential recruits, and legislation. In a nutshell, embracing a Just Transition to net zero and a green economy can help ensure the sustainability not only of the planet, but also of your enterprise. What can my social enterprise do? The most important step you can take is to commit to act. Simply making a Just Transition priority by including it in your goals will ensure it gets the attention it needs. Look at your social enterprise and find the smallest, easiest ways you can begin to make a difference. Start with your own impact and what you’re able to do. Get a holistic picture of risks climate change pose to your enterprise and operations with the Climate Action North business toolkit. Scrutinise your resilience against climate risks, identify areas of improvement, and put in place an action plan to reach net zero. It is important that those in the supply chain take account of their social impact when on the net zero journey. As well as working to strengthen local supply chains, you must consider regulations, apply due diligence for your workforce’s best interests, and ensure all environmental impacts are considered. This will make it easier to secure funds and contracts and enjoy the wider local economic and community benefits this brings. A Just Transition may bring challenges, but it will also present opportunities such as the upskilling and professional development of you and your workforce, and the creation of new jobs. These benefits need to be accessible to everyone so engage with your workforce to make sure they’re heard and are actively involved with all issues and opportunities. Climate Action North hosts events that focus on achieving a Just Transition in the North of England. They focus on strategies to create green jobs along with retraining opportunities for small businesses to help them be ‘skills-ready’ for the Just Transition to a cleaner, greener future. Sign up to our newsletter for details on events as they are released. Follow Climate Action North projects and get in touch to support our work and get involved. Our actions now will make a difference to tomorrow.

9 June 2022 Social enterprise, charity representative bodies and social investors have joined forces to call on Government to get behind a new plan to back enterprises in underserved places and communities in the forthcoming consultation on Dormant Assets. A 12-week consultation on the future use of dormant assets in England is expected to be launched this summer. The expanded scheme could release more than £880m additional funds for charities and social enterprises. A new ‘Community Enterprise Growth Plan’ focuses on the untapped potential for growing enterprises with a social purpose across the country, particularly in places and communities that have been deprived of investment in the past. This includes areas identified by the index of multiple deprivation and those led by or serving protected groups such as people from ethnic minority backgrounds, those with an impairment or facing gender bias.  The plan centres on providing increased access to capital, dedicated funding to encourage the growth of trading activity, and tailored business support. The coalition giving their backing to the plan includes SEUK, Navca, Power to Change and UnLtd, among others. It looks to leverage both private and philanthropic capital, alongside Dormant Assets – doubling the amount available to communities and ensuring the finite resources available through the scheme are used to maximum effect. The plan builds on a strong track record of utilising Dormant Assets over 10 years to invest in social enterprises, community businesses and trading charities, and complements other proposed uses of dormant assets. It would see Dormant Assets applied to a range of tried and tested interventions to support enterprise and trading activities by VCSEs including: Helping smaller charities and social enterprises to access suitable and affordable finance through blending grants and loans in the places and communities most in need of investment.Start-up funding for a £50m Black-led social investment fund as recommended by the recent Adebowale Commission on Social Investment to tackle the current inequity in social investment.Supporting a vibrant network of non-profit lenders (Community Development Financial Institutions or CDFIs) that can offer affordable finance to community businesses and small enterprises in areas unable to access mainstream lending.Providing tailored business support and incentives for purpose-driven enterprises to grow through trading in the form of match trading initiatives coupled with learning. Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise UK said: “This consultation marks a once-in-a-decade opportunity to decide how we use hundreds of millions of pounds to help communities. We must use this precious resource wisely. Ultimately, we know that trading is the only route to lasting transformational change. The Community Enterprise Growth Plan is a smart way to deploy limited funds to support social enterprises in places that need them. I hope that the Government listens to the social enterprise sector and experts in backing this proposal.”  Notes The existing Dormant Assets Scheme enables banks and building societies to channel funds from dormant bank and building society accounts towards good causes. The Scheme is led by industry and backed by the government with the aim of reuniting people with their financial assets. Where this is not possible, this money goes towards social and environmental initiatives across the UK. The scheme is set to be expanded later this year – including assets from the insurance and pensions, investment and wealth management, and securities sectors for the first time – following a consultation on the causes that should benefit from the scheme in England. The Community Enterprise Growth Plan has been developed and supported by a range of organisations including: Access – the Foundation for Social InvestmentBig Society CapitalImpact Investing InstituteNavcaPower to ChangeSchool for Social EntrepreneursSocial Enterprise UKSocial Investment Business UnLtdMore detail can be found here including further expressions of support for the plan. 

12 May 2022 Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) has appointed five new Board members following a rigorous recruitment process. SEUK’s Chair Lord Victor Adebowale CBE commented: ‘SEUK’s new Board members will add complementary abilities and experience to an already strong Board and ensure we have the best possible mix of skills in our boardroom. ‘Social enterprise has significant potential to improve our society, but this potential is being held back by issues such as lack of access to social investment, at a time of greater demand for support from local communities. I look forward to working with the Board and the SEUK team to support, enable and champion the social enterprise sector, to unleash the potential for the fairer and more inclusive society that social enterprise can offer.’ The five new Board members will be formally appointed at the next SEUK Board meeting on 12 May 2022, and will join an experienced Board who have steered the organisation, and supported the social enterprise movement, through the pandemic. SEUK Chief Executive Peter Holbrook added: ‘We are delighted to have been able to appoint five such experienced and respected leaders, drawn from across the diverse and dynamic social enterprise community, to join the SEUK Board.   ‘I look forward to working with them to take SEUK’s ambitious strategy forward and support our members to flourish despite the profound economic and social shocks the UK is currently navigating, and the continuing climate emergency. The social enterprise sector is proving resilient so far but now more than ever we need to ensure social enterprise can power out of the pandemic period and play its part in building a fairer society in which everyone can thrive.’ The new board members are: Amy Denro – Multi award-winning social CEO and co-founder of groundbreaking social supermarket HISBE Food. Chris Luck CB, MBE – Senior leader, former Air Vice Marshall and now CEO of the Shaw Trust Group, the UK’s largest employment sector non-profit. Devi Clark – Experienced leader, strategist and coach and Managing Director of the influential Impact Hub King’s Cross (IHKX). Patricia Keiko Hamzahee – Former investment banker and co-founder and Director of the Black Funding Network and Extend Ventures. Advising and championing social enterprises’ access to funding. Sarah McIntosh - Social purpose membership organisation expert and Executive Director of Membership and Delivery at Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

December 2021 We hosted a special Christmas interview with two social enterprises selling presents with purpose as part of our festive campaign to encourage shoppers to use their spending power and buy social. We spoke to Dave Linton founder and CEO of Madlug – a Northern Ireland based social enterprise selling award winning bags. For every bag sold, a pack away bag is given to a child in care. We also spoke to Kerrine Bryan – founder of Butterfly Books, a social enterprise which creates playful and thought-provoking children’s books which challenge stereotypes and perceptions around jobs and gender. Watch the recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmjww0yILkY

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 NHS. 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 NHS 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 NHS. 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

The north Liverpool-based cooperative social enterprise is continuing its laundry adventure, delivering more positive social impact with new sustainable growth plans. Kitty’s Launderette plans to grow the scale and impact of its work across the Liverpool city region. It plans to purchase an electric delivery van and charge point, as well as install a solar panel array on the roof. This will enable them to reach more customers and increase the long term environmental sustainability of the community business. To do so, they have launched a fundraising campaign on Crowdfunder UK, with a plan to raise £20,000 by 30th July. The launderette, based in Anfield/Everton offers good quality, affordable and environmental laundry services, as well as an accessible social space. Alongside becoming a thriving community hub, its work tackles social isolation and hygiene poverty with a programme that includes film nights, knitting groups, social history projects and subsidised laundry services for people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. Supporters can choose from a range of rewards made by local artists and craftspeople, including recycled textile tote bags, natural soaps, postcards and enamel pin badges. There are also opportunities to hire the launderette for an event, or name a solar panel on its roof. Kitty’s Launderette was established in 2019 by a group of local residents to support their communityand invests everything it makes back into local jobs paying the Real Living Wage, quality services andfree social and educational events. It has survived the pandemic within their first year, and growninto a thriving community hub. In 2023 Kitty’s won the Community-Based Social Enterprise Awardfrom Social Enterprise UK, at the national sector body awards, which recognise impact andinnovation in purpose-led business. An independent Social Impact Report conducted in 2024, found that for every £1 spent or investedinto Kitty’s Launderette, they turn this into £43 of Social Value for their community. Grace Harrison, Organisational Development Lead at Kitty’s, says: “Kitty's Launderette has only gotthis far through the amazing support of people near and far who have believed in us and our vision.“ When Kitty’s Launderette launched its first crowdfunder back in 2018, it received massive interest and support – from Anfield to Canada, and was featured on the BBC, The Independent, The Guardian and Elle Magazine. Its 366 backers on the platform Kickstarter, included eight people who chose to name washing machines after loved ones. The plaques, proudly named after Granny Trixie, Dominic Magurie and Phyllis, can still be seen on the machines in Kitty’s today. Grace says “We were bowled over by the excitement and trust people put in us to deliver on our commitment to building a community launderette! We are so proud to say we achieved our dream with the support of our community. We really wanted to invite everyone to be part of this next stage of our development and so when people see our amazing new lecky van driving around town they can know they played a role in making that happen!“ It is the launderette’s experience of community need, shaped over the last six years, that has driven this new investment in environmentally-sustainable growth. Anthony Scott, Community Lead at Kitty’s said: “We have been working towards plans for a delivery service for some time. We established a temporary delivery service during the Covid-19 pandemic to support residents who were shielding at home in partnership with another local social enterprise, Peloton, using their cargo bikes. Recently, we have been running a commercial delivery service pilot with a local cab driver. We Know there is lots of interest in us establishing a permanent service with lots of capacity for responding to the changing needs of our community." Kitty’s has been committed to being an environmentally conscious business from the start. All of its machines are electric, powered by 100% renewable electricity. The plans for an electric van, powered by solar panels, enables Kitty’s to continue to grow, while minimising the impact on the environment and reducing localised emissions. In 2023, Kitty’s won the Community-Based Social Enterprise Award at the Social Enterprise UK Awards, receiving national recognition for the role it plays in its community. The awards recognise impact and innovation in purpose-led business. The campaign features a beautiful animated film from local artists Laura Spark and Jack Whiteley. To find out more about the campaign and take part, head to https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/kittys-laundry-deliveries. https://vimeo.com/1094783968?fl=pl&fe=sh kittyslaundrette.org.uk

If we want workers to be productive and boost the economy, someone is going to have to look after the kids. London Early Years Foundation is helping to make childcare affordable for everyone. You wouldn’t think the late, great Whitney Houston and PM Keir Starmer have much in common. But just as Whitney believed children are the future and that we need to teach them well, Keir Starmer wrote an election-winning manifesto that promised ‘A new Britain … where our children are equipped with the skills to thrive in the future’. His government has had a relentless focus on growth since gaining power, but growth requires productivity and if the workers are going to be productive, someone is going to have to look after the kids. And for that to happen, childcare needs to be affordable for everyone. Providing access to high quality, affordable early years education and care is the purpose of London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), which looks after 4,000 children across 43 nurseries in 13 London boroughs. Only 14% of nurseries nationally are rated ‘outstanding’ by children's services regulator Ofsted but 46% of LEYF’s nurseries are rated as such. One mother, whose child attends LEYF New Cross Nursery & Pre-School, describes it as “Excellent. Staff are well trained, clearly love their job and are very caring. Children are entertained with many activities promoting language, musical awareness, physical agility etc. We're glad our child attends New Cross and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it." Three quarters of LEYF’s nurseries are situated in areas identified as having high levels of deprivation, but all children are welcome, irrespective of social background or ability. Equal access to childcare is made possible by LEYF’s unique cross-subsidiary model, with profits from nurseries in wealthier areas helping to subsidise places for children in less affluent communities. Financially, better performing nurseries in Crystal Palace, Camberwell and Maida Value subsidise nursery places in poorer neighbourhoods. “Since our son started attending LEYF Nursery Barking Riverside, we've seen remarkable growth in him. He has become more confident, independent, and sociable. What we appreciate most is the strong support and communication we receive from the staff. It truly feels like a partnership, with everyone working together to ensure the best development for our son,” commented another parent. Growing up together The organisation started in 1903 as Westminster Health Society during a time of poverty and shockingly high mortality when founders embarked on an ambitious plan to promote child welfare and family health at the heart of a community in need. More than a century later, that focus on making a positive social impact has blossomed into all areas of the business. Many of LEYF’s senior staff started out as apprentices in the organisation, helped by a Career Pathways programme which supports growth into leadership. Of the 1,000 staff, 120 are apprentices, an approach which reduces recruitment costs, strengthens retention, and supports social mobility. Bobbi Jo describes how, when she first started as a LEYF apprentice, she just wanted to find a job she enjoyed where she could keep learning. “I did and I’ve never stopped learning. LEYF supported me through my degree and gave me the confidence to keep progressing. I always hoped I’d become a manager by the time I was 30… but I made it at 25! It’s been such a journey.” An Early Years Degree graduate, Bobbi Jo in now a Nursery Manager at LEYF’s Bessborough Nursery and Pre-School. All staff (including the chefs and cleaners) can access tailored training, covering subjects such as child development, sustainability, SEND, and nutrition – ensuring children benefit from confident, knowledgeable educators. LEYF also offers a bespoke Early Years degree with the University of Wolverhampton. Keir Starmer's manifesto focused on growth that promised ‘A new Britain … where our children are equipped with the skills to thrive in the future’. He would no doubt be happy to know that LEYF’s work has led to business growth, with revenue increasing by 11% and 75 jobs being created last year. LEYF has grown steadily and (importantly for a social business) sustainably over the past decade, expanding from 23 social enterprise nurseries in 2014 to 43 nurseries by 2025. This contrasts with the picture generally, with research by UCL finding that the number of nurseries in England declined between 2018 and 2024. They found a 19% decline in the not-for-profit group.  If LEYF’s trajectory continues, it will help to meet the increasing demand for quality childcare. A 2024 report by the London Assembly found a shortage of available childcare and staff shortages, noting the knock-on effect this can have on women, who statistically are more likely to have to choose between career progression and childcare costs. Instead of being surrendered to shareholders, as a social enterprise, LEYF’s profits are reinvested to provide more childcare services to more communities. A growing business that nurtures the development of children and staff, making for healthier, happier communities. That’s the kind of growth both the Prime Minister and the electorate can get behind. leyf.org.uk

To reduce the severe pressure facing children’s services, the government must find alternatives to private equity profiteering, reform procurement for public benefit, and support partnerships between local authorities and social enterprises and cooperatives, MPs were told last week. Speaking at the first roundtable of the Social, Cooperative and Community Economy All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on public service provision, parliamentarians, local authority commissioners, and social enterprise providers explored the systemic barriers hampering effective care for society’s most vulnerable children and heard how mission-led providers could be better supported to deliver it. Challenges facing children’s residential services Provision for children needing an alternative to remaining within their immediate family is stretched across local authorities due to rising demand, funding cuts, procurement and commissioning limitations. Not enough children stay with extended family, foster care supply is limited – in part due to issues around access to appropriate properties. And residential care provision is too often in the hands of expensive, out-of-area, profiteering providers who don’t provide holistic and joined-up care.   Local authorities are struggling. The roundtable heard that 46% of councils are overspending their budgets by 20% or more, with many citing children’s services as the primary cause. The dominance of private equity was repeatedly identified as a structural issue. In Greater Manchester alone, 50% of children’s care providers are controlled by private equity firms, many of which are offshoring profits. “Private equity extracting profit and offshoring needs to stop” said one attendee. Barriers to positive children’s social care provision Social enterprise, co-op and charity provision offers cost-effective solutions – cost-effective not only because they aren’t off-shoring high profits, but because provision is child-centred, trauma-informed, locally-based and – increasingly – co-designed with local authorities around need and capacity. What is stopping this being the norm everywhere? Funding and finance Accessing suitable finance remains one of the greatest barriers to expanding mission-driven businesses’ children’s residential care provision. The upfront cost of setting up residential care - from property to compliance - was highlighted by attendees as prohibitive. One provider described “£100,000 runway costs” before a home can begin accepting children. Sourcing the right type of finance takes time, finance can be expensive, and grant funding is often too short-term or restrictive. A social investor told the roundtable: “We need more patient, impact-aligned capital and government funding can act as a catalyst for social investment.” Commissioning and regulatory constraints The procurement framework within local authorities, designed originally for large-scale goods provision, isn’t fit for the purpose of securing quality services at a local level – and as such often biases towards provision by profiteering firms.   Variations in planning regulations between local authorities mean mission-led providers face very different commissioning and regulatory issues depending on geography. Differences in commissioning culture, for example, mean that some councils are seen as risk-averse and less likely to facilitate mission-led provision. Similarly, in some areas, residential homes can be set up with minimal bureaucracy but elsewhere regulatory loopholes around approval of buildings and scale of provision can be prohibitive. Workforce challenges and high churn The absence of a professionalised workforce, including a lack of recognised qualifications or progression pathways, was cited as a major issue for provision. Low pay, lack of professional development, and poor status in the sector all contribute to workforce churn. One attendee described this as “entirely inappropriate,” given the responsibility care workers hold. Turnover of managers is particularly disruptive, as care homes must be reinspected by Ofsted even if managers move between sites within the same organisation. The lack of a “passport” system for staff was flagged as a fixable bottleneck. Social enterprise solutions: building local, trauma-informed care Despite these barriers, social enterprises, cooperatives, and other diverse mission-led businesses identified how they can provide more stable, child-focused, and community-rooted models of care. Finance and investment The UK’s social investment market now stands at £10 billion, creating new opportunities for blended finance. Social AdVentures, a Salford-based social enterprise, was held up as an example of how social investment and combined authority support can enable new models though convening multiple actors remains a complex task. Mission-led alternatives to private equity Social enterprises reinvest surpluses into services, enabling them to focus on long-term, trauma-informed care. They are well placed to support children with complex needs and prioritise relationships and wellbeing over short-term profit. Mandating open-book accounting and capping profits - currently up to 40% for some private equity firms - were floated as policy options to level the playing field. Localised, values-led commissioning Reserving contracts for public benefit organisations is already happening in parts of the UK, and speakers suggested this approach could inform wider policy. Ministers were urged to embed social value more directly into commissioning decisions. Roundtable attendees highlighted examples of small-scale provisions to address the acute needs of children with complex care requirements, as well as the value of long-term partnerships between providers and local authorities to ensure sustainable care solutions. Regional Care Cooperatives (RCCs), being developed through the Department for Education with the intention they will allow local authorities to partner with providers in a more integrated way, were discussed as a promising structure, potentially offering a single point of contact and shared vision for care. Professionalising and empowering the workforce Several solutions focused on improving staff conditions and morale. Social enterprises were praised for involving staff in business planning, providing training, and minimising reliance on agency staff – which can be a runaway cost in children’s services provision. Attendees called for structured training programmes and better career pathways, noting that 22% of children’s homes currently have no registered manager. Professionalising care roles and offering qualifications would improve retention, stability, and ultimately, outcomes for children. Asks and ambitions for reform As the government launches consultations into procurement reform, parliamentarians present, including Georgia Gould MP (the Cabinet Office Minister responsible for public sector reform) and Josh MacAlister MP, heard clear evidence that social enterprises are already delivering, but need the right support to sustain and scale. The current system is not built with social enterprises in mind; new legislation and guidance must explicitly create space for mission-led providers to flourish, providing cost-effective solutions with quality service outcomes. Attendees stressed that this will require bravery among commissioners, and for local authorities to be supported in taking creative, child-centred risks. Speakers also called for a fundamental shake-up of the care model, moving away from crisis-driven residential placements toward more flexible and therapeutic alternatives. Attendees called for the NHS to take a more direct role, one noting that “health sits on a lot of money and they are responsible for these children.” Greater alignment between social care and Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) was seen as essential to building joined-up, trauma-informed support. Ultimately, the ambition of roundtable participants was clear: to build a children’s care system that starts with the child, not the contract. That will require longer-term funding, shared purpose, and a willingness to put public value above private gain.

“Stop Fixing, Start Listening!” Meet the people training healthcare workers to hand power over to patients - and transforming lives in the process. It all began with curiosity. Twenty-five years ago, a physiotherapist asked a simple question: why do some stroke patients manage to find their way to a fulfilling life more speedily and completely than others? Obviously, the severity of the stroke plays a big part but even those with similar neurological and physiological impacts had very different experiences. Determined to find the answer, Fiona Jones decided to speak to stroke patients in depth. What she found was surprising: the key was the nature of their relationships. And the relationships that mattered were not just those between the patient and family and friends but, crucially, that between the patient and the healthcare workers trying to help them. Too often stroke patients felt disempowered by the way professionals interacted with them. Out of the very best of intentions, those professionals wanted to ‘fix’ their patients by taking control of their recovery, failing to fully acknowledge the complexity and diversity of their lives. The stroke patients that did better were those that helped to play a bigger role in their own care by managing their medication, rehabilitation regimes and pace of recovery independently of their clinicians – what is often termed ‘self-management’ A Bigger Story But extensive further research revealed something deeper. The secret to a truly fulfilling change in a stroke patient’s life was self-efficacy. Those who felt more in control of every aspect of their recovery also began to feel more in control of the lives that had been so disrupted by a severe medical condition. That meant moving beyond self-management’s focus on medicines, exercise and training and instead allowing the patient to shape the underlying methods, goals and style of recovery. This was radical stuff. As Fiona puts it: while self-management requires the patient to change their behaviours, an approach based on self-efficacy and empowerment requires the healthcare professional to change theirs. It means shifting mindset and practices away from any sense that the health worker knows best with ready-made solutions at hand. Instead, they need to act as expert collaborators led by the expectations, hopes and challenges identified by the patient themselves. It’s an ethos that originates with the heartfelt recognition that when it comes to their own lives, the person in front of you is the world-leading expert. Fast forward to 2013 and, after further research, Fiona founded Bridges Self-Management (with the support of City St. Georges and Kingston Universities) - a social enterprise designed to help health workers play that empowering role. This is far from easy. Health workers sometimes feel they are abdicating their responsibility by not coming up with quick solutions, not being in the lead. And when they do recognise the need for self-efficacy, the skills, strategies and language to enable that are often undeveloped. In addition, what they see around them is countless colleagues - often very highly regarded ones - doing things to rather than with their patients. Breaking down these personal and cultural norms requires lots of self-reflection, self-questioning and gradual, careful introduction of new approaches. But the impacts speak for themselves. Bridges’s work training staff who support people with Long-Covid was recently the subject of a randomised control trial. Called, appropriately enough, ‘Listen’, the project was found to have improved patients’ ability and confidence in managing their symptoms and doing everyday tasks. It also improved their sense of self-efficacy and emotional well-being. Most significantly, that greater sense of self-efficacy was directly related to the improvements in patients’ recovery. It is research that endorsed the findings of Fiona’s own initial enquiries all those years ago and the knowledge the Bridges team has accumulated through research and experience since it started work. Workers’ Liberation The impact of this way of working extends beyond the patients. Call it ironic, call it counter-intuitive, but it seems that by stepping back, listening and empowering the patient, the health worker actually ends up feeling more empowered themselves. Liberated from the strictures of routinised interventions and the pressure of taking sole responsibility for fixing their patients, health workers report being able to build much more fulfilling human relationships focused on helping people build a self-defined, decent life for themselves rather than achieve a set of externally set, medicalised milestones. It gives them more time. And most importantly, of course, they can see that working in this “Bridgey” way is better for the patients and their recovery. Again, the data speaks for itself. Of over 250 NHS staff trained by Bridges in the last 6 months alone, 84% said they are now listening more and ‘fixing less’. 94% said that Bridges was having a positive impact on their day-to-day work and 60% said working in the Bridges way had already increased their job satisfaction. Ultimately, the ethos of Bridges is a challenge not just to the professionals they work with but to a whole healthcare and public service system that is still built around doing to rather than doing with. Of course, there are many occasions when the enormous expertise of health workers must operate unhindered with little immediate regard for co-designing a solution - no-one undergoing cardiac arrest or a major trauma wants anything other than to be fixed by experts as rapidly as possible. But too much of this acute mentality has leached into every other aspect of healthcare - often reinforced by time pressures and lack of empowering skill sets. So, the question now is how we can make the training Bridges provides utterly normal across healthcare rather than something so out-of-the-ordinary that it can almost feel like a process of deprogramming for those seeking a better way of working. Given the theme, the final word should go to Jeremy - a patient with Long Covid. His testimony shows what happens when a health worker takes the time to really listen and co-design ways forward. His words speak with far greater eloquence of the power of patient empowerment than anything written here. Do find the time to listen! 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.

For impact to work, it can’t exist in a silo. Most profit-focused businesses are beholden to their shareholders and owners to generate as much revenue as they can, with no real obligation to give back. That is not the focus of social enterprise. Our business model centres purpose, and the best way to purposely serve your community is to work with the community. Cooperation is the name of the game. A strong role model of purpose-led community activity can be found in Ashford, named a Social Enterprise Place thanks to its collaborative ecosystem. “Collaboration throughout the social enterprise sector in Kent is really important,” said Rebecca Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Social Enterprise Kent (SEK). “We find through networking and bringing people together at conferences, events and training sessions, it creates a touchpoint to spark ideas and raise issues. It’s about bringing people together as a team and not working in silos is what makes the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector stronger.” Our member SEK have nurtured this impact community as they have done for the past 40 years. To find out more, we visited them at their new, volunteer-run SE Kitchen, now their second social supermarket in the county after Ramsgate. Ashford MP Sojan Joseph visiting the SE Kitchen They transformed this former art supply shop into a real community space, providing affordable and healthy grocery options from food charity FareShare as well as other suppliers working closely with local farmers (it is the garden of England after all). Of course, this work wouldn’t be possible without vital partnerships. In fact, they work with more than 100 partners, consistently delivering at least £1 millon a year in funding, allowing them to support great projects like the Social Impact Gateway or Thanet Social Enterprise Boost. From working with East Kent Health Care Partnership to highlight health inequalities to partnering with corporate organisations such as Amey for their Elevate programme creating apprenticeship opportunities for care leavers, they demonstrate how these conversations across organisations form a lynchpin of positive influence. After a delicious lunch provided by Lily’s Social Kitchen, we visited more of the local social enterprises which make up the rich network of organisations in our Places programme. These were some of the businesses championing the movement: Chatting with the volunteers at The Beehive Ashford The Beehive Ashford - a shop which not only sells second-hand clothes, but also provides skills workshops, a volunteer-run café, and hosts several clubs including knitting and a book club. It also offers women referred by local services a place to access free clothing. Made in Ashford - a vibrant and popular gift shop which started its life as a pop-up ten years ago. It houses the handmade craftworks of more than 70 artists from across Kent in-store and online. The Coachworks - a trendy, repurposed multi-use space by the train station hosting street food, live music and entertainment events, and workspaces. Going back to the central theme of collaboration, it shows there’s a concerted effort for social entrepreneurs in the area to pool their resources, doing much more for the community, local economy and environment than they could on their own. A spirit of camaraderie which helps deliver a better, holistic service. As a Social Enterprise Place, Ashford proves its status as a hot spot for social impact activity thanks to this ethos. Browsing the crafts at Made in Ashford Rebecca added: “It’s been fantastic having Social Enterprise UK down here to see our work. The theme has really been about collaboration across the board with other social enterprises and charities, the wider business community and our public sector partners. It makes our programmes better, allowing our entrepreneurs to be given the right tools and funding to solve the specific problems they are facing in their local community.” As our flagship data shows, there are more than 131,000 social enterprise businesses in the UK, all working towards benefitting people and planet in their own ways. Imagine the possibilities of replicating the collaborative efforts of the impact community we’ve seen here in Ashford across the whole country? This is why we do what we do, and we’re proud to see it going from strength to strength.

The categories for the UK Social Enterprise Awards have been created to reflect the diversity within the social enterprise community. More information, including detailed category criteria, can be found on the application portal. Please not that for most of these awards social enterprises need to have been trading for at least two years with the exception of the One to Watch Award. APPLICATIONS FOR THE UK SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AWARDS ARE NOW CLOSED 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. Apply now 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. Apply now Prove It: Social Impact Award Sponsored by Linklaters For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. Apply now ‘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. Apply now 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. Apply now 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). Apply now Consumer Facing Social Enterprise of the Year For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. Apply now Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise of the Year 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. Apply now 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. Apply now Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Award 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. Apply now Social Enterprise Women’s Champion of the Year For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Apply now International Impact Award 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. Apply now 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. Apply now Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year A new award is recognising a social enterprise that has brought something truly innovative to market in the past year. Apply now Tech for Good: Technology Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Mitie For a social enterprise that uses technology to achieve social impact. Apply now

North East Lincolnshire is pioneering a radical model of mental healthcare that is improving outcomes and cutting waiting times. The key: empowering patients and treating them holistically. The data tells its own story: 94% of emergency mental health referrals seen within four hours compared with just 50% across England. 81% of patients in settled accommodation compared to 24% nationally. Older patients at risk of harming themselves or others are restrained over 50% fewer times than the English average. 80% of staff say they would be happy for a friend or relative to be treated by Navigo compared to the 64% average for mental health providers nationally.* Clearly, Navigo - the social enterprise that delivers mental health services for the NHS in North East Lincolnshire - is making breakthroughs that elude many other providers. What are they doing differently? Jobs, homes, human connection That question is answered succinctly by Simon Beeton - Navigo’s Chief Executive. While conventional mental health services seek to “diagnose, treat, and discharge”, Navigo takes a holistic approach, not only helping people address their mental health condition but also working with them to find “somewhere to live, somewhere to work, and someone to love (or, at least, really get on with!)”. It’s an approach rooted in three transformational observations that fundamentally challenges how healthcare is currently delivered by the NHS. People are complex wholes - treating any medical condition, let alone a mental health one, without understanding the wider context of factors affecting patients’ lives will always be limited in its impact. There are very often social and economic drivers behind poor mental health which simply cannot be ignored when trying to help a person recover: debt, poor housing, unemployment, poverty. Mental health care should be as much about helping people regain a sense of agency and control in their lives as treating the condition. Approaches that reinforce passivity or helplessness can exacerbate as much as ameliorate mental ill-health. For Navigo, that means adopting holistic, empowering treatment frameworks but it also means going much further than conventional mental health services in supporting people. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Tukes. Named after William Tuke - the pioneering mental health campaigner and innovator - the initiative uses Navigo’s resources to help patients secure employment, develop skills and, maybe most importantly, form the human connection that comes from having a job. This is why Navigo - unlike any other NHS mental health service you may have come across - owns a garden centre, a cafe and a cleaning service to provide a job, income and training for their patients. It’s also why Navigo operates as a social landlord, as well as working closely with other social landlords, to provide the affordable, decent accommodation that so many with mental health conditions struggle to find and retain. Lighting a beacon for Barbara That principle of giving people agency and self-efficacy by addressing the wider conditions of their life runs so deep in Navigo that it has shaped its whole corporate structure. Navigo is effectively run as a co-operative that not only gives employees a major say in the organisation but also gives the same rights to patients who can get deeply involved in the running and shaping of the service. Indeed, you are just as likely to hear the people helped by Navigo being referred to, and referring to themselves, as ‘members’ than as ‘patients’. It’s also why Navigo is often described by its people as a ‘community’ or even a ‘family’ rather than a healthcare service or organisation. It’s a model that helps create that crucial space for human connection but is also credited with generating a culture of openness to innovation that drives so much of what Navigo does. Patients inevitably know best what needs to change to improve their experience and hasten their recovery. They also have little tolerance for the usual organisational obstacles placed in the way of necessary improvements. Thus Navigo is always looking to do things the best way they can and, if necessary, cut through the institutional noise that stops that happening. Barbara is a perfect illustration of this principle. Deeply unhappy with the fact that her husband who had severe dementia was being placed in a care home many miles away due to lack of appropriate accommodation, Barbara needed, and demanded, change. Always proactive when the wider system generates a problem, Navigo decided to act. Three new centres were set up providing forty places for older people with dementia and/or mental health conditions all located within North East Lincolnshire. One of the facilities was named Barbara’s Beacon to honour the key role Barbara played in making the change happen. And, of course, the same holistic and empowering approach that runs through all of Navigo’s work underpins the care provided at Barbara’s Beacon and the other new centres. So, Navigo is proving that compassionate, holistic, empowering care for patients need not be sacrificed in the pursuit of a more responsive, efficient service. In fact, the stats quoted at the start of this article show precisely the opposite: that the key to delivering a more responsive, efficient service is precisely that compassionate, holistic, empowering approach. But, after all, those are just stats and abstract principles. Far better to hear how Navigo’s ethos changes lives in practice by listening to Jemma. Jemma came to Navigo as a profoundly shy and fearful person with borderline personality disorder. But over time she changed: increasingly helping other Navigo members deal with their challenges, she ultimately set up and ran a support group for people who self harm. Her story provides an eloquent insight into the “big family” that is Navigo and the way it transforms lives. You can find plenty of other testimonies from staff and members alongside Jemma’s on the same YouTube channel. *Data sourced from What Makes Us Navigo. 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.

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.

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

Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) has partnered with Luton Borough Council to deliver a free pop-up dental clinic, at the Park Town Family Hub, for almost 100 local children under 10. The pop-up session combined oral health advice, information on healthy eating and a ‘lift the lip’ assessment by the dental team. Any children found to require further care were signposted to a general dental practitioner or offered appointments with CDS. Luton has above the national average number of children experiencing tooth decay and the initiative was designed to focus on helpful prevention advice for families around key oral health messages and awareness of healthy eating, combined with a dental assessment. Where appropriate an application of fluoride varnish was also offered – an important preventative treatment for many children. The timing, during the Easter holidays, ensured a busy day, and free toothbrushes and toothpaste were handed out for all the children to take home. Helen Paisley, CDS CEO, who also attended and carried out some of the assessments, said: “A pop-up clinic like this is a fantastic initiative and we were delighted to be involved and get out of our clinics and into the community. We know that many children, especially the ‘Covid Generation’ have struggled to access and see a dentist regularly. A pop-up clinic means we can share oral health information, explain and show toothbrushing techniques in a fun and engaging way and provide a simple ‘lift the lip’ assessment to see if any treatment is needed. It is also a really valuable way for children to become acclimatised to seeing the dentist as we know an increasing lack of acclimatisation is contributing to children being more dentally anxious when they do come to our clinics needing care.” About CDS Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) is a 100% employee-owned social enterprise providing community dental services to the NHS and oral health improvement programmes throughout Bedfordshire, Derbyshire, Essex, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk & Waveney, Nottinghamshire and Oxfordshire.  - Together we will enable our communities to enjoy a better quality of life - communitydentalservices.co.uk

WYK Digital (WYK) is a social enterprise set up to ensure that ‘what you know’ outweighs ‘who you know’ in the digital sector. Founded in 2020, it’s on a mission to lower the barriers to entry into digital marketing and technology jobs for young people from underrepresented backgrounds. It does this by running free full-time courses running from 8-14 weeks, focused on specific jobs within the digital careers space. These offer not just technical training using tailor-made, hands-on syllabuses but also help participants develop the soft skills needed in a work environment, such as how to communicate effectively and collaborate with peers. Programmes are set up to meet the criteria of exactly what employers are looking for ensuring that when trainees apply for a job, they are fully prepared. Something that really sets WYK apart and which Rob Jackson, their Founder, describes as its USP, is that after a month of deep dive work on a given digital discipline, participants spend two weeks running live campaigns for a real business. WYK works with 200 small businesses for whom trainees run digital marketing projects using real money. As Rob puts it: “There’s that whole thing of you can't get the job without the experience and you can't get the experience without the job - we give them that real world experience as part of the programme and so they've worked in a professional services environment, with a real client and real budget, and the challenges that come with that.” Around 69% of trainees report going into either full-time work, self-employment or further training after completing programmes. WYK has supported a remarkable 1,000 young people in just four years. In 2024, it helped 400 people gain vital skills and is aiming to support a further 600 in 2025. How does WYK work with government departments? WYKs courses are funded by the Department of Education’s (DFE) Skills Boot Camps, for which WYK won a competitive tendering process. The business is on the DFE’s dynamic purchasing system (DPS) – a platform allowing organisations to respond to callouts for contracts that became available through the department. DPS’s are a great way for VCSEs to engage with government procurement as being on one can cut down procurement times. Sometimes if you’re not on a framework you cannot bid as they effectively are a pre-qualification process. WYK responded to deliver services on the Skills Bootcamp, putting in three bids across three different areas, namely performance marketing (including training on paid online ads), digital bespoke programmatic marketing and ad-tec, and data analytics programmes to upskill young people to become data analysts. The contract is a two-year one with the first half delivered in 2024 and the second half in 2025. What were the main benefits to the DFE of working with WYK? As a social enterprise whose articles of association commit it to lower barriers to entry for underrepresented young people, WYK can showcase extensive impact supporting people launch sustainable and meaningful careers. Just under three-quarters of trainees are from minority ethnic backgrounds and over half come from the three lower indices of multiple deprivation deciles. As Rob puts it: “We can show that not only are we getting people into work, we're actually helping people who would really struggle with the barriers that they're facing to get into meaningful employment.” With the purpose of the contract being to support more people into work, another benefit that WYK brings to the delivery of the contract is its “incredibly strong ties to the industry” with its biggest partners being the largest advertising companies in the world, including Omnicom and GroupM. Out of the big six advertising businesses, it works with half of them. It has a deep and wide relationship with Omnicom, with the business having hired 150 of WYK’s trainees over the last four years. Partnering with WYK not only benefits the young people on programmes but also businesses looking for the best talent. WYK has essentially “de-risked” the recruitment process for them as they’ve supported businesses “access upskilled talent they can have confidence in.”  The quality, strength and impact of the social enterprise’s programmes can be summed up by Omnicom telling them that “the best entry level candidates they have coming into the business are from WYK”. How does this benefit the DFE? In short, as well as creating jobs for people traditionally shut out from the tech industry, WYK’s close and trusted relationships with businesses enables a pipeline of motivated, talented young people who themselves are transforming the dynamics of the digital sector. As Rob puts it: “We get the outcomes, we have the ties to business and we can also really point to our impact when it comes to the types of people that we’re supporting.” Top tips for VCSEs looking to work with central government departments A top tip from Rob for other VCSEs looking to work with government is to “lean into the support that’s out there” from organisations which exist to help social enterprises and charities access government money. WYK have been “massively helped through resources from organisations like Social Enterprise UK, by Hatch who carried out an impact accelerator for us and by the School for Social Entrepreneurs.” Based on a conversation with Rob Jackson Founder of WYK Digital wykdigital.com

WYK Digital (WYK) is a social enterprise set up to ensure that ‘what you know’ outweighs ‘who you know’ in the digital sector. Founded in 2020, it’s on a mission to lower the barriers to entry into digital marketing and technology jobs for young people from underrepresented backgrounds. It does this by running free full-time courses running from 8-14 weeks, focused on specific jobs within the digital careers space. These offer not just technical training using tailor-made, hands-on syllabuses but also help participants develop the soft skills needed in a work environment, such as how to communicate effectively and collaborate with peers. Programmes are set up to meet the criteria of exactly what employers are looking for ensuring that when trainees apply for a job, they are fully prepared. Something that really sets WYK apart and which Rob Jackson, their Founder, describes as its USP, is that after a month of deep dive work on a given digital discipline, participants spend two weeks running live campaigns for a real business. WYK works with 200 small businesses for whom trainees run digital marketing projects using real money. As Rob puts it: “There’s that whole thing of you can't get the job without the experience and you can't get the experience without the job - we give them that real world experience as part of the programme and so they've worked in a professional services environment, with a real client and real budget, and the challenges that come with that.” Around 69% of trainees report going into either full-time work, self-employment or further training after completing programmes. WYK has supported a remarkable 1,000 young people in just four years. In 2024, it helped 400 people gain vital skills and is aiming to support a further 600 in 2025. How does WYK work with government departments? WYKs courses are funded by the Department of Education’s (DFE) Skills Boot Camps, for which WYK won a competitive tendering process. The business is on the DFE’s dynamic purchasing system (DPS) – a platform allowing organisations to respond to callouts for contracts that became available through the department. DPS’s are a great way for VCSEs to engage with government procurement as being on one can cut down procurement times. Sometimes if you’re not on a framework you cannot bid as they effectively are a pre-qualification process. WYK responded to deliver services on the Skills Bootcamp, putting in three bids across three different areas, namely performance marketing (including training on paid online ads), digital bespoke programmatic marketing and ad-tec, and data analytics programmes to upskill young people to become data analysts. The contract is a two-year one with the first half delivered in 2024 and the second half in 2025. What were the main benefits to the DFE of working with WYK? As a social enterprise whose articles of association commit it to lower barriers to entry for underrepresented young people, WYK can showcase extensive impact supporting people launch sustainable and meaningful careers. Just under three-quarters of trainees are from minority ethnic backgrounds and over half come from the three lower indices of multiple deprivation deciles. As Rob puts it: “We can show that not only are we getting people into work, we're actually helping people who would really struggle with the barriers that they're facing to get into meaningful employment.” With the purpose of the contract being to support more people into work, another benefit that WYK brings to the delivery of the contract is its “incredibly strong ties to the industry” with its biggest partners being the largest advertising companies in the world, including Omnicom and GroupM. Out of the big six advertising businesses, it works with half of them. It has a deep and wide relationship with Omnicom, with the business having hired 150 of WYK’s trainees over the last four years. Partnering with WYK not only benefits the young people on programmes but also businesses looking for the best talent. WYK has essentially “de-risked” the recruitment process for them as they’ve supported businesses “access upskilled talent they can have confidence in.”  The quality, strength and impact of the social enterprise’s programmes can be summed up by Omnicom telling them that “the best entry level candidates they have coming into the business are from WYK”. How does this benefit the DFE? In short, as well as creating jobs for people traditionally shut out from the tech industry, WYK’s close and trusted relationships with businesses enables a pipeline of motivated, talented young people who themselves are transforming the dynamics of the digital sector. As Rob puts it: “We get the outcomes, we have the ties to business and we can also really point to our impact when it comes to the types of people that we’re supporting.” What were the main challenges in the contracting process A better understanding of the challenges faced by social enterprises that are dealing with vulnerable groups Reflecting on the key challenges WYK have experienced delivering the Skills Bootcamp contract, Rob believes that there can be a “bit of a clash between our intended social mission and the contractual standpoint of the government”. The Skills Bootcamp makes organisations contractually commit to securing interviews for 100% of course participants, but an organisation like WYK, which deals with young people often facing multiple, serious barriers, cannot guarantee this with trainees being at very different starting points at the beginning of a course. “At the start of any programme when we do a start point assessment, probably around 20% of participants would be really confident in getting jobs, around 60% are not ready on day one but we’re confident they will be after ten weeks with us, and then there’s 20% who are often facing significant barriers. When we get to the 10 weeks there’s usually a segment of those trainees who are not ready for work and who need a deeper intervention. We don’t put them forward for jobs because it wouldn’t do them any good, and we’d be setting them up to fail. We also need to maintain a healthy referral relationship with our employment partners – it doesn’t look good on us if we’re putting forward young people who are not ready for work.” Once WYK reports back on its impact at monthly meetings with contract managers there is an understanding of the reality of the challenges it faces, where there can be an issue is the lack of flexibility in the bid stage, with Rob stating that there:  “needs to be an understanding that not all outcomes are going to be successful because of the very nature of helping vulnerable people. This could be reflected in what they (commissioners) look for in contracts”. Payment on outcomes Another challenge identified by Rob is again linked to how social enterprises balance impact with financial sustainability and how this can clash with the contractual process, this time in regard to payment. WYK are paid a cost per learner, which has been agreed contractually with the government. They are given 40% of the contract value upon successful enrolment, which is referred to as Milestone One. Milestone Two is the completion of the course with an agreed number of hours taught and the successful trainee obtaining an interview (30%). The final 30% is paid on a successful job offer. Whilst this is needed to ensure performance and WYK are “hugely invested in securing positive outcomes for our trainees” it does mean that “the risk is on us”. Being a small social enterprise dealing with people who may need additional support, they “know we’re going to get the 40%, we usually score about 85% of our Milestone Two funding but there’s often money left on the table for the Milestone Three.”  This means that WYK has to hire recruitment specialists to try and maximise their funding from this final part of contract delivery. Rob believes that “there should be some leeway on social enterprises to help support them achieve those targets”. WYKs competitors in the for private profit space can often use their size and position to effectively skew the system to take money out of the contract without meeting targets. The business has seen how other larger organisations often build programmes around the initial 40% of Milestone One, delivering a low-quality course but with the attitude that they “will take anybody and if people get an interview and a job then that’s a bonus for them.” Meanwhile WYK goes to great lengths to ensure that they are putting the right young people on their programmes who would benefit most from them. Alternatively, some private profit businesses are also “only putting people on courses who are so smart already that they’re definitely going to get jobs”, closing down opportunities for others who need extra support. Another challenge can be the initial work getting onto a DPS, with WYK having had to hire bid writers to help them get onto the portal. Based on a conversation with Rob Jackson Founder of WYK Digital wykdigital.com

How one clinic in Hull cut emergency admissions for frail people by 50% Health nerd quiz question! What common condition increases an individual’s likelihood of attending a GP surgery by over 50%, undergoing emergency care by 216% and adds almost £6 billion pounds to the NHS bill each year? Diabetes? Heart failure? Cancer? It’s actually something that is barely recognised as a medical condition: frailty. So, when a frontline innovation manages to cut emergency admissions for the most severely frail people by 50%, it’s worth paying attention. This outcome was achieved by the Jean Bishop Centre - a unique initiative of the City Health Care Partnership (CHCP), a social enterprise working in Hull, and led by two remarkable physicians: Anna Folwell and Daniel Harman. Anna and Dan will tell you that the key to their success is flipping the usual model of care on its head. The CHCP and its workforce are committed to the idea that it should be the individual who shapes the support they receive rather than the public sector body. As such, their assessment of a person’s needs begins with a very detailed conversation about their experiences, their hopes, their needs. Armed with that understanding, the clinicians and others working at the Centre can work out exactly what is needed to maintain the health and well-being of someone with frailty and their care-givers and provide it in as effective and flexible a way as possible. And that regularly involves bringing in wider community and voluntary sector support from organisations, often located in the Centre themselves, enabling immediate connection to the people looking for help. Pete’s story* Pete’s story is a case in point. A care home resident in his seventies, Pete’s health had worsened significantly in recent weeks. Severely frail with advanced dementia and multiple conditions, he was eating far less, wandering more and at growing risk of falling and hurting himself. The residential home felt it could no longer offer appropriate care. Under normal circumstances, a situation that would often result in an emergency hospital admission followed by a lengthy stay, draining hospital resources and often leading to a further deterioration in the individual’s overall health and well-being. Luckily, Pete was referred to the Jean Bishop Centre. The staff there first undertook a very detailed medical review which resulted in Pete being placed on a more humane and effective regimen. Some of the medications he had accumulated in recent years and which were now doing more harm than good were removed while other underlying conditions that had gone undetected were treated for the first time. Most importantly though, the Centre spoke with Pete and his wife, Joan, in detail about what they really wanted - and the key thing was for Pete to stay in a care home where he felt supported and connected to others. So, working with the Alzheimer's Society in Hull and their own knowledge of the local residential care network, the Centre was able to find a new care home place for Pete while also offering greater support to his wife. The result: a healthier and happier Pete, a relieved Joan and a long hospital stay avoided. Doing with, not doing to Pete’s story exemplifies a spreading approach that seeks to ‘do with’ people rather than ‘do to’ them. Most fundamentally that means doing with the person or family in need of support or care as well as working closely with organisations and people outside the public sector institution, particularly those in the voluntary and community sector. But it also involves senior leaders ‘doing with’ rather than ‘doing to’ frontline professionals by trusting them to make the right decisions both in the radical redesign of a service and in its day-to-day delivery. This is often overlooked when frontline innovations are analysed but ask the City Health Care Partnership what enabled them to develop and deliver such an effective approach at the Jean Bishop Centre and they are clear. As an independent social enterprise, they have been able to break away from the hierarchy and bureaucracy of the mainstream public sector and free up their clinicians and other employees to think for themselves, take risks and focus on impact and outcomes rather than targets and processes imposed from above. A mindset summarised in a phrase one hears a lot at CHCP: “say yes before you say no”. And it’s an approach that has had an impact across the whole of Hull. When it first opened its doors, the Centre set itself the goal of reaching as many of the 3,000 people with severe frailty in Hull as it could. Within two years, it had worked with 90% of that population. That led not only to the 50% reduction in emergency admissions for the most severely frail in that group but also a 10-25% reduction in GP visits for the rest of the group. Work with a wider cohort with less severe frailty has led to  an overall reduction in A&E admissions for people over 80 by 13.6% and for residents in care homes by 18% and reduction in medicine costs of £100 per person per year. The human impact Of course, reduced admissions and innovative ideas are only ultimately tools to achieve the one thing that matters: meaningful improvement in the health and well-being of individuals and their loved ones. An independent evaluation found that the Centre significantly improved the overall wellbeing of older people living with frailty at 2-4 weeks and at 10-14 weeks after the intervention. In contrast, the evaluation control group experienced a decline in well-being over the same time-frame. And you won’t find a clearer example of what a ‘do with’ approach can mean in human terms than taking five minutes to watch this film about Ray. What he needed to massively improve his life was far less complex than Pete - an electric wheelchair and a ramp - but the simple fact that the Jean Bishop Centre really listened to his needs, treated him with respect and then did everything in its power, as quickly as possible, to respond is impactful beyond any quantitative measure. Get ready to shed a tear or two! *Names have been changed in Pete’s story. 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.

Birmingham-based award-winning social entrepreneur and leading mental health counsellor, Martin Hogg, founder of Citizen Coaching CIC, launches a new book series focused on accessible strategies to improve mental health for all.  As Citizen Coaching CIC approaches its 20th anniversary, Martin Hogg has instigated a step-change in the highly successful and sustainable social enterprise, Citizen Coaching CIC.  Citizen Coach CIC operational and day-to-day leadership is now being headed by Carla Lees as the new Managing Director. Meanwhile, Martin continues to drive innovation and develop new products and offers to support positive social and behavioural change for those seeking support strategies to tackle mental health challenges.  His first book series launches March 2025 with three new books capturing his twenty years of specialist counselling experience, and translated into readable, bite-size, practical mental health strategies delivered in his unique and engaging style.  Highly qualified, yes.  Lived experience, yes.  Proven results, yes.  Martin says, “Back in 2005 the waiting times for counselling support were long. I believed that not everyone needed to see a psychologist or doctor and that some small practical, non-jargony, and motivational interventions in non-clinical surroundings could be effective for many people.”  “In 2008, I was asked how I funded the work I was doing. I described the Citizen Coaching CIC model as a modern-day Robin Hood business model, delivering counselling services for those with the ability to pay subsidies to support those who couldn’t afford to pay but were in most need of support. Apparently, that was a social enterprise business model, and that legal structure could help me help more people and secure the service for the future.”  Today, Citizen Coaching CIC works in a third-sector consortium with several other local counselling providers, and together they deliver half of the mental health sessions to the people of Birmingham, Europe’s biggest local authority.  Now, with Martin’s creative approach and drive to support more people to live better lives, he has put pen to paper and written three books as the first release in a series of positive mental health personal development paperbacks.  Just launched on Amazon, ‘My Mental Well-Being Coach Series’ presents My Anxiety Coach, My Relationship Coach and My Anger Coach – not only personal development books but counsellor reference books and additional downloadable tailored management plans to support the journey to well-being.  Martin says, “The hardest thing is that, as a counsellor, you can't help everyone immediately. As counsellors, we hate waiting lists but the fact is there is way more demand than supply. We must use all the tools and technology we have to ensure people get the best possible service.”  “With the continuing demand for mental health support, I want to share what I know with others so it can help them with their issues or equip them with the tools to help others. I like to keep things simple, easily understandable and memorable. It’s the practical application that will mean success or failure.”  “As a social entrepreneur, I’m always looking to innovate and see Citizen Coaching CIC leading the way in creating more quality and accessible mental health resources, courses, online products, books and audiobooks.” citizencoaching.com

68 GLL pools taking part from Cornwall to Cumbria, Belfast to Basingstoke. Youngest challenger is just 8 years old The UK's foremost leisure charitable social enterprise GLL will host 1054 fundraising challenges in 68 of its managed pools for Swimathon 2025. The world's biggest fundraising swim happening over the weekend of 28-30 March sees fundraisers' proceeds going to Cancer Research UK, end of life charity Marie Curie and Swimathon Foundation. Participants can choose to swim 400m or Triple 5k and they can swim as individuals or part of a team. GLL has been supporting Swimathon over the years in its 'Better' branded pools. Customers preparing for Swimathon 2025, were invited to a special training tips webinar hosted by Olympic Gold Medallist swimming legend Duncan Goodhew - with inspiring words boosting the number of  take-ups even further. GLL is the largest provider of public swimming pools in the UK (140 pools and 9 lidos) including the iconic Manchester Aquatic Centre, West Reservoir and London Fields Lido - and the biggest provider of swimming lessons - teaching 200,000 people a week, including adult swimmers. GLL's Head of Sport and Aquatics Andrew Clark said: "The best of luck to our fundraisers - with over 1000 taking part, Swimathon 2025 promises to be one of the biggest challenges of its kind we've hosted. "Not only are Cancer Research UK, end of life charity Marie Curie and Swimathon Foundation going to get a boost out of this - it's also offering many the chance to start a lifetime fitness habit." Swimmers young and old have been flocking to GLL's 'Better' pools to train for their individual and team challenges. Among them are mother-and-son fundraisers from Peckham, Leo Garnett (8) and Anna Garcia who train at Charlton Lido in Greenwich.  Anna comments: "Leo's been swimming since he was 3 months old.  "We used to live in Gibraltar and everyone had a pool, I was so scared of him not knowing how to swim. He swims in the school squad and also trains with Dulwich Dolphins." "I swim to challenge myself firstly but realised I could also raise money for Cancer Research - the disease has affected family friends. "We are stepping up and will both do 5km this year  - Swimathon believe Leo is the youngest swimmer attempting this distance." Among GLL's pools that are hosting the largest number of fundraising swims are: London Fields Lido - 118 Charlton Lido - 122 Britannia Leisure Centre - 50 Manchester Aquatic Centre  - 40  Swimathon Foundation is a registered charity working with charitable, facility, national operators and governing body partners to promote the health, wellbeing and life skills that swimming can provide. It also owns the Marathon Swims and other Swimathon campaigns which offers the public the opportunity to swim and fundraise for charity. gll.org

Georgia Gould MP tells attendees at the Social Value Leaders’s Summit that she wants to give social value “more teeth, more strength, more clarity”.  Georgia Gould MP, the Cabinet Office minister responsible for public sector reform, has said the government intends to consult on further reforms to public procurement processes, as announced to Parliament in February.  Speaking at the Social Value Leaders’ Summit yesterday, Gould said she wanted to give social value ‘more teeth, more strength, more clarity’ and was keen to explore how to really capture the social value of social enterprises.   “If I’m back here in a year’s time, I want to see a real change in the way government and the public sector buys that is thinking about how we support, incubate and maximise spend with SMEs and social enterprises,” Gould said.   To build on progress thus far, the Government will consult on a range of measures to potentially take forward public procurement processes and drive economic growth, support small businesses, and better support innovation.   Declaring herself “a big believer in social enterprises” Gould was addressing a crowd of nearly 200 social entrepreneurs, commissioners and corporate social value leads gathered for the tenth Social Value Leaders’ Summit at the headquarters of professional services firm PwC in central London.   Gould shared that the potential for procurement as described in the government’s recent National Procurement Policy Statement had captured the imagination of her colleagues in the Cabinet Office. The statement sees public procurement as a key lever to achieving Government aims by sourcing goods and services that deliver value for money and social value.   The challenge that remained was to make sure that the people procuring goods and services really prized social value. “Too often procurement teams are isolated from policy objectives,” she said. “There is a culture change needed across the system and there’s a lot we’re doing to push this forward”.  Smaller contracts, more notice, efficient auditing  The minister was preceded by Gareth Rhys-Williams, Chair of National Highways, who lamented the various instruments available to measure social value and called for a joined-up approach to “avoid a chaos of measures and metrics”. This was important, he said, as a third of all tax money goes on public spending.   To try and create social value, Rhys-Williams explained that National Highways have worked on breaking project work up in order to offer contracts that are manageable for VCSEs to service. He also revealed that the organisation will set targets for VCSE expenditure for the first time from April next year.   The mismatch between what commissioners want and what VCSEs can provide was also touched upon by Karolina Medwecka-Piasecka, East Birmingham Programme Development Manager at Birmingham City Council, who called for better forward planning of significant projects so that VCSEs have time to plan and possibly collaborate. “If you know a big contract is coming it might take three years to build a consortium, so the notice of that contract needs to be very advanced,” she said.   The role of VCSE organisations in delivering a mission-led procurement system had earlier been debated by representatives from Kings College London, facilities management provider MITIE, social enterprise Groundwork and law firm Stone King.   Graham Duxbury, CEO of Groundwork pointed out that, although social value is now part of the procurement lexicon, it’s not always followed through into contract management, with the result that it was too easy for social value to slip down the agenda. Another view on this was offered by Sara Rial, Social Outcomes Lead at business consultancy Jacobs, who told the audience in the last session of the day that she had seen clients she was advising “make big commitments and deliver absolutely zero” in terms of social value.   Fellow panelist Chris Luck, CEO of employment charity Shaw Trust offered some context on the environment in which VCSEs were trying to win contracts, explaining that for most small VCSEs, there were only one or two people working on bids and that for many organisations, the cost of bidding is prohibitive.   Overall, the summit offered a wealth of thinking on the delivery of social value which a more developed procurement system has the power to unlock. We’re grateful to our partners Anthony Collins, Jacobs and PwC for supporting us to host an event which showcased a range of opinions and ideas to further advance a more impactful procurement environment. It feels like we’re at a real turning point for social value, and this is a key theme of our new position paper, which we’d like to share with you. It sets out that this moment is the start not the end of a journey towards mission-driven procurement and will help guide this work going forward.   Over the coming weeks we will also be working on a document bringing out the key learnings from the day.   View some pictures from the Social Value Leaders’ Summit 

How do you encourage some of the most traumatised and disempowered people in the country to access healthcare? The Butterfly Project shows the way How can my team connect and work with the most marginalised people and communities in society? It’s a question that is asked repeatedly within the public sector.  And as we become increasingly aware of how inequality damages health and drives up pressure on public services, it is a question asked with ever greater urgency.  There is perhaps no more marginalised and ignored group than female prisoners. The vast majority have suffered layer upon layer of disempowerment. Many come from poor and excluded communities. Over half have experienced further disempowerment and trauma in the form of domestic violence, sexual violence, and abuse as a child. Then, of course, there is imprisonment itself which is very deliberately a form of marginalisation and disempowerment which has a disproportionately negative impact on women.  The proportion of female prisoners self-harming is seven times higher than male prisoners, while alcoholism and drug use is twice as high. In short, trauma, exclusion and distrust of authority are part of the everyday lives of female prisoners. This is not a group that is likely to engage positively with the state in any of its forms no matter how benign.  So, when a frontline innovation manages not only to engage but generate measurable positive outcomes with female prisoners, it is probably worth the rest of the public sector paying attention.   Releasing the Butterfly  That initiative is The Butterfly Project run by a social enterprise called Spectrum. The Butterfly Project set itself a simple but challenging goal: to increase the cervical screening rate to 90% for the 500 prisoners held at HMP Styal in Cheshire. This was ambitious. The screening rate at the prison was only 64% when the initiative began in 2020. The rate for the English population is not much higher at 69%. So, this would mean encouraging one of the most excluded groups in the country to massively exceed standard screening rates.   The Butterfly Project secured its goal. 92% of women at HMP Styal underwent cervical screening between 2020 and 2022. An achievement that has proved sustainable with a 91% rate by 2024.  So, how did The Butterfly Project do this? There are four key principles to their work. Principles that have wide applicability beyond engagement with prisoners.  1. Go where the people are  It may not sound radical but one major innovation was conducting cervical screenings at the prison itself. Most medical procedures occur outside the prison walls requiring prisoners to be escorted, often in handcuffs and prison vehicles, to a hospital or clinic accompanied by a prison officer. A process that reinforces stigma and inevitably adds considerably to the anxiety of any medical procedure. Conducting screenings in the prison eliminates that barrier.  This goes to the heart of an assumption underpinning much of public sector activity, namely that people should come to us. Vast swathes of the public sector’s work is conducted in buildings and places that suit the public sector rather than the people and communities they are serving. This inevitably creates an immediate barrier for engagement requiring people to invest time and money and to overcome mental and physical health barriers to interact with the public sector. It is telling, for example, that the Community Led Support initiative that has had such a positive impact on social care invests a great amount of time and energy into finding the right venue for their service.  Indeed, the principle has been taken a step further at another prison, HMP Low Newton, where a colposcopy unit has been set up so that any abnormalities identified during screening can be followed-up on site.  2. Let trusted people with relevant lived experience do the engagement  Peer mentors are at the heart of The Butterfly Project. These are prisoners who play a vital role not just in spreading the message about cervical health but also in discussing directly with those who may be anxious or doubtful about undergoing screening.   The mentors bring two vital aspects to the engagement. Firstly, they are far more likely to be a trusted source of advice and connection than a public service professional particularly when the population in question will have all been in conflict with the state and may have suffered mistreatment and discrimination at the hands of the public sector. Secondly, they bring an inherent and profound understanding of the lives of their fellow prisoners because they lead that life themselves.  There is clearly a lesson here for the public sector as a whole. Many public sector organisations assume that public sector staff or elected representatives are the best people to lead engagement. In fact, this assumption should be turned on its head in the case of marginalised groups by understanding that the public servant may well be the worst person to lead engagement. Instead, find those from the community who have the trust and shared experience of the community to act as connectors and conduits.   3. Take time to listen and understand  The role of The Butterfly Project’s peer mentors is not to meet targets or to push people into screening but to listen to their fellow prisoners and understand their fears and hopes. That can take a long time, particularly when working with people dealing with profound trauma. But it is time well spent for it enables trust to be built and allows mentors to develop a deep appreciation of the barriers preventing the women at HMP Styal accessing healthcare.  It’s an approach that extends to the Project’s medical personnel as well, who will often take considerable time to explain the screening procedure alongside the mentors and help address any concerns.  This is not an easy message for much of the public sector to hear. Time is a very scarce resource in a world shaped by constrained finances, rising demand and an obsession with top-down targets. The emphasis too often is on processing people as quickly as possible rather than taking time to listen and understand. But if any public sector body is serious about engaging with excluded individuals and groups, then ways must be found to carve out the time to build the necessary connection and trust.  4. Keep it friendly and welcoming throughout  Finally, and perhaps most obviously, The Butterfly Project places a premium on friendliness and providing care in a welcoming environment. Those who undergo screening often comment on the kindness of the doctors and nurses in the unit at HMP Styal. The necessity of this is obvious, particularly when engaging with people who may have suffered mistreatment and trauma. It is not only the most human approach but clearly it is the best way to ensure ongoing engagement and trust.    What The Butterfly Project teaches us is that with the right practices, enough time and a considerable dose of humility, it is possible to transform engagement with even with the most excluded people and communities. As health inequalities rise and demand pressures keep growing, this is a lesson the public sector needs to learn as quickly as possible.  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.

Social enterprises present a great opportunity to improve life in the UK. Now a group of MPs will collaborate to help realise their potential. Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport, explains why he wanted to chair the group.  In my constituency of Southport and the wider area there are many social enterprises, cooperatives and community businesses delivering vital public services, community cohesion, innovating products and services and generating employment and inclusion. Businesses like these are powerful as they offer real value for people and planet and many do so at scale. They offer a fast-track solution to improving life in the UK for millions. Yet they still represent just 5% of UK businesses.  There have been numerous false dawns for social enterprises over the past twenty years. So much so, that any new attempt to create a buzz around the concept is likely to be greeted with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smile. Much more pragmatic, then, to accept that the path to a social economy is a gradual one, a path that accepts the reality of a mix of business structures, a path that is not paved with gold, but which is covered with a thicket of brambles needing to be cleared.  Late last year, as a relatively new MP, I was elected to be the new Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for our sector - a group we chose to call the Social, Cooperative and Community Economy APPG - and have since been working to develop a programme of work and an approach to growing the capacity and potential of the sector in the current economic and political landscape. Working closely with others in both the Commons and the Lords over the last couple of months on our plans, we’re now keen to make tracks on our agreed priorities for the year.  The business and governmental context that the social economy sector works in has changed fundamentally over the past couple of decades; indeed, it has changed fundamentally more than once. The availability of finance on a patient basis, the ability to trade while fulfilling community interest requirements, the need to step into the gap left by retreating public services - all these factors and more have evolved, and impacted the way social economy organisations go about their business. The time is therefore right to see if the regulatory systems, the legislative environment, and the funding landscape are what the sector needs for the next 10-15 years.  The UK is home to a robust ecosystem of support networks that encourage innovation within the social enterprise sector. From accelerators to mentorship programmes and collaborative hubs, these resources help early-stage social entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of scaling their impact while staying true to their core values. By fostering a collaborative environment, the UK has become a hotbed for social innovation, leading the way for other nations to follow suit. But there is always more we can do, and the APPG committee is determined to help grow the sector in a way that hasn’t been possible in recent years.   As we look ahead, it is clear that the future of business in the UK should increasingly be shaped by social enterprises. As the government makes decisions on public service delivery and as local government begins to rebuild after a prolonged period of austerity, it’s an opportune time for the sector to step up once again to help shape the future of the UK’s business landscape and tilt it in a more social direction. 

The UK’s largest charitable social enterprise leisure provider, GLL, will add Westminster Boating Base to its ever-growing list of water facilities when it takes on its management and operations on behalf of the Westminster Boating Base charity from 1 March 2025, following an agreement struck with the charity’s trustees.   GLL operates facilities under its 'Better' brand. The new arrangements will ensure the Pimlico-based charity will continue to be able to meet its charitable objectives to help educate and develop young people and improve lives for many years to come. It will also ensure the Base retains its unique identity and role in the community. Westminster Boating Base offers unrivalled safe and supervised access to the water for local school children who can use its pontoon to get out on the River Thames in kayaks and sailing dinghies. There will be no immediate change to the programme in 2025 under GLL’s expert management. The charitable social enterprise already operates successful water-based facilities in Lee Valley, Hackney, Welwyn Hatfield, Bedford, Manchester, Wales and Cumbria. GLL’s Partnership Manager Katie Foulger said: "We are delighted to add Westminster Boating Base to our ever-growing list of open water facilities - which include an Olympic Canoe Slalom course, Cumbrian and Welsh lakes, a reservoir in Hackney – as well as six lidos.   "Children learn valuable life skills, grow in confidence and thrive through active play and sport.  With the support of the sailing and kayaking experts here, all are assured of the best experience in the capital." "Taking the Base into our GLL family will secure its future for years to come for local children and schools as well as grant access to our Foundations, expertise and 34 years of industry-leading experience – all backed by the strong social values that our brands stand for." Nestled on the banks of the River Thames, Westminster Boating Base also boasts one of London’s most distinctive event venues, offering unparalleled riverside views from its elegant wrap-around balcony.  Already a sought-after destination for weddings, private parties and community events, the venue is now poised for an exciting new chapter under the management of GLL. With a strategic focus on expanding its events programme, Westminster Boating Base will further cement its reputation as a central premium event space while generating essential revenue to support its charitable and youth development initiatives.  GLL’s Head of National Events, Daniel Le Grange commented:  “Westminster Boating Base is an exceptional venue, combining breathtaking Thames views with a versatile and stylish setting. "We are committed to delivering high-end, premium events from conferences to corporate functions to exclusive private parties. "Every event hosted here not only benefits from an extraordinary backdrop but also plays a direct role in supporting the Base’s invaluable community and youth programmes.”  Westminster Boating Base's bookings and facility information are made available via the the website and the better_uk app. Nigel Berman, Chair of Trustees at Westminster Boating Base charity said: “This new partnership with GLL ensures our charitable objectives can be delivered while we retain our unique identity and role in the community. “We look forward to working with GLL to improve outcomes for young people and put the Base on a sustainable financial footing going forward.” GLL will continue the strong relationship built up with clubs and volunteers at the Base. GLL's water-based facilities: Westminster Boating Base, Pimlico Debdale Outdoor Centre, Manchester Lee Valley White Water Centre, Waltham Cross Blue Peris Outdoor Centre, Gwynedd Ghyll Head Activity Centre, Cumbria West Reservoir Centre, Hackney Jesus Green Lido, Cambridge London Fields Lido, Hackney Charlton Lido, Greenwich Abbey Meadows Lido, Oxfordshire Finchley Lido, Barnet Hillingdon Lido and Leisure Centre, Uxbridge better.org.uk

Low Carbon Hub has re-opened its Community Energy Fund, giving you the chance to invest in local, renewable energy projects that benefit both the planet and your pocket. Since November 2024, over £500,000 has already been raised but our target is £800,000 by the end of March 2025, which will allow us to make an even bigger impact. Your investment will support: More community-owned renewable energy projects. Cut carbon emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Growth of funding that supports local communities. Join nearly 2,000 investor members, earn a target return of up to 5%, all while helping to speed up the transition to a cleaner, greener energy system. Find out more and invest in the Community Energy Fund: lowcarbonhub.org/invest Capital at risk; returns not guaranteed. About Low Carbon Hub Low Carbon Hub is an award-winning social enterprise that’s out to prove we can meet our energy needs in a way that’s good for people and good for the planet. We develop community-owned renewable energy projects across Oxfordshire, help homes and businesses reduce their energy demand, and run innovative energy trials to help accelerate the transition to a net zero energy system. 100% of project surplus is reinvested into further carbon-cutting initiatives. Last year we hit a key milestone of reinvesting £1 million of their project surplus into community benefit. Backed by over £10 million in investment, they manage 55 renewable energy projects including: Rooftop solar on schools and businesses The largest community-owned ground mount solar park The largest community-owned hydro at Sandford. Find out more about their work: lowcarbonhub.org

Zaytoun, the pioneering social enterprise supporting the resilience of Palestinian communities through fair trade, is proud to welcome Mike Gidney, outgoing CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, to its Board of Directors. Mike Gidney brings over a decade of leadership at the helm of the Fairtrade Foundation, where he championed the cause of justice and empowerment for small-scale producers facing very different challenges all over the world. His commitment to building equitable supply chains aligns seamlessly with Zaytoun’s mission to connect Palestinian farmers and producers with international markets. “Zaytoun is the very best of Fairtrade – a great range products, all wonderful quality, which enable farming communities to withstand the enormous challenges they face, and to plan for a better future”, said Mike Gidney. “I’m honoured to join Zaytoun’s Board at such a significant moment in its history. For 20 years, Zaytoun has demonstrated the transformative power of fair trade, in supporting Palestinian small-scale producers. I look forward to contributing to its continued growth and impact.” “We’re thrilled to welcome Mike to our Board at this pivotal moment in Zaytoun’s journey,” said Manal Ramadan White, Managing Director of Zaytoun. “His leadership at the Fairtrade Foundation has been truly transformative, advancing trade justice and ensuring the Fairtrade mark remains a symbol of integrity and impact. His expertise in fair trade and global advocacy will be invaluable as we continue to champion Palestinian producers and navigate an increasingly challenging landscape.” Mike Gidney’s appointment comes as Zaytoun celebrates its 20th anniversary – his vast experience and visionary leadership will support Zaytoun’s efforts to grow its reach and expand market opportunities for Palestinian products in the UK and Ireland. By creating and growing a market for Palestinian products here in the UK and Ireland, Zaytoun is helping ensure a reliable and fair income stream for farmers and producers in the West Bank. As farming and food production is one of the few sources of income left to Palestinians, cultivating and selling their products is more vital than ever, both to ensure the resilience of farming communities and to help prevent confiscation of land that has been in families for centuries. Supporting Palestinians by buying their products is also an act of solidarity which is felt deeply in the West Bank.

Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest housing association, announces the launch of the sixth William Sutton Prize, with the prize pot increased to mark the organisation’s 125th anniversary. A fund of £125,000 will be awarded to ideas and innovations that transform the lives of social housing residents. Named after the Victorian philanthropist whose legacy created Clarion Housing Group, The William Sutton Prize seeks innovative and bold solutions that will tackle some of society’s most urgent challenges. The £125,000 fund will be split between the winners of two categories focusing on sustainability and connected communities. Clarion Housing Group draws on its long heritage that goes back to 1900 when entrepreneur William Sutton left his fortune to create some of the first social housing in London. Along with contemporaries such as Joseph Rowntree and George Peabody, Sutton’s original bequest transformed the lives of so many Victorian workers in towns and cities. 125 years later, Clarion’s William Sutton Prize aims to honour that legacy by turning groundbreaking ideas into real-world solutions that make lasting improvements to the built environment and local communities. Clare Miller, Chief Executive of Clarion Housing Group, said: “Through The William Sutton Prize we are proud to collaborate with those who are pioneering new innovations and cutting-edge thinking. Kickstarting our 125th year anniversary celebrations, this year’s prize is our most ambitious to date and we are delighted to be able to increase the value of the funding thanks to the support of our partners. “We’re focusing our efforts on tackling two major societal issues – preserving and restoring nature, and the need for truly connected communities – and I can’t wait to see what innovative ideas are put forward.”  Several eminent judges have been chosen from the architectural, construction, design and academic sectors including Peter Murray OBE, Co-Founder of New London Architecture, Tara Gbolade, Co-Founding Director of Gbolade Design Studio, Matt Harvey-Agyemang, Co-Founder of The POoR Collective, and Greg Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Vistry Group. The £125,000 prize fund, financed jointly by Clarion and corporate partners, will be awarded to the winners of two categories. The William Sutton Prize for Sustainability will be awarded to organisations or individuals bringing forward ideas that actively contribute to the restoration and preservation of our natural world. Applications are invited to tackle any issues in this space, with a particular interest in climate resilient design, retrofitting and renewable energy, resource efficiency, biodiversity and recovering nature, and wellbeing and placemaking.   New for 2025, The William Sutton Prize for Connected Communities aims to foster innovative solutions that enhance community ties, promote inclusion, and strengthen the social fabric of Clarion neighbourhoods. Developed in partnership with the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art (RCA), this new category will recognise impact-led ideas that improve social housing residents’ physical, emotional and social wellbeing, promoting a healthy and welcoming environment for all. In addition to funding, the winners will also receive a tailored package of business support and the chance to collaborate with Clarion and their partners and sector-leading experts to turn their boldest and brightest ideas into reality. Peter Murray OBE said: “It is an honour and privilege to be asked to judge The William Sutton Prize in Clarion’s 125th anniversary year. We need the best brains with the most ambition to match the transformative impact of Clarion’s founder, and I’m really looking forward to receiving the submissions and meeting the people behind them.” Past William Sutton Prize winners include well-known architecture practices including Bell Phillips Architects, Mole Architects and Jas Bhalla Works, alongside social enterprises and charities such as the Hackney School of Food and Pride of Place Living.   Tim Bell, Director of Bell Phillips Architects, said:  “Winning The William Sutton Prize has enabled Bell Phillips to expand our focus on reducing embodied carbon in all the buildings we design. The Prize has provided us with dedicated research and development time for our in-house carbon calculation tool and to implement the findings of that into live projects across a range of building types – it truly has been invaluable.” Applications close at midday on 8 April. To find out more about The William Sutton Prize or to apply, visit www.clarionhg.com/william-sutton-prize

The man who went up against Nigel Farage in the 2024 general election will now be making the case for social enterprise to politicians.  Taking on a media savvy political operator with more than twenty years experience in a general election when you’re just 27 years old is not for the faint-hearted. So it was no surprise that Jovan Owusu-Nepaul’s selection as the Labour candidate up against Nigel Farage for the Clacton seat raised a few eyebrows.   Perhaps unsurprisingly given his public profile and many years in politics, Farage won with 46% of the vote but for Owusu-Nepaul, it was an opportunity to add to his political experience.   Having joined the Labour Party whilst studying for his A Levels, he went onto become the youngest ever Chair of the Lewisham Deptford constituency Labour Party and then worked under Vidhya Alakeson, who is now Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff. All of which will stand him in good stead as he takes on a new challenge of ensuring parliamentarians and policymakers are aware of the importance of social enterprise to British society as our new Head of Public Affairs.   “All the work that I've ever done has been about some form of social change or social impact. Working for the Labour Party was one way I could do that, and now this feels like a meaningful, tangible way in which I can try and advocate for a certain type of economy, making the case more concretely for an alternative way of business,” said Owusu-Nepaul.  He’s particularly eager for conversations about how government can better hold businesses to account, using the social enterprise sector as an example of an alternative way of doing business which can exist at a larger scale. As someone who has spent a lot of time thinking about what we value as a society and ways to embed a value structure into the economy (beyond the bottom line), he’s also looking forward to our forthcoming Social Value Leaders' Summit.  Owusu-Nepaul sees social enterprises as a tool to achieve social justice because he believes they give people agency in society, are nurturing to their communities and create beneficial social outcomes.   He added: “Social enterprises are so much more effective than just having business as a kind of raw parasitic form. They’re demonstrating an alternative value system within the context of a more inclusive model of capitalism, and that is exactly where political parties should be focusing because it integrates economic interests alongside social and cultural interests.”  As someone who was the exact opposite to Farage in so many ways, not only on policy but as the only black candidate under 30 in the election, his selection was irresistible to the media. It’s lead to invitations to appear on LBC, ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Channel 5’s The Jeremy Vine Show, and he’s enjoying having a platform.   “You can engage in kind of a national conversation, and you can plant ideas in people's heads as to how an alternative society could look. It's really important to demonstrate to people that the way things are today, that doesn't mean that's how it always has to be. The media's allowed me to do that,” said Owusu-Nepaul. 

When you become a Social Enterprise UK member, you’re joining the world’s largest social enterprise network! You can join us either as a social enterprise or as an organisation that supports them. We’re running an introductory webinar three times in the year, where you can find out how membership can add value to your business. We’ve sessions dedicated to organisations that are social enterprises and those looking to partner with them to build on their ESG goals and enhance their procurement strategy. Each session is only 15 minutes long, giving you a brief but insightful overview of why your business should join our ever-growing movement. Webinars for social enterprises Find out the three main reasons why your social enterprise should join us. 9 September, 10am – REGISTER HERE Webinars for organisations who support social enterprises Discover how joining our network can help you build on your ESG goals. 23 Sept, 10am – REGISTER HERE

Katharine Sutton is Chief Executive of Aspire Community Works, a social enterprise provider of public services whose #BetterForUs campaign advocates a wellbeing approach to the economy. The vast amounts of public funds allocated through procurement can shape community well-being, support fair employment and strengthen local economies – yet all too often, this potentially transformative spending is reduced to a technical purchasing process. At best, the cheapest price is prioritised over the quality of public services, but at worst it can mean large-scale corruption and the collapse of get-rich-quick companies such as Carillion. A new mission-led government, a new Procurement Act (due to take effect in February 2025) and new National Procurement Policy Statements (in England and Wales) provide opportunity for bold reform to ensure the system is people-led rather than profit-led. This blog explores various practical ways in which public procurement can be made to work for the public, not against it. Make fair wages and good working conditions the standard Every public contract should include a commitment to paying the Real Living Wage. Workers deserve fair compensation that enables them to support themselves and their families. Setting fair wages as a standard can reduce poverty, lessening reliance on health and welfare services. Fair pay fosters health, stability and productivity, creating a more resilient and engaged society. All public contracts should also promote decent working conditions through the inclusion of Good Work standards certified by independent bodies. This will ensure workers have security, dignity and opportunities to develop, ultimately supporting the well-being of employees and wider communities. This is particularly important in sectors with low pay and high turnover to improve staff satisfaction and retention,  in turn generating higher quality services that the race to the bottom simply cannot sustain. Support local economies with targeted investment At least 1% of public procurement budgets should be allocated to organisations committed to supporting people facing barriers and disadvantage in the labour market. Directing procurement funds towards these “Good Works” organisations could help stimulate alternate local economies, create sustainable employment for individuals who might otherwise be excluded from the workforce, and tackle existing labour shortages. Aspire estimates that such an investment could generate over £3.9 billion for local economies, strengthening communities and fostering inclusion. Align procurement with wider values and goals Public procurement can and should be aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leveraging each contract as an opportunity to support sustainable development and addressing issues such as inequality, inclusive growth and climate change. We consider these to be the golden thread linking procurement to community, domestic, international and corporate goals. While social value is an increasingly common part of procurement, we recommend a shift towards public value - linked to the SDGs - with the purpose of maximising public benefit. Social value often becomes a checklist, narrowly focused on short-term results, whereas public value encompasses a commitment to addressing long-term issues like inequality and resilience as well as mission-led public policy. Reframing procurement with a public value approach would enable public funds to support sustainable, community-centred, people-led goals. Such a shift would require contractors to align their objectives with government priorities, creating a more cohesive and impactful procurement strategy both at a national and local level. Put the public back in public procurement We must move beyond just listening to really actively involving local communities in the commissioning and procurement process, using the voice of lived experience to co-create services that are relevant and resonate with the people who will be relying on them. Investing in people-led procurement is a crucial part of investing for our future. Inclusive growth may be a buzzword for those who have wealth – but for those of us without, it is a necessity. As businesses and investors look for models of sustainable growth, the principles of social procurement align with a growing demand for economic resilience and accountability. This is an opportunity for the UK to lead, not just in fiscal responsibility but in responsible, impact-driven investment of public funds. At a time when economic value and social value need not be mutually exclusive, public procurement could become a cornerstone of the UK’s economic renewal. Over the next couple of months, our new government has the opportunity to direct public procurement to work for the public benefit and not against it. Will it seize the opportunity? We can only hope so.

Groundwork is a federation of 15 charitable organisations operating across the UK. It runs programmes and activities to help people improve their prospects, working with communities facing multiple challenges, in places that lack social infrastructure and economic opportunities. It combines environmental and social impact, building the green economy while supporting communities to connect with nature and adapt to the climate crisis. From creating green jobs to supporting people with energy bills and retrofitting homes, it works to build a fairer and greener future in which people, places and nature can thrive. Working with government departments Groundwork UK (the national body of the federation) distributes grant funding for the UK Government, acting as an intermediary to make sure public money is invested in communities at a grassroots level. This involves bidding for contracts with central government departments and acting as an outsourced intermediary provider of grant management services. It’s worked with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to get groups  such as parish councils involved in local planning, and with the Home Office to support charities tackling extremism. It’s also been contracted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to run the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme - a £25m programme, largely distributed through grants. So far it has funded 1,100 organisations to carry out energy assessments to help them improve the efficiency of their buildings. The benefits of working with a VCSE organisation Groundwork UK’s position of having national grant management capability but also being able to leverage connections through its federation members allows it to promote grant programmes at a local level, supporting organisations to navigate through complexity and access funding they may not have been aware of. Chief executive Graham Duxbury states that government outsourcing this kind of work aims to ensure grants are accessible to smaller, local organisations that are often volunteer-run. He said: “Having knowledge of that sector and that space is hugely important in terms of designing the service. You’ve got to be aware of capacity restraints and limitations, you’ve got to understand how volunteer-led organisations work and how to communicate with them as well as what to expect in terms of their capability to manage due diligence processes.” This close knowledge of the VCSE sector has allowed Groundwork UK to develop a good understanding of what’s proportional when it comes to distributing money, which means it can give the contracting body a clearer idea of what money can deliver when directed to organisations of various sizes and capacities. The second major benefit of working with Groundwork is that it’s “really good at bringing together partnerships”, as it knows where the “deep pockets of expertise are in the sector”. Graham points out that the energy efficiency programme would not have been possible without the support of specialist organisations such as the Centre for Sustainable Energy, the Energy Saving Trust and Locality. Thirdly, working with a VCSE provider helps create broader impact, with “cross fertilisation being what you get from the sector”. Combining the social and the environmental is at the heart of Groundwork’s ethos, and the funding it distributes  can create other opportunities for VCSE organisations. As Graham phrases it: “A grant programme may allow them to do one thing, but we may be able to communicate to them other opportunities and provide them with added value; so when we’re managing grants focused on a social issue we can signpost local grantees to other forms of funding and provide advice that might encourage them to think about their environmental impact too.” What were the main challenges in applying for a central government contract? One of the main challenges Graham identified was bidding timescales, with it being tricky to “be able to drop everything and jump on a bidding process for sometimes as little as three weeks”. This can make forming partnerships to deliver contracts difficult because “partnerships take time to develop, build and form - and very few VCSEs have those bidding resources, even relatively large ones like us”. Other challenges identified are issues around negotiating risk levels on contracts, as government contracts involve public money, with Treasury rules to “rightly focus on money being sensibly spent and looked after”. When it comes to grant management services, like those managed by Groundwork UK, these can lead to there being an over-specification on the part of the ultimate recipient of the money: “We’re sometimes caught between government machinery which wants all this assurance and protection and risk management, and a small voluntary sector organisation which doesn’t have the capacity to do that. If you put too much on them, they won’t engage - and that’s counter to the purpose of the grant programme, which is to get small-scale voluntary organisations funded to deliver.” The biggest challenge Groundwork faces on some grant programmes is down to annualised budgeting within Government, which can affect frontline organisations if delivery time slips and “potentially means that money disappears if delivery needs to extend into the next financial year”. Before VCSE organisations even get to bid to run a government service, the department in question has to bid to the Treasury as part of a Budget or Spending Review process. Once granted, “there’s a clock ticking”, with the design work and procurement exercise needing to be carried out - so the actual window for the delivery of the services can be “really concertinaed at the back end”, especially if the funding is only secured for a year.  As Graham puts it: “As an intermediary in the process you know sometimes you’ll have to put pressure on organisations to deliver in a less than ideal timeframe because funds can’t easily be moved from one year to the next.” Graham acknowledges that it is “hard to get the right balance between due diligence and not overburdening VCSEs”, but feels there could be solutions around “expanding those timeframes; thinking about multi-year commissioning processes to bring about more long-term certainty.” Another challenge faced by VCSEs is the still significant weighting on price as a deciding factor in who is awarded a contract, which can skew the process towards organisations able to offer the biggest discount, which may not be beneficial to the service being delivered. Graham asks: “If a department has secured funding from the Treasury for a particular piece of work, they’ve secured the money, so why put the additional stretch in there in terms of who can do it the cheapest?” Based on a conversation with Graham Duxbury, chief executive at Groundwork UK groundwork.org.uk

Groundwork is a federation of 15 charitable organisations operating across the UK. It runs programmes and activities to help people improve their prospects, working with communities facing multiple challenges, in places that lack social infrastructure and economic opportunities. It combines environmental and social impact, building the green economy while supporting communities to connect with nature and adapt to the climate crisis. From creating green jobs to supporting people with energy bills and retrofitting homes, it works to build a fairer and greener future in which people, places and nature can thrive. Working with government departments Groundwork UK (the national body of the federation) distributes grant funding for the UK Government, acting as an intermediary to make sure public money is invested in communities at a grassroots level. This involves bidding for contracts with central government departments and acting as an outsourced intermediary provider of grant management services. It’s worked with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to get groups  such as parish councils involved in local planning, and with the Home Office to support charities tackling extremism. It’s also been contracted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to run the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme - a £25m programme, largely distributed through grants. So far it has funded 1,100 organisations to carry out energy assessments to help them improve the efficiency of their buildings. The benefits of working with a VCSE organisation Groundwork UK’s position of having national grant management capability but also being able to leverage connections through its federation members allows it to promote grant programmes at a local level, supporting organisations to navigate through complexity and access funding they may not have been aware of. Chief executive Graham Duxbury states that government outsourcing this kind of work aims to ensure grants are accessible to smaller, local organisations that are often volunteer-run. He said: “Having knowledge of that sector and that space is hugely important in terms of designing the service. You’ve got to be aware of capacity restraints and limitations, you’ve got to understand how volunteer-led organisations work and how to communicate with them as well as what to expect in terms of their capability to manage due diligence processes.” This close knowledge of the VCSE sector has allowed Groundwork UK to develop a good understanding of what’s proportional when it comes to distributing money, which means it can give the contracting body a clearer idea of what money can deliver when directed to organisations of various sizes and capacities. The second major benefit of working with Groundwork is that it’s “really good at bringing together partnerships”, as it knows where the “deep pockets of expertise are in the sector”. Graham points out that the energy efficiency programme would not have been possible without the support of specialist organisations such as the Centre for Sustainable Energy, the Energy Saving Trust and Locality. Thirdly, working with a VCSE provider helps create broader impact, with “cross fertilisation being what you get from the sector”. Combining the social and the environmental is at the heart of Groundwork’s ethos, and the funding it distributes  can create other opportunities for VCSE organisations. As Graham phrases it: “A grant programme may allow them to do one thing, but we may be able to communicate to them other opportunities and provide them with added value; so when we’re managing grants focused on a social issue we can signpost local grantees to other forms of funding and provide advice that might encourage them to think about their environmental impact too.” What tips would you have for other VCSE organisations looking to work with government? A key tip Graham has for VCSE organisations is to “be visible to the departments to whom you think you’re relevant”, with an important part of this being to get on a government procurement framework. These are pre-procurement portals through which organisations enter their credentials and effectively write a bid to showcase what they provide and their ability to deliver. Groundwork is on a government framework on grant management services. Many departments use frameworks - with some, like the Department for Work and Pensions, referring to them as dynamic purchasing systems (or DPS). Often, if you are not on a framework, you cannot bid; they are effectively a pre-qualification process, so prospective VCSE suppliers should “find out if there are relevant frameworks for the kind of service that you look to offer”. The second main tip for VCSEs wanting to work with central government departments is to not forget that you can negotiate around certain terms of a contract. Groundwork has successfully had things amended in the terms and conditions of contracts, such as questions around payment. As Graham puts it: “Big businesses do this all the time, and we forget that, so we should have confidence that we can negotiate too and get a deal that’s right for us. Some things will never change but some things can and do.” Finally, Graham emphasises the importance in building a human relationship with the contracting department: “Remember that when dealing with government you are dealing with people. All good contracts are built on relationships so once you start to get to know the people on the other side of the fence and understand the pressure they’re under, such as managing public money and the finance and risk committees they need to report to, you get a better understanding on why things are done the way they are and what can and can’t be pushed back on. Never forget that any government contract is just a bunch of individuals trying to get something done.” Based on a conversation with Graham Duxbury, chief executive at Groundwork UK groundwork.org.uk

Multi-sport facility to transform social sports provision with basketball, netball, futsal, volleyball, pickleball, badminton and more to boost community health and wellbeing Leyton's Score Centre was officially opened on Thursday 28 November in a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated with the local community. On a tour of the facilities, Waltham Forest CEO Linzi Roberts Egan, Council Leader Grace Williams, Cllr Ahsan Khan Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, Cllr Kizzy Gardiner Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and GLL CEO Peter Bundey were joined by James Lidgate, Managing Director for Taylor Wimpey London and VIP athlete Ex-Saracens Rugy Player Sonia 'Sonic' Green at the borough's most significant leisure opening in years.  The Score Centre's large capacity means it will have a 'transformative effect' on social sports in the borough - allowing many more clubs and teams to have fun, socialise, get active or compete in tournaments. Located next to Leyton Orient Football Club at 2, Coronation Square E10 5UN,  Waltham Forest Council's investment in the Score Centre provides a brand new sports facility, with courts that the local community can book up to 7 days in advance. Containing five basketball / netball / volleyball / handball  / futsal courts (which can be reconfigured as 20 badminton courts or in multiple permutations to provide for exhibition and tournament events for different sports), The Score Centre is one of the largest new sports halls in the country and will operate at a player capacity of 100, a spectator capacity of 500 and will create additional local employment and sporting opportunity. There are also two studios for Pilates, Yoga, Zumba and more - plus two community rooms available for hire, alongside associated offices.  Better - the trading name of not-for-profit charitable social enterprise GLL - is managing the facility - alongside 7 other borough centres, in partnership with Waltham Forest Council.  Speaking at Thursday's event, GLL's CEO Peter Bundey said:  "As a charitable social enterprise and staff-owned co-op, our mission is to enhance community health and wellbeing through making facilities and programmes accessible for all.  "This aligns strongly with Waltham Forest Council's public health agenda and its wish to see residents improve their health and reduce health inequalities across generations and cultures. "Waltham Forest has a deserved reputation for producing household name athletes who have honed their winning talents in the borough's great public leisure facilities. "So we are delighted to have added the fantastic new Score Centre to our portfolio of centres we manage and operate across London and can't wait to see which future sports stars call it 'home'." Cllr Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration said: "It’s been an absolute pleasure to be here today and celebrate the opening of The New Score Centre with our partners and the local community. ‘’It’s a facility that defines a clear example of what top quality sports centres look like, one that allows us to serve our residents by giving them the opportunity to access good fitness facilities, breaking down health inequalities in the borough. ‘’The energy and excitement here today reminds us just how important spaces like this are, not just for physical fitness but also for fostering connections, building confidence and strengthening our community. ‘’I have no doubt that it will inspire many of us to lead healthier, and more active lives.’’ Sports governing bodies that are partnering in the initiative include England Handball, London Pulse (Netball), London Galaxy (Futsal) Essex Netball, Leyton Orient Trust, Metro Blind (Disability Football). The Score Centre is part of Taylor Wimpey's Coronation Square Development - a vibrant public space and new destination for Leyton Town Centre and a hub for creativity, leisure, sports and culture. Laurent Plopeanu, Project Director for Taylor Wimpey London, said: "We are delighted that the new Score Centre is open to the public and being used by a wide range of local residents. "We have worked collaboratively with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to deliver this state-of-the-art new facility for Leyton. Featuring fitness studios, community rooms, offices, and an incredible five basketball courts that can also accommodate 20 badminton courts, this space is truly versatile."Our aim is for the new Score Centre to act as a hub for the community that allows people to meet, get active and take part in a wide range of sports that they may otherwise not have been able to." Dignitaries also visited the 120 capacity Nappy Gang nursery co-located at the site and toured the facilities to speak to staff and meet the little ones - who helped cut the ribbon on their new facility. The Score Centre boasts an Active Reality zone.  A gym and cafe concession will be added to the facility from early 2025 - completing the destination offer.  https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/london/waltham-forest/score-leisure-centre

Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) has staged three days of action to address the crisis in children’s dental care – specifically to address the “Covid Generation” of children who have never seen a dentist, or whose continuity of dental care has been severely impacted by Covid.  Working with commissioners, CDS identified where care would have most impact e.g. looked after children; and saw over 200 children across specific CDS clinics in Bedfordshire, Norfolk and the Colchester area of Essex.  The CDS team made up of hygienists; therapists; as well as senior clinical staff in management roles who donned their uniforms to provide care; and students with CDS on training placements, worked additional hours to provide the “screen and intervene” initiative.  Children received a check-up, on the spot presentative treatments and, if required, were then referred for treatment in general dental practice with any children CDS recognised as needing their specialist care being triaged into their own services.  The day, supported with materials/consumables and toothbrushing packs by the Henry Schein Dental Group’s “Give Kids A Smile” programme also saw the CDS oral health teams in attendance to share valuable prevention advice to raise families’ awareness of how to care for their children’s oral health longer term.  Glen Taylor, CDS Chief Operating Officer said: “We are very aware that there is a whole “Covid Generation” of children who have never had the opportunity to see a dentist. This means children are not being routinely seen to address dental problems at an early stage and they are not being acclimatised to the dental environment from a young age, leading to greater levels of anxiety. Many of these children are being referred for treatment in our community dental services with high dental need and severe anxiety often requiring treatment under sedation or in hospital with general anaesthetic. Families are also often not getting preventative oral health information. This initiative has enabled us to see a large number of children in a short space of time and we are pleased to have partnered with the Henry Schein Cares Foundation and our colleagues in general practice at Colosseum Dental to deliver an effective screen and intervene initiative.”   About CDS  Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) is a 100% employee-owned social enterprise providing community dental services to the NHS and oral health improvement programmes throughout Bedfordshire, Derbyshire, Essex, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk & Waveney, Nottinghamshire and Oxfordshire.   - Together we will enable our communities to enjoy a better quality of life -  communitydentalservices.co.uk 

Over two weekends this November, Winter Open Studios returns to Cockpit for a festive celebration ofcreativity and making (21–24 November and 29 November–1 December). At this unique shopping event, you’ll discover the work of leading craftspeople and up-and-coming makers, all created in their studios at Cockpit in Bloomsbury and Deptford, with price points to suit every budget. Cockpit, an award-winning social enterprise and the last remaining specialist craft studios in London, has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in contemporary craft. Their studios are currently home to over 175 talented artist-makers working in more than 20 craft disciplines, from fine jewellery to ceramics to woodworking, fashion and textiles, antiques restoration and more. Open Studios is a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes and have face-to-face conversations with makers to learn the stories behind each original piece and discover how these remarkable objects are made. This is your chance to shop direct from exceptional craftspeople and invest in unique pieces, with all of your holiday gifting supporting makers and independent businesses. Discover an extraordinary world of creativity, made at Cockpit. Highlights for winter include: Discover exceptional objects and ‘Open Studios exclusive’ work from the UK’s leading makers and be the first to meet the stars of the future Enjoy a truly unique shopping experience and purchase one-of-a-kind gifts directly from leadingartist-makers and Cockpit alumni (view our Gifting Press Release for details) Uncover a hidden cultural gem where up-and-coming makers work alongside established leadersin their field Explore Cockpit’s stylish new development in Deptford, which includes a brand-new café, publicart installation and London’s only Craft Garden Tickets start from £5, with discounts are available for advance bookings, concessions and local residents. All ticket sales support Cockpit’s work as a registered charity. Cockpit Bloomsbury – 21–24 November 2024 Opening Hours: Thursday 21 November, 12-8 pm – VIP & Press Preview (Drinks reception from 5 pm) Friday 22 November–Sunday 24 November, 12-6 pm – General admission Cockpit Deptford – 29 November–1 December Opening Hours: Friday 29 November, 12-4 pm – VIP & Press Preview Friday 29 November, 4-8 pm – General admission Saturday 30 November–Sunday 1 December, 12-6 pm – General admission Tickets: Open Access Pass (multiple entries including VIP Preview) – limited quantities available:o Bloomsbury pass (4 days): £30o Deptford pass (3 days): £25o Bloomsbury & Deptford pass (all days): £35 General admission: £10 advance (£12 on the door) Concessions (Seniors 65+, students, unwaged, disabled (carer ticket is free)): £8 advance (£10on the door) Children (16 and under): FREE Local Residents – Camden (Bloomsbury) and Lewisham (Deptford) (on the door only): Half pricewith proof of address (£6) Friday late in Deptford: £5 advance (£6 on the door) About Cockpit Cockpit is a centre of excellence in contemporary craft and one of the top 100 UK social enterprises on the NatWest Pioneers Post SE100 Index for over a decade. For more than 30 years, Cockpit has nurtured and supported craftspeople at the fragile, early stages of their careers. The UK’s only incubator for craft businesses, Cockpit is home to a community of over 170 independent creative businesses – metalsmiths, jewellers, weavers, woodturners and ceramicists – at two London locations. Thanks to funded studio space and in-house business coaching, Cockpit makers thrive, with many going on to become international leaders in their fields. Bridging the gap between talent and opportunity, Cockpit’s education and careers programmes open pathways into creative employment for young Londoners from all backgrounds. Cockpit received the Prove It: Social Impact Award at the 2023 UK Social Enterprise Awards. cockpitstudios.org @cockpitstudios

Public bodies are being urged to use their purchasing power to tackle poverty and inequality within local communities and create a good jobs industry in the UK in a new report ‘Public Good Procurement’ issued on behalf of the grassroots #BetterForUs campaign run by award-winning community enterprise, Aspire Community Works. Drawing on its own lived experience of the procurement process, the report argues that all too often public procurement pushes wages down, fails to address deep-rooted inequalities and puts pressure on the public purse through subsidising low paying employers who offer bad work detrimental to people’s health. This puts good employers who pay the Real Living Wage at a disadvantage within the procurement process, leading to a spiral of downward wages within the procurement process and negative public value. The report urges the UK Government to take the lead in delivering maximum public value across the country through raising the standards in how public authorities spend £390 billion every year as part of its national missions to promote growth and opportunity.  The report calls on the UK Government to: require the Real Living Wage as the default position for all public contracts irrespective of value, lifting thousands of people out of poverty; require good working conditions as the default position for all public contracts irrespective of value providing high quality and sustainable opportunities for people working on public contracts; particularly for those in traditionally low paying occupations; introduce a target to support Good Works organisations that work with people who are disadvantaged by the labour market to promote a more inclusive economy and bring more people back into the workforce; highlight the mission of public good procurement and links key objectives to the Sustainable Development Goals within its forthcoming National Procurement Policy Statement. Dr Katharine Sutton, author of the report said: “This is a once in a life-time opportunity for a new Government to stamp its authority on a new Procurement Act due to be introduced in February 2025. If only one percent of the procurement spend in the UK was reserved for positive action employment programmes this would generate £3.9 billion for local communities and Good Work organisations that aim to support and sustain people into and in employment. These programmes could take place within in-house delivery, under the auspices of private contractor or run by social enterprises themselves. Using public procurement to set the standards and act as an example for all employers is an economic imperative that will deliver inclusive growth that makes a real difference to people’s lives.” The report includes recommendations to other public bodies and practical guidance on how public procurement can be used for the public good. betterforus.org.uk Notes BetterForUs 2020-2024 is a campaign run on behalf of award-winning organisation Aspire Community Works that tackles labour market disadvantage through providing sustainable employment and training opportunities offering the Real Living Wage as a minimum,  good working conditions and promoting frontline employees’ voice in the design and delivery of services. The majority of its frontline work is obtained through the public procurement process. The Government has recently announced that the Procurement Act 2023 will come into force in February 2025. It has delayed its implementation to draw up a new National Procurement Policy Statement and is currently consulting on this issue. In the UK procurement is devolved  and the report outlines the differences in approach within the UK. It is calling on the UK Government to incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals as the golden thread to run through all procurement in the UK. BetterforUs is supported by Trust for London.

Tarem Services is proud to announce the successful launch of its Mobile Foodbank initiative, which took place on Tuesday, 1st October 2024, at Selhurst Children’s Centre, Croydon. This initiative is a significant part of Tarem Services’ broader mission to tackle in-work poverty and food insecurity by providing essential supplies to vulnerable families and individuals experiencing financial hardship. Despite heavy rain, 103 of the 150 essential food bags were collected on the day, and the remaining bags have since been collected by those unable to attend. Each bag contains enough food to feed at least 2 people, meaning 300 individuals will ultimately benefit from this initiative. The event was supported by 12 volunteers from Zurich UK, CBRE and Tarem Services, who worked tirelessly to prepare the food bags and engage with the families in attendance. The launch event was highlighted by the attendance of Deputy Mayor, Councillor Lynne Hale, who showed her support for Tarem Services' continued efforts to address food insecurity and poverty within the local community. “We are deeply grateful to CBRE and Zurich UK for their financial support and volunteering efforts, as well as to our own team at Tarem Services for making this initiative possible,” said Titus Komolafe, Managing Director of Tarem Services. “Our mission goes beyond just providing food; it’s about tackling in-work poverty, addressing food insecurity, and empowering families to build more secure futures.” The Mobile Foodbank initiative is one of the many ways Tarem Services drives social change. As a social enterprise, Tarem Services is dedicated to reducing the pressures faced by low-wage workers and their families. Through partnerships, volunteer support, and sustainable initiatives, Tarem Services is committed to providing immediate relief while advocating for long-term solutions. Next Stop: Stay Tuned The Mobile Foodbank will continue its journey to reach other communities in need, with the next distribution event already in the planning stages. As Tarem Services expands its reach, more families and individuals will receive the support they need during these challenging times. Stay tuned for details on the next stop as we continue to offer hope and practical aid to those most in need. For more information on the Mobile Foodbank and how you can get involved, visit: www.taremservices.com/foodbank. About Tarem Services Tarem Services Limited is a social enterprise focused on tackling in-work poverty and food insecurity, especially among cleaners in the UK. Founded in 1999 with the support of a Prince’s Trust grant, Tarem Services has built a reputation for responsible business practices. The company provides office and school cleaning, construction labour supply, pest control, and waste management services, all while remaining committed to social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Media Contact:Email: community@taremservices.com Image Caption:Volunteers from Tarem Services, Zurich UK, and CBRE with Deputy Mayor, Councillor Lynne Hale, during the Mobile Foodbank launch at Selhurst Children’s Centre, Croydon.

The Sewing Rooms, an award-winning social enterprise based in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire, is addressing the critical shortage of skilled sewing technicians in the region. Securing funding from the UK Government, The Sewing Rooms is providing free skills training, leading to a recognised industry qualification. This initiative aims to empower local individuals with the expertise needed to pursue rewarding careers in the sewing and manufacturing industry. Paula Gamester MBE, Chief Executive of The Sewing Rooms, highlighted the pressing need for skilled sewing machinists: "Recognising the shortage in our community, we collaborated with Redwood TTM, a prominent local manufacturing company facing challenges in recruiting skilled sewing machinists. When we were approached, we were delighted to accept the initial challenge and to explore the further potential for other local businesses and the wider community.” The program encompasses a comprehensive curriculum to meet the specific demands of local manufacturing businesses. The training includes tutor-led sessions, self-directed online modules, and practice sessions tailored to Redwood's and industry quality standards and is available free to West Lancashire residents. Find out more about the amazing impact of the programme in this clip from BBC North West: https://vimeo.com/933004357/42dc5cd656?share=copy Rachel Idle – Group HR Manager for Redwood Group of Companies, explains the driver behind the initiative: “Redwood TTM relies on its skilled Industrial Sewing Machinists and post Brexit, it had become increasingly difficult to recruit in that area. I was aware of the great work that UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) do in looking to raise the profile of careers with the textiles industry and I reached out to Celia Thornley, their Skills and Training Manager. When Celia informed me of her collaboration with The Sewing Rooms to produce a formal industrial sewing qualification, it became apparent that we had a really exciting opportunity on our hands.”  Celia Thornley, Senior Skills, and Training Manager at UKFT, said: “This is great news for sewn product manufacturing businesses across the West Lancashire region. These businesses need serious backing when it comes to recruitment, tackling skills shortages and building a talent pipeline for future growth. This project will provide this much needed support, and it is inspiring and encouraging to see acknowledgement of these issues at the highest level within the local authority”. The program encompasses a comprehensive curriculum to meet the specific demands of local manufacturing businesses. The training includes tutor-led sessions, self-directed online modules, and practice sessions tailored to Redwood's and industry quality standards and is available free to West Lancashire residents. The UKFT “Licence to Sew” training course features contributions from industry insiders such as BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee’s Patrick Grant. "We are thrilled to contribute to the growth of our local industry by training individuals who will become valuable assets to businesses like Redwood TTM. The 'Licence to Sew' qualification is a testament to our commitment to address workforce challenges and enhance the skill set of our community," Paula Gamester added. “We have over a dozen License to Sew graduates so far, some have gone on to work with Redwood TTM whereas others have found work elsewhere in the Sewing industry.” The Sewing Rooms invites interested individuals based in West Lancashire to take advantage of this unique opportunity for personal and professional development. For more information on how to enrol in the program, please contact paula@the-sewing-rooms.co.uk

The team at Social Enterprise UK is committed to buying social, so our event suppliers for the Awards include a wide range of social enterprises, working to ensure this celebration of our sector’s achievements drives even more positive impact for people and planet. Read more below about the brilliant suppliers helping us to deliver the 2024 UK Social Enterprise Awards – and please get in touch if you’d like to join our social procurement network, sharing advice and support to bring more social enterprises into supply chains. Belu Water tonight is supplied by Belu, a drinks business and social enterprise with a clear purpose: to change the way the world sees water. Belu invests all its profits in people and planet - saving carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere; implementing a circular economy; bringing clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to everyone, everywhere, with impact partner WaterAid. Since 2011, Belu has given £5.5m to help WaterAid transform lives worldwide. Belu delivers incredible drinks with industry leading sustainability credentials, giving the conscious consumer the choice to build a better world through their buying decisions. belu.org | @BeluWater Brightwayz Awards trophies this year were produced by Brightwayz - a social enterprise on a mission to promote safe, active, sustainable travel for all on everyday journeys. With transport the largest source of carbon emissions in the UK, air quality at dangerous levels, children’s activity at an all time low and traffic collisions the leading killer of young people - challenges are great but social enterprise can be part of the solution. Brightwayz reinvests 100% of profits from its product sales and local consultancy services into grassroots travel projects. brightwayz.co.uk | @BrightwayzUK The Clink Events The menu this evening has been produced in The Clink Kitchens at HMP Downview by serving prisoners training with The Clink Events. Graduates of The Clink’s training schemes receive intensive training and support to achieve a Level 1 NVQ in Hospitality, giving them the skills and experience to work in the service industry. The Clink takes a modern approach to event catering, creating delicious food using fresh local ingredients – with as many as possible grown in the Clink Gardens at HMP Send. Clink Events partner with Carbon Neutral Britain to measure and offset their carbon footprint, and are certified as a carbon neutral business.  theclinkcharity.org | @TheClinkCharity   DTP Print Group Tonight’s programme and other printed event collateral is produced by social enterprise printers DTP - offering creative and compelling solutions for your print and marketing projects, born from wide-ranging experience and technical know-how that gives you the best return. DTP delivers training and start-up programmes in Zambia through its partner: The Africa Enterprise Trust. dtp.co.uk | @DtpPrintGroup Expert Impact The artists hosting and entertaining us tonight were booked via Expert Impact Speakers, the world's first social enterprise talent management and booking agency. Expert Impact started providing business mentoring in 2014, and now operates as a franchise providing the tools, training and support that organisations need to set up their own service in other territories. To better share the valuable insight of mentors and mentees, in 2022 the speakers agency was launched, with all profits helping to fund the mentoring service. expertimpact.com/speaking | @ExpertImpact Fuse Events Social Enterprise UK delivers this event with support from Fuse, a full-service event management company with a commitment to creating lasting change. As a social enterprise, Fuse reinvests its profits into organising some of the world’s largest behaviour change and social marketing events; these global gatherings empower marketers with the skills to drive positive, measurable outcomes in communities worldwide. All Fuse's events focus on solving critical global challenges from environmental sustainability to poverty alleviation and social justice initiatives. fuseevents.org | @FuseEventsUK Mediorite Our celebrations tonight are documented by Mediorite, a social enterprise that offers training and careers support for diverse young people in London and Leeds. Its award-winning team works with clients across the public, private and third sectors nationwide to create fabulous videos with proven social impact. Now in its 15th year, all of its projects create paid work for a young person that Mediorite has trained. mediorite.co.uk | @Mediorite NEMI Teas After dinner tonight we'll serve organic tea blends that also create employment for refugees - running tea stalls across London, or performing commercial roles within the business, gaining skills and experience to better integrate in the UK. NEMI is an impact-driven social enterprise, re-investing more than half its profits back into the business to help achieve social impact goals. nemiteas.com | @NemiTeas Perkee Coffee We'll also enjoy single origin coffee sourced from the Soppexcca co-operative in Jinotega, Nicaragua, with profits reinvested in the local community to create an ambitious and sustainable future for the next generation. Perkee ensures farmers are paid the Fairtrade Premium, so they can build a better quality of life and fight the challenges their families may face. perkeecoffee.com | @PerkeeCoffee Tap Social Movement At the bar tonight you'll find beer from a social enterprise that brews, bakes and creates inclusive community hospitality venues – helping turn lives around for prisoners and prison leavers through direct employment and advocacy. Since 2016 Tap Social Movement has created more than 85,000 hours of paid employment for prisoners and prison leavers, equipping them to lead a productive and happy life while reducing reoffending and victimisation. tapsocialmovement.com | @TapSocialMovement Toast Brewing Our bar is also stocked with planet-saving Toast Ale, which is brewed with surplus bakery bread, and all profits go to charities fixing the food system. Food production is the biggest contributor to climate change, but one third of all food is wasted; Toast works to change that. If you stacked up every slice of bread saved by Toast since 2016, they’d be nearly five times the height of Mount Everest! toastbrewing.com | @ToastBrewing

We're deep into party conference season and working hard to push our message up the political agenda, so here are a few of our highlights so far...Since Keir Starmer has already set out the five missions he hopes will define his premiership, we’re urging our new mission-led government to work with mission-led businesses. Alongside our partners in the Future Economy Alliance, we’ve put together a paper making the case for how our movement can help deliver the changes needed, from making Britain a clean energy superpower to building public services fit for the future and breaking down barriers to opportunity.  We’ve already handed this to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Business Secretary Johnny Reynolds, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, Business Minister Gareth Thomas and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Housing, Communities and Local Government Alex Norris at conference this week - but we’re just getting started, and will be taking our message to many more political decision-makers. We also ran events including an insightful roundtable alongside Labour Business discussing the need for recognition, finance and government support to grow social enterprise. Our business breakfast at Baltic Creative CIC brought people who've started and supported social enterprises together to explore how the new government can unleash our sector's full potential. We convened a lively panel with Future Economy Alliance partners, chaired by our patron Baroness Glenys Thornton, and attended lots of other events with encouraging conversations about supporting our mission-led movement. With the Liberal Democrats now a renewed force in national politics, we also attended their conference in Brighton this month. We met with several MPs - including former Social Enterprise UK member Josh Babarinde, who is now the party's justice spokesperson and a strong advocate for our sector in parliament. Alliance partners will be attending Conservative Party Conference this weekend, and we'll also have a presence at the Co-operative Party's annual gathering with an exhibition stall and sponsoring drinks at a networking reception. Conference season is all about getting our asks to those with the power to help our sector grow, and showing how we can help them solve problems. You are key to this, so if you’ve spoken to your local MP, engaged with government departments, have suggestions to share or would like to support our continued work raising the profile of our sector with political stakeholders, please contact the team on policy@socialenterprise.org.uk. CLICK HERE TO READ OUR PAPER

While the Awards are hosted by Social Enterprise UK, such a special event would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, so we're very grateful for their foresight and wisdom in supporting our pioneering sector. Our sponsors know what we know: that social enterprise is the future, it’s the best of Britain, and the best of business. These important allies at organisations of all sectors and sizes work as social intrapreneurs, championing our way of working and helping to grow our brilliant movement. Read more below about our sponsorship family – and please get in touch if you’d like to join our supporter network, building partnerships and demonstrating commitment to social enterprise. Barclays Business Banking Barclays Eagle Labs help social ventures to start, grow and scale through our suite of support for the UK Tech Ecosystem. We offer a range of services including our online Eagle Labs Academy, access to mentors, growth programmes, corporate connectivity and networking for social entrepreneurs at all stages of growth. We are proud to partner with London Social Ventures to deliver support via a network of 11 universities alongside other partners such as Impact Hub, Sustainable Ventures and x+why dedicated to supporting social impact businesses across our UK-wide physical sites. We have an international diverse supplier portal within Barclays, intended to help smaller SMEs to access our procurement opportunities as part of our ‘buy social’ mission, plus specialist internal teams dedicated to supporting VCSEs and the impact investment market. barclays.co.uk | @BarclaysUK BDO LLP BDO’s “Investing for Impact” agenda underpins our ambitions to help our teams, the business world and wider society succeed. Part of this approach is ensuring we understand our supply chain, embedding social and responsible purchasing with our existing and potential suppliers. In our last financial year, BDO worked with 14 social enterprises and spent over £315,000 – and we have an ambitious target to do even more this year, in part through our commitment to Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge. We’ve also invested £8m in developing our workforce of 8,000 people and have set up initiatives to ensure that our recruitment, retention and pipeline are reflective of the society in which we operate. This includes the launch of our newest staff network, Bridge, which is centred around social mobility. Our commitment to developing talent wherever it starts is why we are proud to be supporting the Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise category at this year’s awards – whilst also celebrating the success of Social Enterprise UK on its journey. bdo.co.uk | @BDOaccountant Better Society Capital At Better Society Capital, we are proud to support Social Enterprise UK, as sponsor of the Social Investment Deal of the Year Award. It is so important to recognise the entrepreneurs and organisations striving to make a real positive impact on society, and the role that capital can play in supporting this goal. In light of current economic, social and environmental challenges, we will need to use every tool available to help support our communities – including social investment. This event celebrates the inspirational work of people who look to make a difference through business, and this is central to the mission of Good Finance: a collaborative project co-funded by Better Society Capital and Access - The Foundation for Social Investment. Good Finance exists to help charities & social enterprises navigate the world of social investment through their website, programmes and events, all of which aim to build knowledge of social investment and connect social enterprises and charities to the right investors. bettersocietycapital.com | @BetterSocCap Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies At Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies, we recognise the need to embrace social enterprises within our supply chain and enable the valuable work of those businesses – protecting vulnerable people, supporting climate action, and creating resilient communities. Since joining the Social Enterprise UK community, we have sought to collaborate with social enterprises in working towards our vision: to create a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable world. We are delighted to support the UK Social Enterprise Awards for the second year in 2024, and would like to congratulate all of tonight's winners as well as those who made this year's shortlist; we look forward to seeing what these purpose-led businesses will do next. bunzlchs.com | @BunzlCleaning Clear Voice As a social enterprise, social impact is at the heart of our mission. The profits generated from our interpreting, translation and accessibility services allow us to fund and train refugees to become interpreters via our InPower Project (nominated for Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year tonight). In 2023/24, we also donated £3.2m to our parent charity Migrant Help and generated an additional £3.3m in social value. Our clients - from private businesses to public and third-sector organisations - make this possible. We are proud to sponsor the Buy Social Market Builder Award, which recognises organisations that prioritise spending with purpose. clearvoice.org.uk | @ClearVoiceUK The Clink Events The menu this evening has been produced in The Clink Kitchens at HMP Downview by serving prisoners training with The Clink Events. Service staff, made up of graduates of The Clink’s training schemes and young disadvantaged people, are given intensive training and support in order to achieve a Level 1 NVQ in Hospitality. This education and work-based experience equips them with self-confidence along with the skills and ability to serve guests efficiently and professionally. Clink Events takes a modern approach to event catering, creating delicious food made from fresh, local ingredients. Where possible, Clink Events uses ingredients grown in the Clink Gardens at HMP Send, ensuring food is seasonal and full of flavour. Clink Events are proud to have partnered with Carbon Neutral Britain to measure and offset their carbon footprint, and are now certified as a carbon neutral business. theclinkcharity.org | @TheClinkCharity Company Shop Group A decade ago, we at Company Shop Group founded our not-for-profit social enterprise Community Shop, a unique social supermarket that aimed to address the root causes of food insecurity in the UK’s most deprived communities. Our interconnected yet distinctly separate business model has allowed us to provide sustainable long-term support for over 73,000 families, whilst our for-profit Company Shop ‘surplus supermarkets’ help the industry tackle the important issue of food waste with redistribution. We’re proud to support the Consumer-Facing category at the UK Social Enterprise Awards this year, as passionate ambassadors for social enterprises and the great work they deliver. companyshopgroup.co.uk | @Company_Shop The Connectives The Connectives are a team of experienced consultants with a track record at board, executive and senior leadership levels in commercial and social enterprises. We partner with you to develop better ways of working, so that you can create sustainable commercial success while fostering positive social and environmental outcomes. We’re delighted to sponsor the UK Social Enterprise Awards: an event that highlights and celebrates the incredible work of innovative social entrepreneurs across the country. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we support the people and organisations who are committed to protecting our planet and building a better future for our communities. theconnectives.com | @TheConnectives Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is one of the UK’s largest independent funders. We aim to improve our natural world, secure a fairer future, and strengthen the bonds in communities in the UK. We do this by contributing all that we can to unlock change by people and organisations with brilliant ideas who share our goals. We believe communities can thrive when the local economy works better for the people who live there, and where they are at the heart of change. So, we’re thrilled to sponsor the Community-based Social Enterprise Award, which recognises remarkable social enterprises playing a vital role in their communities. esmeefairbairn.org.uk | @EsméeFairbairn GLL GLL is the UK's largest staff-owned charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and cultural services in partnership with 70 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations. We're one of only three UK leisure businesses to be endorsed by Which? magazine as a recommended provider. Sponsoring the One to Watch Award emphasises the potential of social enterprises - from exciting start-ups to established national brands like ours - to change lives. To succeed at scale and last the course, social enterprises must not only follow sound customer-centred business principles, but also never lose sight of the reason we exist, and the ethical values that set us apart from the private sector. gll.org | @GLL_UK Keegan & Pennykid Keegan & Pennykid is an independent, second generation, family-owned insurance brokers with a UK-wide reputation as ethical and expert advisors to the third sector.  With over 55 years of experience under our belts we are proud to be known as dedicated specialists to the third sector, providing each of our clients with a highly personalised service.  Keegan & Pennykid is proud to sponsor the UK Social Enterprise Awards and recognise the invaluable work that organisations do in addressing and helping to alleviate social and environmental issues within the UK and wider world. keegan-pennykid.com | @KeeganPennykid Landmarc Landmarc works in partnership with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to manage the Ministry of Defence’s 190,000 hectare UK Defence Training Estate. Managing such a remote and rural estate makes Landmarc an important rural employer, a significant environmental manager and a maintainer of community relationships, in addition to our core role of support services to DIO. Delivering social value is therefore important to us, and we are delighted to join Social Enterprise UK to celebrate all those who deliver exceptional services to business and to society, by sponsoring the Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year Award. Good luck to all the finalists. landmarcsolutions.com | @LandmarcNews Linklaters As part of our commitment to buying social, and a member of the Buy Social Corporate Challenge, Linklaters is delighted to sponsor the Prove It: Social Impact category at the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2024. Our sponsorship reflects our dedication to social causes that foster positive impacts for the communities we operate in. This dedication is demonstrated through our global volunteering efforts, pro-bono work, mentoring of young people, and support for diverse and innovative social businesses. We wish all the finalists the best of luck, and look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements at the awards ceremony. linklaters.com | @LinklatersLLP Mitie Mitie is dedicated to delivering social value: fostering a responsible supply chain, aligned with the UK Social Value Model and UN Sustainable Development Goals, is central to how we drive positive social change. Diversity is embedded in our supply chain, and our focus on equal opportunities ensures we actively work to identify and engage suppliers through Social Enterprise UK and others, such as MSDUK. We’ve spent £7.5m+ supporting purpose-led organisations since 2021, and £4.3m+ with VCSEs since joining Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge in 2022. We are proud to support the UK Social Enterprise Awards and wish all nominees and guests an enjoyable evening. mitie.com | @Mitie Nestlé UK&I Supporting social enterprise is a key foundation of our Nestle Community regeneration approach. We are proud to be members of the Buy Social Corporate Challenge, which we joined a few years ago in partnership with Sodexo, and excited about the opportunities to work with more social enterprises in the coming years. This is in line with our Procurement Supplier Diversity programme, as social enterprises also help us to actively work with more diverse suppliers – something that is close to our hearts. As such we are delighted to sponsor the Building Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award and would like to congratulate all of tonight's winners and those shortlisted. nestle.com | @NestleUKI NFU Mutual At NFU Mutual, we make a conscious effort to do business the right way. In 2021, we became a proud partner on Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge; we are committed to supporting social enterprises and directing our spend on products and services towards businesses that create change. Last year, we worked with 39 different social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations, supporting causes from developing entrepreneurial skills in young people to empowering refugees with training and employment opportunities. We are delighted to be part of the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2024 and help celebrate the achievements of different social enterprises. Congratulations to all the winners, and those shortlisted. nfumutual.co.uk | @NFUM PwC At PwC, we support social entrepreneurs to create sustainable, resilient businesses. Sharing the skills of our people with social entrepreneurs goes to the heart of our purpose to build trust in society and solve important problems. Our successful PwC Social Entrepreneurs Club helps our membership of 400+ to develop skills, connect with other leaders, overcome challenges and maximise impact. As one of the founding members of Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge back in 2016, we are proud to now have over 50 social enterprises in our supply chain and spend around £1.5m a year with them. We are delighted to support the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2024, and would like to congratulate all of tonight's winners and those who made this year's shortlist. pwc.co.uk | @PwC_UK Zurich Insurance Zurich is committed to supporting a fairer, more open and sustainable society, and aims to generate positive social impact within the communities that we operate around the world. As a founding member of the Buy Social Corporate Challenge, and Buy Social Europe, Zurich is proud to sponsor the International Impact Award in recognition of the important role that social enterprises play in generating positive social impact here in the UK and beyond. zurich.co.uk | @ZurichInsUK

NHS messages prompting gym-goers to look out for potential signs of cancer will appear in the changing rooms of hundreds of Better leisure centres this summer. Stickers reminding people to check themselves regularly are set to feature on mirrors in more than 240 leisure centres run by Better, the UK's largest leisure charitable social enterprise. The eye-catching stickers will feature the message ‘Check you out’ and ‘Know what’s normal for you’ before reminding people that if something in their body doesn’t feel right, to contact their GP practice. The scheme is the latest push by the NHS to find cancers at an earlier stage, with Better joining several other partners, such as supermarkets and washroom hygiene specialists, to highlight cancer messages to the public in relevant everyday situations. The new initiative comes as a survey of more than 2,000 people by Better found that only 55% of respondents check their bodies for physical changes regularly (at least once a month), and one in ten (12%) don’t check at all. Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, said: “Finding cancer early is key to successful treatment and survival, and this means that we need people who have new symptoms to come forward as soon as they spot them. This is why it’s vital that people are aware of their bodies, take notice of any change from what is normal for them, and get it checked out immediately. “The partnership with Better helps us to reach more people and remind them to check themselves at a time and a place that works for them. It’s a simple thing that anyone can do, but it really can save your life.” Joe Rham, Customer and Communities Director for GLL, the not-for-profit charitable social enterprise that runs Better leisure centres, said: “Our aim is to improve health and wellbeing in local communities and we’re delighted to be partnering with NHS England in this vital campaign. “The survey we conducted clearly indicates a need to raise awareness of potential signs of cancer and the mirror stickers will hopefully act as a timely reminder to our customers to check themselves regularly.” NHS staff are working hard to see and treat more people with cancer than ever before, with over 50,000 patients starting cancer treatment in June – more than nine in ten within one month – and over a quarter of a million people referred for urgent cancer checks. The NHS also met the 28-day faster diagnosis standard for the second month in a row in June with more than three quarters of patients (76.3%) – almost 200,000 people – receiving the all-clear or a definitive diagnosis within four weeks.   Lending her support to the scheme, Demi Jones, ex-Love Island reality TV stars, said: “I was just 22 years old when I received my thyroid cancer diagnosis after I found a lump on my neck. I contacted my GP practice straight away to get it checked out and I was quickly referred for further testing that led to treatment by the incredible NHS team in Portsmouth. I’m now living life cancer free and would urge anyone who notices an unusual change not to delay and speak to their GP as they are there to help. It really could save their life, as it did mine.” The survey by Better also found that 59% of respondents are aware of the symptoms of breast cancer – the highest awareness across the UK’s most common cancers. That is followed by skin (50%) and bowel (47%). Worryingly, one in five (20%) said they are not aware of any potential cancer signs - particularly among the younger age groups. 33% of those aged 18-34 said they were not aware of any symptoms, compared to 16% of those aged 35 or over. Of those surveyed, 68% of females and 56% of males said they would recognise a lump or swelling in a part of their body as a possible early sign of cancer and would seek medical advice. Rhiannon Morgan, 34-year old regional health manager for Better in London and Surrey, was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding a lump during a hiking holiday in Canada in 2019. She said: “When I found the lump, I was alarmed but I had no other symptoms and felt perfectly well so I wondered if it was just where my rucksack had rubbed against the skin.”  “Eight weeks later, test results showed that the lump was cancerous, so I needed chemotherapy and underwent a mastectomy during lockdown. Now I’m living cancer free and I would advise other people to know what’s normal for your own body and get yourself checked if something doesn’t seem right.” David Bateson, 49 from Ampthill, Bedfordshire, was diagnosed with melanoma after going to his GP about a bleeding spot on his scalp. He’d noticed the spot wasn’t healing and his wife, a nurse, encouraged him to get it checked. After being referred to a specialist for a biopsy, David was told it was cancerous and within months had surgery to remove it. Despite the cancer returning the following year, immunotherapy has meant that he is now cancer free. David said: “I am living proof that early diagnosis is so important. Although I never dreamt that this spot on my head would end up being skin cancer, it turned out to be one of the most aggressive types. I dread to think what would have happened if I’d not gone to my doctor when I did. “I think these stickers are a great idea. I play football at my local leisure centre, and – when you’re in the changing room or showering – it’s the perfect place to think about changes in your body, so it’s the ideal setting to remind people to be aware.” About Better Better is the consumer facing brand for GLL.  Established in 1993, GLL is the largest UK-based charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and community services.  Operating under the Better brand, it manages 250 public sport and leisure centres, 113 libraries and 10 children’s centres in partnership with 50 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations. www.better.org.uk

Your Voice Counts (YVC) is a charity based in Tyne & Wear dedicated to supporting individuals with learning disabilities, those facing mental health challenges, people with dementia, and individuals assessed as lacking the capacity to make their own decisions. Through its advocacy and support services, YVC plays a crucial role in enhancing the lives of some of the most vulnerable members of the community. Government Contracts and Impact During and after completing the DCMS funded Contract Readiness programme run by The School for Social Entrepreneurs in partnership with Social Enterprise UK and Voice 4 Change England, a course aimed at enhancing contract readiness for the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, YVC applied for three government contracts. Despite not winning two of these contracts, the organisation was notably close, finishing as the second-highest bidder for one. Success came with the third and most recent tender, which was pivotal for YVC. This contract allowed YVC to retain its Newcastle Advocacy service, ensuring continued support for those in need. This win not only secured the organisation’s operations but also strengthened its capacity to serve the community effectively. Challenges in the Contracting Process The journey through the contracting process was fraught with challenges. YVC faced significant strain due to multiple contracts landing simultaneously, stretching their limited capacity. Staff worked extra hours, including evenings and weekends, to manage the workload. Bidding for contracts in a new Local Authority area, where YVC lacked established relationships and a local track record, further complicated the process. The absence of local references and connections made it challenging to strengthen their bid and compete effectively. The Contract Readiness "Wins" Programme The Contract Readiness "Wins" Programme proved to be transformative for YVC. It enabled the identification of effective contract win strategies, which informed the organisation’s new funding strategy and growth plan. The programme deepened YVC’s understanding of social value in the tendering process and equipped the team with essential skills. One of the practical outcomes was the development of a Bid Library. “I was able to increase my understanding of social value in the tendering process and the programme equipped me with skills that I am now putting into practice to help prepare for future tenders” says Alex. Overcoming Challenges Through the Programme The programme provided a platform for YVC to learn from other organisations and social entrepreneurs about their challenges and successes. “Learning from the programme helped me to apply a much more critical approach to our tender content – in particular, ensuring that we consistently articulate the added value that our organisation brings above and beyond contract specifications.” Peer learning was instrumental in applying a more critical approach to their tender content. These insights have been pivotal in refining their bids and increasing their competitiveness in the tendering process. Organisational Growth and Achievements Since starting the programme, YVC has experienced significant growth and success. “Our key successes since starting the programme have been securing a 5-year grant worth £400,000, providing financial stability and enabling long-term planning. We have won a £337,000 per year contract for three years with the Newcastle Local Authority, ensuring sustained support for their advocacy services and we have entered into partnerships with two other organisations to deliver a new Local Authority contract, expanding their reach and impact.” Conclusion The Contract Readiness Wins Programme has been a cornerstone in YVC’s recent achievements. It has not only helped the organisation secure vital contracts and funding but also equipped them with the knowledge and strategies needed for sustainable growth. Through perseverance and strategic development, Your Voice Counts continues to make a profound difference in the lives of those it serves. yvc.org.uk

TV presenter and former model Gail Porter, who fought back from crippling bankruptcy and homelessness, speaks out on behalf of the 6 million Brits [1] living without an essential item like a washing machine or table to eat from. Gail Porter, Patron of the Fair Credit Charity which set up ethical lender and social enterprise, Fair for You says: “Six million people are living without household essentials right now, and many of those won’t have access to charity support or local council grants - nor do many want to use them. A helping hand from an ethical, not for profit lender like Fair for You can help them make their house a home. The alternative is living in deep deprivation, which I have experienced, or being burned by high-cost credit, or the exploitative tactics of illegal lenders.” New data released today [2] shows that around 9 million adults in Britain now have less than £250 in savings - making the upfront purchase of an essential appliance impossible (Fair4All Finance). The campaign aims to get more Brits to spread the cost of essential purchases with ethical lenders like Fair for You, who will only lend what people can afford, and provide customers with control over repayments.  Gail Porter is also calling out banks for turning their backs on customers - even those who can afford to repay - because they don’t want to go to the trouble of making small loans. [3] She also feels that more retailers should be looking at their credit partners and considering whether they are offering options that are fair to hard-pressed consumers, saying: “The cost-of-living crisis has hit people hard, and I know that many people would be in serious hot water if they had to find a way to buy a new washing machine, fridge or other key appliance. I remember the horror of not being able to get a new washer when my young daughter was going to school - it wasn’t just the practical side of ensuring she wasn’t wearing dirty clothes, it was also the stress and the guilt I experienced, which put a huge pressure on my already dented self-esteem and mental health. “After what I went through, I know how hopeless things can feel when bills are piling up, but also how much of a boost it can give you - practically and mentally - when you find a helping hand. Fair for You and its retail partners are ensuring that there is a decent option out there for Brits who have nowhere to turn if they need to buy a new appliance or furniture - and we really want more companies to follow in their footsteps. We need to direct people away from illegal lenders who want to profit from misery.” Gail, a household TV and celebrity name in the 1990s, developed alopecia in 2005. The loss of her hair led to all her work drying up and coinciding with other personal issues, she went through the trauma of financial collapse and mental health issues. She has always been open about her well-documented difficulties during this period, and has become patron of the Fair Credit Charity to direct people to fair financial options. The Fair Credit Charity set up the ethical lender and social enterprise Fair for You in 2015.  Fair for You enables people who aren’t being well served by banks and other mainstream lenders to buy household items including beds, washing machines, fridges and furniture with fair and flexible repayments. A range of leading retailers partner with Fair for You including Hotpoint, Argos and Iceland. Simon Dukes, chief executive of Fair for You, says: “The latest data from Fair4All Finance shows that 20.3m people are in financially vulnerable circumstances.(4) Around half of them are not able to save each month. This means there are millions of people with no financial safety net, who may feel they have no option in a moment of financial stress but to turn to high cost credit or illegal lenders. “We’re proud of the support we do provide, and we are supporting more and more customers all the time. Gail Porter is destigmatising the issue of financial exclusion by being so honest talking about her experiences of appliance poverty and just how distressing and hopeless it can feel without the right support.” Ian Moverley, Communication Director, Hotpoint says:"We don't believe anyone should worry about being able to put their kids in clean clothes or keep their food fresh. That's why we've been a proud partner of Fair for You since it first launched. Providing an affordable way for people to buy our household appliances means we can help alleviate the financial burden so many families are under. We're delighted that Gail is encouraging more brands to join us in offering similar ethical solutions that will make such a huge difference to so many lives." Claire Donovan, head of policy, research and campaigns at the End Furniture Poverty charity comments:“Our research highlights that there are at least six million people in the UK in furniture poverty, meaning they lack access to at least one vital household item, including appliances - and that at least one million are in what we call ‘deep furniture poverty’, meaning that there are three or more vital items they don’t have. The routes out of furniture poverty are becoming increasingly harder to navigate, so we welcome all sources of support.” References https://endfurniturepoverty.org/research-campaigns/understanding-furniture-poverty/ Fair4All Finance latest segmentation of people in financially vulnerable circumstances reveals that of the 20.3 million in financially vulnerable circumstances, 44% of these (8.93m adults) have no savings at all or less than £250 in savings. According to a Fair4All Finance report, only one major bank in Great Britain offers loans under £1,000. https://fair4allfinance.org.uk/nearly-half-of-uk-adults-now-living-in-financially-vulnerable-circumstances Photo credit: Getty Images/Fair for You About Fair for You  Founded in 2015, Fair for You is an ethical lender and social enterprise, with a mission of helping financially-excluded families to buy essential household items, avoid hardship, and build their financial resilience.  A registered community interest company (CIC) and owned by the Fair Credit Charity, Fair for You is backed by leading social investors. With more than 20m Britons struggling to access mainstream credit, and more than 10m having less than £100 in savings, there are families for whom an unexpected bill, or a fridge or washing machine breaking, spells disaster. Rather than go without fresh food or clean clothes, or having to go to the sort of predatory, for-profit, high-cost lenders which don’t have their welfare in mind, Fair for You is here to support them.  Fair for You has a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, as well as a string of industry award wins. Since 2015, it has lent to more than 100,000 customers, and regular independent impact reports demonstrate far-reaching social benefits including better physical and mental health; improved education and wellbeing of children; and making it easier for adults to seek work or remain in employment.  Fair for You runs affordability checks on all customers and uses open banking technology to enable it to lend better and collect better from those who may get rejected for loans elsewhere, due to poor credit ratings or thin credit files. Our growing range of retail partners - including Iceland, Argos, Dunelm, Whirlpool and Chemist Direct - are helping customers who may not have had access to their products without credit from Fair for You. The best-selling items through Fair for You include freezers, washing machines and children’s beds, with the average loan standing at £350. Fair for You is backed by Social Investment Scotland, Barrow Cadbury Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The Tudor Trust, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Carnegie Trust, FSE, The Robertson Trust, Ignite and Fair4All Finance.

Mark Cook is a partner at Social Value 2032 programme partner Anthony Collins law firm, who has 30 years’ experience of procurement with well-being at its heart. As UK Parliament reconvenes this week, change is afoot with our new Government. There is a clear determination to build the economy - drawing together themes of enabling good employment, addressing poverty and homelessness, tackling climate change, embracing new technology, reforming public services, empowering local communities and improving lives. Within that, mission-led and social business has a huge role to play. Businesses that have the advancement of good in society over profit as their main driver can make the telling difference in re-imagining and delivering better public services, especially if these are procured through an intentionally values-based public procurement process. So, how might all that fit within an approach to commissioning, procuring and managing public services? Inclusive growth in public procurement requires thought, not just action. Three things need to be joined up: There is a section headed ‘Procurement’ at the end of the document ‘Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay’, which says: “Before any service is contracted out, public bodies must carry out a quick and proportionate public interest test, to understand whether that work could not be more effectively done in-house.” It would be good to align this public interest test with an embedded approach to social value or public value, such as that embraced by HM Treasury’s Green Book. Before contracting authorities can begin any procurement of services, they are legally required under the Social Value Act to consider “how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area – and how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement”. This is primarily a public law duty on public bodies to thinkabout well-being, in the three dimensions listed, before they procure – not ask suppliers what they can do by way of added value. The new Procurement Act (coming into force at the end of October 2024) sets out the objectives that a contracting authority must have regard to – including delivering value for money, maximising public benefit, sharing information about procurement policies and decisions, and being seen to act with integrity.  There is also the requirement to consider the barriers that small and medium-sized enterprises may face to participation, and whether such barriers can be removed or reduced. More duties to think, but this time during the entire procurement and contracting process. Government guidance published last month says: “In order to achieve value for money, contracting authorities should have a comprehensive understanding of their requirements and link them to their policy priorities (which may include wider economic, social and environmental considerations where they are relevant, proportionate and non-discriminatory)”. With all these requirements to think, there is the opportunity to consider not only how communities are best served but how everyone is included in the transformation of public services. That must mean including those who would otherwise be left out – and harnessing the power of social enterprises, whose purpose is to do just that. This blog is the first of a series that will explore the opportunities presented by these areas, considering the latest guidance from government and the possibilities to reshape public expenditure. Find out more about the Social Value 2032 programme here.

Allia Impact is excited to announce the relaunch of two of its most sought-after programmes. Designed to empower and support those who have a positive impact idea the "Start" and "Grow” programmes offer amazing opportunities for individuals committed to positively impacting their communities.Both programmes are fully funded by Cambridge City Council and so are free to access. The Start Your Business Programme is tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs who are in the early stages of developing their social enterprises. This comprehensive programme equips participants with the essential knowledge, tools, and resources needed to transform their innovative ideas into viable, impactful businesses. Through expert-led workshops, practical guidance, and a supportive community, participants will gain the confidence and skills to launch and sustain their ventures. For those who have already established their social enterprises and are ready to scale their impact, the Grow Your Business Programme is the perfect next step. This programme provides in-depth support, including one-on-one coaching from industry experts, strategic advice, and the opportunity to connect with a network of like-minded individuals. Participants will receive tailored guidance to help them navigate the challenges of growth, refine their strategies, and amplify their social impact. Marina Pritchard, Programme Manager at Allia Impact, shared her enthusiasm about the relaunch: “Over the past two and a half years and overseeing 15 cohorts, I've had the privilege of meeting and working with inspirational people. The 'Start' and 'Grow' programmes are a place to be yourself, pursue your passion, and achieve your positive impact goals. We're thrilled to bring these programmes back with enhanced features to better support our entrepreneurs on their journey.” Both programmes reflect Allia Impact's commitment to promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship, providing participants with the tools and support they need to create businesses that make a real difference. With the continuation of these programmes, Allia Impact continues to lead the way in enabling social entrepreneurs to thrive and drive positive change in their communities. Applications for both programmes are now open. Whether you're just beginning your entrepreneurial journey or looking to take your idea to new heights, Allia Impact's "Start" and "Grow" programmes offer the perfect platform to help you succeed. Apply now for ‘Start Your Business’: https://bit.ly/Start-Cambs Apply now for ‘Grow Your Business’: https://bit.ly/GrowbizCambs

Minister for Climate, Kerry McCarthy, visited Low Carbon Hub last month in her first ministerial visit, to learn more about community energy and the innovation work we’re doing at the grid edge to drive the transition to Net Zero. Low Carbon Hub welcomed a delegation from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero including Kerry McCarthy, Minister for Climate, Katherine Wright, Deputy Director, Local Net Zero Strategy Directorate and Anca Mihalache, Head of Smart Energy Policy. The visit kicked off with a roundtable discussion highlighting the role that community energy is already playing in the transition to net-zero, and the impact that policy changes to support greater community ownership and enable local energy trading could achieve. The Minister also took time to take in a tour of Osney Lock Hydro and a local business, the Vishuddah Yoga Centre. Both participated in Osney Supercharge trial, part of the £40 million Innovate UK funded Project LEO (Local Energy Oxfordshire.) Minister for Climate Kerry McCarthy said: "Tackling climate change is a shared challenge that can start at home. In my first visit as Climate Minister to Osney Hydro Lock and the Low Carbon Hub, I’ve seen first-hand the hugely important role local communities are playing in our mission for clean power – with investment funnelled straight back into innovative energy projects. As we accelerate towards net zero, we want to see more of this. That’s why through Great British Energy we will create the Local Power Plan, so that local authorities and communities are empowered to support cleaner and more secure homegrown energy for their towns and villages." Dr Barbara Hammond, CEO of Low Carbon Hub said: "Low Carbon Hub was pleased and proud to host the Minister’s first visit in her new role and to share with her some of the pioneering and inspiring work communities are doing in Oxfordshire. We are tremendously excited by the potential of the Local Power Plan to make sure the transition happens in a way that can truly involve, and benefit, everyone." Osney Supercharge set out to understand how better collaboration around the way we use, store and generate electricity can sit at the heart of a smart, low carbon, locally balanced energy system that creates opportunities and benefits people in an equitable and fair way. The tour brings to life the challenges and opportunities that arise in the transition to a net zero. It’s available to experience digitally here. During the roundtable discussion the Low Carbon Hub team were joined by Malcolm McCulloch (University of Oxford), Eleanor Watts (Rose Hill & Iffley Low Carbon), Cllr Anna Railton from Oxford City Council and Cllr Pete Sudbury from Oxfordshire County Council, who were able to bring their perspectives to the table. Our CEO Barbara Hammond chaired the discussion with topics ranging from the importance of ‘grid edge co-ordination’ to bridging the gap between strategic local area energy planning and delivery on the ground and need for social justice. As Eleanor stressed, we must make sure we bring everyone along on the transition to net zero. A takeaway we can all get on board with. About Low Carbon Hub Low Carbon Hub is a social enterprise that’s out to prove we can meet our energy needs in a way that’s good for people and good for the planet. Our work includes developing community-owned renewable energy projects in Oxfordshire, enabling homes and businesses to reduce their energy demand, and innovative energy trials accelerating the transition to net zero energy system. Because we are run for the benefit of the community, we use all of our profits to fund community-led action on climate change. Find out more: lowcarbonhub.org

Charitable Social Enterprise Leisure and Cultural Services provider GLL has committed to become Carbon Neutral by 2050 with an ambition to achieve this earlier in response to feedback from customers and staff, and partners. Following the launch of GLL’s new Sustainability Strategy that sets out the leisure trust’s longer-term ambitions and targeted actions between 2023 to 2027,  staff training on business sustainably was made a priority for the in-house management development programme during 2023/2024. 'Respecting the Planet' is one of GLL’s 6 Core Values underpinning its 5 Year Corporate Plan. Now, following a review of skills gaps with managers at the UK’s largest operator of public pools (and plant rooms), GLL has designed the ‘Managing Your Business Sustainably’ module. The practical training was designed and piloted by GLL’s in-house experts Chris Hebblewhite (Director of Standards and Compliance) and who has previously advised on  pool operations for both London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, Jeremy Gould (National Sustainability Manager) and Lee Franklin (National Facilities Manager). In recognition of the importance of this topic, The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) will now endorse 10 CIMSPA points to those that complete this module from September 2024. Comprising of online learning, a practical workshop and classroom work, the one-day module covers all aspects of efficient pool plant operation and housekeeping. General Managers and Partnership Managers stand to benefit most from the training as GLL underpins and strengthens is commitment to sustainability throughout its business which employs 11,000 people and creates in excess of £440m in social value each year. 50 Managers have been trained across three pilots at Rivermead Leisure Centre in Reading, Britannia Leisure Centre in Hackney and The Sands Leisure Centre in Carlisle. Chris Hebblewhite, Director of Standards and Compliance, GLL said: “Sustainability is embedded in GLL’s DNA. We must do all we can to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption for the benefit of the communities we serve. “Training our people to both ‘talk the talk’ and ‘walk the walk’ is hugely important to us. We are determined to make a real difference and we can already see the results coming through in real terms in our Carbon emissions. “So I’m delighted that 100% of learners felt their knowledge of sustainability issues has improved as a result of this highly practical training intervention.” GLL aims for all General Managers to attend this training over the next 12 months. Clare Dunn, Associate Director of Business Engagement at CIMSPA said: "It's fantastic to see that GLL has pledged to become carbon neutral, with a powerful declaration of their commitment through their CPD module. Sustainability is such a vital topic - becoming more sustainably aware is everyone's responsibility and it’s one that as a sector we need to be leading on. It's great that GLL are instilling this knowledge into their workforce in order to benefit their current communities and future generations." For further information on sustainability training or other modules that form part of the management development programme, please contact  LearningandDevelopment@gll.org

A group of gardeners with learning disabilities are celebrating after showing off their pioneering garden to tens of thousands of people at the world’s largest flower show. The gardeners from Furzey Gardens in Minstead brought their garden ‘Reflective waters of inclusivity’ to RHS Hampton Court Flower show last week after receiving huge support from the public. After issuing a call for support in March, the gardening team received over £10,000 through donations and a raffle, with the Royal Horticultural Society contributing £1,000. The funds allowed the team to construct their garden and travel from Hampshire to RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival each day in the week before the show to build the garden. Many of the gardeners have spent a lifetime struggling against discrimination and lacking in the opportunities that many other people enjoy. The garden allowed them to demonstrate the horticultural skills they have built over many years working at Furzey Gardens, a social enterprise run by local charity Minstead Trust. The gardens have been supporting people with learning disabilities for nearly 40 years, where they maintain the gardens and raise plants for sale in the nursery. The funds raised have assisted with significant materials, transport and support staff costs required to undertake this ambitious garden build. Plant growing and buying costs was also supported by these donations. The show garden aimed to help change perceptions in society towards people with learning disabilities. Many still feel socially left out and face stigma and discrimination in their everyday lives (Scior & Werner, 2015). Gardening can play a role in giving people purpose in their life and a chance to show what they can achieve. The garden was inspired by a small waterfall area next to Furzey’s popular lake area and features plants for which the woodland garden is renowned for such as an acer Palmatum hosta’s and salvia’s. Local artist Shaun Stevens created an artist’s impression of the garden, which is named ‘Reflective waters of inclusivity’. Special personal touches from the Minstead Trust community were added, including pebbles made from reclaimed clay dug out from beneath a fallen oak tree on Minstead Trusts’ grounds. These pebbles were not just decorative; they carried the initials of the people supported by Minstead Trust, as well as staff and volunteers. Additionally, bringing character to the garden were two fairy doors, some felt butterflies and frogs made by people with learning disabilities. Supported gardener Simon said ‘I told people about the plants. I love a garden, I think the garden is pretty.’ Supported gardener Rhianne said ‘I enjoyed telling everyone about the garden and the plants from Furzey. Seeing what people think of it and telling people what we do and what we like doing. I think that the garden is beautiful.’ John Davies, Minstead Trust senior instructor, said: ‘This was a really exciting challenge the guys took on, a chance for them to show what they can do if given opportunities that are usually not available to them. ‘Many of them have been through really hard times in their lives and they have loved standing at the show and feeling really proud of what they have achieved. I hope people will continue to support us so that we can change some minds around what people with learning disabilities can do if given a chance.’ Find out more about the garden at minsteadtrust.org.uk/hampton About Furzey Gardens Furzey Gardens is an informal woodland garden near Lyndhurst, which is open to the public. It is a social enterprise of Minstead Trust, providing training and work experience in aninspirational setting where people with learning disabilities can learn new skills in horticulture and hospitality. About Minstead Trust Minstead Trust, established in 1986, is a charitable organisation whose aims are to support people with learning disabilities to achieve greater independence, lead fulfilled lives and live as full citizens in society.Minstead Trust currently supports over 320 people in in Hampshire , Portsmouth and Dorset. We offer people the opportunity to develop skills for work, skills for life and improve their health and wellbeing. Work-based skills: training in practical skills in a range of work settings, including the expectations of a workplace such as time management, health and safety and customer service. Health and well-being: physical and creative activities to promote health and leisure skills. Life skills: practical training in the skills of everyday living, both in the home and out in the community. Training and support is provided through day opportunities, support for people living in their own tenancies or our residential care home, respite short breaks and community pay-as-you-go groups.

Celia Hodson, the visionary founder of Hey Girls CIC and the PickupMyPeriod App, has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her remarkable contributions to promoting period dignity and raising awareness of free period products in Scotland. This prestigious honour was announced as part of the King’s Birthday Honours List in June 2024, recognising Celia’s tireless dedication to social enterprise and charitable initiatives. Celia Hodson has been a pioneering force in the movement for period dignity. Hey Girls CIC, established under her leadership, has become a beacon for tackling period poverty and promoting menstrual health education. The organisation’s innovative “buy one, donate one” model has ensured that for every product sold, another is donated to someone in need, positively impacting countless lives across the UK. Additionally, Hodson’s brainchild, the My Period App, has revolutionised access to free period products. The app helps users locate nearby sources of free menstrual products, thus removing barriers for those who struggle to afford these essential items. Celia’s achievements extend beyond her entrepreneurial ventures. She was named the National Great British Entrepreneur of the Year and has received numerous leadership awards for her relentless commitment to social justice and community well-being. Her work has not only addressed an often-overlooked issue but has also inspired a broader conversation about period dignity and gender equality in the workplace. Upon receiving news of her OBE, Celia Hodson expressed her heartfelt gratitude: "I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this recognition. This award is a testament to the incredible support and collaboration from my team at Hey Girls, our Community Partners and our customers, and the users and advocates of the My Period app. Together, we are making strides toward a world where period poverty is a thing of the past, and menstrual health is a fundamental right for all." The OBE is a fitting acknowledgment of Celia’s unwavering dedication and innovative approach to promoting period dignity and raising awareness of free period products. Her work continues to pave the way for future generations, ensuring that period products are accessible to everyone, and sparking vital conversations about menstrual equity. For media inquiries, please contact: Harriet Brooks, Marketing Manager harriet@heygirls.co.uk About Hey Girls CIC Hey Girls CIC is a Scottish social enterprise dedicated to eliminating period poverty in the UK. Through their unique “buy one, donate one” model, Hey Girls provided 40 million sustainable period products and menstrual health education to those in need. About My Period App My Period is Charity with a groundbreaking app designed to help users locate free period products in their vicinity. The PickupMyPeriod app aims to ensure that everyone has access to essential menstrual products across the UK, regardless of their financial situation.

Our social enterprise member Hey Girls is partnering with WaterAid and Glastonbury Festival to raise awareness of period dignity at this year’s event. The collaboration will see free Hey Girls period products being made available at ‘period-proud stations’ around Worthy Farm, as well as educating festival-goers about ending period poverty. WaterAid will also provide new private spaces with sinks, warm water and soap to clean reusable period products. Glastonbury’s sanitation manager Jane Healy explained: "Around 17,000 people will have their period at the Festival, but that shouldn’t hold anyone back from having a great week. We hope the new period-proud spaces and the free period products on offer will help people manage their period with dignity and let them continue to have a bloody good time." Hey Girls co-founder and director Kate Smith said: "We are so excited to be working with Glastonbury Festival and WaterAid to help put a stop to period worries and stigma while at the event. Not only will the spaces and sustainable products support those at the event itself, but the partnership will also support people experiencing period poverty around the UK through our 'buy one give one' scheme. We believe access to period products and education is a human right, not a privilege - and we are aiming to bring an end to period poverty in the UK through conversation, collaboration and a lot of hard work." Jennie York from WaterAid added: "Globally, more than 500 million people don’t have the resources they need to manage their period. This doesn’t only impact their dignity, it can have far-reaching impacts throughout their lives, missing out on vital opportunities like going to school and earning a living. WaterAid is calling on governments to ensure access to period-friendly toilets and clean water, along with menstrual health information and support to manage periods hygienically and with dignity."

Smile Together is thrilled to have won Practice of the Year in the prestigious national Probe Dental Awards 2024 and see Natalie Peary crowned Dental Therapist of the Year. The winners and finalists were announced in a live-streamed presentation at midday on Thursday 23 May in a broadcast hosted by BBC weather presenter and meteorologist Sarah Keith-Lucas. Head of Marketing and Communications at Smile Together, Tracy Wilson, who compiled and submitted the awards entries, said: “We’d gathered around a screen in a dental surgery at Truro Health Park to hear the outcome of the awards, with cake at the ready whether we were successful or not. When Sarah announced that we’d won Practice of the Year we were all somewhat stunned as this is such a coveted national award to win. Then when she announced Natalie as Therapist of the Year, the excitement in that room was wonderful – never has chocolate cake tasted so good!   We’re so proud of the whole Smile Together team for the difference they make every day to our patients and across our communities. This awards recognition is so justly deserved”. Smile Together is an employee-owned dental social enterprise and certified B Corporation with a mission of tackling oral health inequality for healthier happier communities. Its dedicated Outreach Team (which was also shortlisted in the awards) frequently takes a mobile dental unit into the heart of local communities to make even more of a difference to those who need us most. As Outreach Dental Therapist, Natalie makes a difference within the traditional surgery environment, providing treatment to paediatric patients and special care adults who have been referred into the service, and out in the community. Enthusiastic and passionate about prevention, education and reaching out to those patients who need care most, she is central to creating and developing outreach projects to improve dental access for vulnerable groups, families and individuals, helping Smile Together build partnerships to enhance patient care and pathways. Tracy continues: “The genuine pride in Natalie being crowned Therapist of the Year has been so lovely to see. She has such an inherent ability and desire to make people smile so not only do our patients love visiting her but everyone at Smile Together enjoys working with and alongside Natalie. She’s always so willing to go that extra mile, from supporting our clinical recruitment endeavours to featuring in promotional films and media interviews. We can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award”.  As winners of The Probe Dental Awards 2024, Natalie and three other colleagues will now join judges and sponsors at The Ivy in London on Friday 5th July 2024 to celebrate our victory in style and be presented with trophies and certificates in person from The Probe team. Smile Together is no stranger to The Probe Dental Awards, having been shortlisted in three categories in 2022 for Practice of the Year, Young Dentist of the Year and Dental Nurse of the Year, with Sarah Andrews highly commended in a strong and competitive field. Katie Rowe was crowned Dental Nurse of the Year in 2021 and their Smiles at Sea project won the 2019 Award for ‘Best Outreach or Charity Initiative’.  About Smile Together Dental CIC One of the South West’s largest NHS referral and emergency dental care providers also delivering NHS care and competitively priced private dentistry. A certified B Corporation and award-winning Employee-Owned Community Interest Company reinvesting profits back into patient facilities, our community and environment – over £7m to date! Our oral health campaign sees us engaging with children and adults in areas of high decay across Cornish communities and we visit harboursides with our Smiles at Sea mobile unit, bringing dental treatment to coastal communities. Our teams frequently reach further into their communities, partnering with local charities and doing what they can to tackle oral health inequality and improve oral health outcomes. Our investment into accessible patient facilities is transforming dentistry provision in the county for patients who need us most. We’re a committed and friendly values-based team that puts our people, our patients, our community and increasingly our planet first. smiletogether.co.uk

Bounce Back, a charity and social enterprise, creates opportunities for young people and adults who have a history of or are at risk of offending to thrive, and ultimately help to shape a society where everyone can look forward to a bright future. It has been in operation since 2011 and supported nearly 10,000 people. The organisation provides end-to-end solutions focused around education, training and employment, working in prisons and in the community to provide holistic support. Shirley Riley, Director for Bounce Back, told us: “We believe everyone can change, and should be given the opportunity to do so. We provide this for people  inside and outside prison through diversionary activities, including City & Guilds training and wrap-around support into jobs with prospects, with a particular focus on construction trades.” Bounce Back’s charity funding comes mostly from contracts and grants, with around ten per cent from trusts and foundations as well as corporate sponsors. Its social enterprise, staffed by people who have accessed its services, started out in painting and decorating but now offers emergency repairs and maintenance for corporates,  charities and community groups. How Bounce Back works with central government departments. Bounce Back has worked with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) as well as several local authorities. An example of its work includes the successful delivery of the ‘E-nuff’ Prison Leavers Project, funded by the MoJ through the Local Leadership and Integration Fund. E-nuff aimed to reduce reoffending through culturally informed holistic rehabilitation interventions, including resettlement planning and employment support. The programme was specifically designed for people serving a 12-month sentence or less with a focus on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic prison leavers. In partnership with BeOnsite, Change Grow Live, A Fairer Chance and RISE, the initiative offered comprehensive access to the services required for a better experience on release and successful resettlement - from training and pre-employment support to family intervention and housing support, as well as services for substance misuse and other factors that contribute to rehabilitation. What are the benefits to government of working with VCSEs? Shirley believes that voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) provide much more added value, going above and beyond the scope of commissioned services. When funders, and private sector providers invest in charities and social enterprises like Bounce Back, they also tap into and benefit from their extensive partnerships with local communities and groups, corporate partners, and employers – not to mention volunteers, who offer their time for free to make a difference. Shirley states: “VCSEs exist to make a difference, all our funding goes into making a difference to people’s lives, and communities.” Bounce Back’s work supporting those caught up in the criminal justice system also reduces the cost to wider society. As Shirley puts it: “If an individual can thrive, then the community thrives. If the community thrives, the whole borough thrives, and the economic climate improves. “By reducing re-offending, the cost savings to the government are significant, and also when people make positive behaviour changes, learn new skills and move from benefits to paid work. The average cost of a prison place in England and Wales is £46,696 a year (2021/22). People supported by Bounce Back are less likely to offend, with less than one in ten going on to re-offend, and three-quarters of those sustaining employment for at least six months (2021/22). “VCSEs can also better respond at speed and offer innovative solutions in a cost-effective way. They often go out of their way to “make things happen” - but this can put a squeeze on resources, especially given the uncertainty created by short term contracts.” What have been the main challenges in applying for government contracts? As mentioned, funding can be both short-term and not recurring. Shirley believes that - whilst this is great for testing new ways of working - if you evidence something works, there isn’t a way to scale and replicate so that it can be rolled out from short-term pilots to something permanent.  It’s also common for VCSEs to have to source contracts from different funding streams, to ensure people don’t fall through the gaps and get the support they need when they need it. Shirley commented: “It’s quite paradoxical that the work we’re trying to do is to help people have long term employment and long-term prosperity, yet the funds that they give us mean we’re employing people on short-term contracts.” She added: “Applying for funds requires resource, which for smaller VSCEs means leaders putting on one of their many hats and finding the time to apply.  At Bounce Back, we’re fortunate to have a small resource, but even we find it a struggle keeping up.” While Shirley has noticed social value in some tender questions, she felt it can be a bit “tokenistic” and framed too broadly. For example, criteria such as ‘employing local people’ overlook the additional benefits of working with an organisation like Bounce Back, which not only creates local jobs but also new opportunities specifically for those marginalised by the labour market. Based on a conversation with Shirley Riley, Director at Bounce Back bouncebackproject.com

Bounce Back, a charity and social enterprise, creates opportunities for young people and adults who have a history of or are at risk of offending to thrive, and ultimately help to shape a society where everyone can look forward to a bright future. It has been in operation since 2011 and supported nearly 10,000 people. The organisation provides end-to-end solutions focused around education, training and employment, working in prisons and in the community to provide holistic support. Shirley Riley, Director for Bounce Back, told us: “We believe everyone can change, and should be given the opportunity to do so. We provide this for people  inside and outside prison through diversionary activities, including City & Guilds training and wrap-around support into jobs with prospects, with a particular focus on construction trades.” Bounce Back’s charity funding comes mostly from contracts and grants, with around ten per cent from trusts and foundations as well as corporate sponsors. Its social enterprise, staffed by people who have accessed its services, started out in painting and decorating but now offers emergency repairs and maintenance for corporates,  charities and community groups. How Bounce Back works with central government departments. Bounce Back has worked with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) as well as several local authorities. An example of its work includes the successful delivery of the ‘E-nuff’ Prison Leavers Project, funded by the MoJ through the Local Leadership and Integration Fund. E-nuff aimed to reduce reoffending through culturally informed holistic rehabilitation interventions, including resettlement planning and employment support. The programme was specifically designed for people serving a 12-month sentence or less with a focus on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic prison leavers. In partnership with BeOnsite, Change Grow Live, A Fairer Chance and RISE, the initiative offered comprehensive access to the services required for a better experience on release and successful resettlement - from training and pre-employment support to family intervention and housing support, as well as services for substance misuse and other factors that contribute to rehabilitation. What are the benefits to government of working with VCSEs? Shirley believes that voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) provide much more added value, going above and beyond the scope of commissioned services. When funders, and private sector providers invest in charities and social enterprises like Bounce Back, they also tap into and benefit from their extensive partnerships with local communities and groups, corporate partners, and employers – not to mention volunteers, who offer their time for free to make a difference. Shirley states: “VCSEs exist to make a difference, all our funding goes into making a difference to people’s lives, and communities.” Bounce Back’s work supporting those caught up in the criminal justice system also reduces the cost to wider society. As Shirley puts it: “If an individual can thrive, then the community thrives. If the community thrives, the whole borough thrives, and the economic climate improves. “By reducing re-offending, the cost savings to the government are significant, and also when people make positive behaviour changes, learn new skills and move from benefits to paid work. The average cost of a prison place in England and Wales is £46,696 a year (2021/22). People supported by Bounce Back are less likely to offend, with less than one in ten going on to re-offend, and three-quarters of those sustaining employment for at least six months (2021/22). “VCSEs can also better respond at speed and offer innovative solutions in a cost-effective way. They often go out of their way to “make things happen” - but this can put a squeeze on resources, especially given the uncertainty created by short term contracts.” What top tips do you have for VCSEs looking to work with government? Shirley has these top tips for VCSEs looking to apply for central government contracts: Make sure you’ve got your basics in place around how you describe yourself and your impact, and ensure you meet the needs they are looking for. Always ask for feedback on bids; it’s a great way to improve future applications. Bring talent from across your whole team into the tendering process - whether it’s the most junior or most senior person, use the skills you’ve got, rather than one person being all things to all people. The likelihood is that you’ll have talented people who are good at writing things. Based on a conversation with Shirley Riley, Director at Bounce Back bouncebackproject.com

Toast, the beer brand that brews using surplus bread, is offering punters the chance toexperience the outdoors inside their local. The B-Corp certified brewery is treating selectedlucky pub-goers to a unique experience - with a pint poured from the world’s first “living”beer fount. HEINEKEN is supporting Toast in their mission, and as part of this commitment, they arecurrently trialling Toast beer at selected locations within their pub business, Star Pubs.Toast’s Rise Up Lager will be available on draught in select pubs from May. Toast is a craft brewery that uses surplus bakery bread to brew its beers, with all profitsgoing to environmental charities. Toast has been working with HEINEKEN since 2022 as astrategic investor, focussing on research and development, as part of HEINEKEN’s net zeroambitions. Lawson Mountstevens, Managing Director, Star Pubs says, “We are thrilled to partnerwith Toast, an innovative and exciting brand, to trial the 'living fount'. It is an eye-catchinginitiative that will get beer drinkers talking over their pint, and brings the topic ofsustainability literally to the bar. ” Rob Wilson, Co-founder of Toast says: “It symbolises our commitment to a greener,brighter future and is part of a campaign, "Nature's Taking Over" - merging the joy ofbeer-drinking with the call to environmental stewardship. We’re thrilled to announce thislong-awaited launch for Toast. Collaboration has always been key to our strategy forachieving change, and we’re excited to be able to scale our work with this launch into StarPubs.” About Toast Brewing Toast is a craft brewery that uses surplus bakery bread to brew itsbeers, with all profits going to environmental charities. Food production is the biggestcontributor to climate change and biodiversity loss but one third of all food is wasted.They’re here to change that. Toast is a social enterprise and a Certified B Corp.Toastbrewing.com | #RaiseAToast with @toastale on Twitter | @toast.brewing on Instagram |Facebook | LinkedIn

Bunzl UK & Ireland and social enterprise Amplify Goods, have joined forces for the groundbreaking launch of a new range of luxury washroom products. The creation of a new brand, RE:MIND, has been designed to combine luxury hand and body care and social value, using a unique, high-quality formulation developed by Amplify Goods that uses carefully selected ingredients that are 96-99% naturally-derived depending on the product. As a certified social enterprise, Amplify Goods donates at least 51% of its profits to charitable projects at the intersection of mental health and the environment, among many other initiatives that drive positive change in local communities. Amplify Goods is an established social enterprise with a track record in selling net-positive washroom products to businesses looking to bring Net Zero ambitions into action within their supply chains as well as work opportunities to disabled, ex-homeless and underemployed groups. Camilla Marcus-Dew, Amplify Goods’ co-founder, said: “Amplify Goods is proud to do things differently. The products have to be great, but we also work hard to design in a way that reduces waste, single-use plastic, and harsh ingredients whilst enabling bottle reuse, and putting more than half our profits into supporting the intersection between mental health and the natural.” “We see this as a great opportunity for Bunzl’s various operating companies across the UK and Ireland, and their diverse customers.” added Camilla. “By the time we reach £700k turnover, we’ll likely be supporting 50-100 people a year, so imagine the impact that will have on the lives of those working on the front lines of climate breakdown.” Simply by enjoying a washroom product, you’re jumping on board the burgeoning social enterprise and ESG movement and supporting both environmental and mental health projects. Thanks to this exciting collaboration between Amplify Goods and Bunzl, this can become a reality on a large scale. “It’s this emphasis on social and environmental good in products and business practices that’s set to be the focus of RE:MIND’, said Amplify Goods’ co-founder Pasha Michaelsen” which includes the support of the physical and mental health of ‘Quiet Changemakers’ – those working on the frontlines of climate breakdown”. “As the founders of Amplify Goods, we know first-hand how important it is to avoid burnout - we’ve been there”, she adds. “That’s why we’re directly supporting these ‘Quiet Changemakers’ in ways they need, whilst also channelling funds into organisations working at the intersection of mental health and nature”. Amplify Goods washroom products have been distributed by Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies for the past year, a relationship which has now been further enhanced with the development of RE:MIND. RE:MIND is a first-of-its-kind partnership between social enterprise and distributor; bringing together Amplify Goods’ innovative approach to industry leading ESG product design and Bunzl’s mission to source and provide more sustainable, ethical, and socially responsible products to its vast customer base. In this exclusive collaboration, the RE:MIND range launches as a small offering to enable all sectors to access affordable, high-quality washroom products. It includes a 5-litre Sweet Orange & Rosemary Hand & Body Wash, a 1-litre Sweet Orange & Rosemary Hand & Body Lotion, and Forever Glass Bottles & Pumps for both the washes and lotions. These bottles can also be mounted using the RE:MIND single wall bracket or double lockable wall bracket. The range is formulated to include luxurious essential oils and shea butter that both revitalise and nourish, with ingredients carefully selected to minimise negative environmental impact. They are Vegan Society-certified and Amplify Goods won’t work with any ingredients that are tested on animals. The products are also free from SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), synthetic dyes, and harsh surfactants. Users can rest assured that RE:MIND only offers products that are of the highest quality. The packaging used for RE:MIND has also been carefully developed to minimise waste and harmful impacts on the environment, with single-use plastic designed out where possible and upcycled waste cardboard utilised as a packing material. The majority of the packing processes have been considered with a view to utilising the skills of underemployed people, including ex-homeless, disabled people and those otherwise facing barriers to entry in the labour market. Working in collaboration with Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies, who have already adopted a similar 5-litre closed-loop solution with other exclusive brands, Amplify Goods facilitates businesses in joining on their circularity journey. Through their pioneering container reuse programme, 5-litre bottles can be returned, cleaned, and refilled, reducing demands on virgin plastic and providing valuable work for people. “Amplify Goods are the perfect partner for this collaboration; we love their ethos and commitment to purpose and we’re looking forward to the years ahead as we scale this ESG industry leading premium range” said Amy McLauchlan, Bunzl UKI Exclusive Brands Manager. RE:MIND hand and body care products are now available from Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies, and soon across many more of Bunzl’s operating companies across the UK and Ireland. For more information, visit remind-brand.co.uk or contact hello@amplifygoods.org

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England® is a social enterprise with a vision to improve the mental health of the nation. It will achieve this through its mission to train one in ten people in mental health knowledge, awareness and skills – the tipping point for lasting societal change.   With most adults spending a third of their lifetime at work, MHFA England focuses much of its efforts there, to change how society deals with mental health now and in the future. Its training, consultancy and campaigning is paving the way for positive mental health in the workplace and beyond. Through its work over the last 16 years, with more than 20,000 employers of all shapes and sizes, it knows that each organisation's culture is unique and the key to maintaining a mentally healthy workplace is understanding the people within it. In February 2024, MHFA England celebrated the phenomenal milestone of reaching a million people with its training, which equates to one in 38 of the population. Social enterprise working with government The government has committed to bringing more voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations into public sector supply chains. VCSE sector expertise means they are often uniquely placed to help create and deliver compassionate and responsive services, and government research has shown there are barriers VCSEs face in entering public sector markets.[1]       We spoke to Vicki Cockman, Head of Client and Training Delivery at MHFA England, to find out more about the social enterprise’s impact and its strong relationships with government. How does MHFA England work with central government departments? MHFA England works with a range of government departments including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Cabinet Office, the Department of Education, the Home Office, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Our flexible training and support offer can be tailored to support each department’s unique needs. For example, we have worked with DWP to train Instructor Members, who then train their staff. There are now more than 400 MHFAiders® at DWP. As part of our bespoke offer for the department, we also support quarterly sessions to look at the impact of MHFAiders and identify areas where further support is needed. This works well for DWP, but each department has its own approach, depending on its needs. For example, in 2024, we began work with Ofsted on a programme to train all their inspectors in our Mental Health Awareness course. This had a positive impact on those undergoing the training, and aims to create a ripple effect through the schools inspected. The contracting process varies between departments. The majority approach us directly, due to our proven track record, while others put out services to tender for which we apply. MHFA England is listed on the government’s procurement learning framework: a due diligence process allowing organisations to be listed as a preferred supplier. What would you say to commissioners who are debating working with social enterprises? There are lots of benefits to working with social enterprises. As well as meeting your own organisation’s needs, you are supporting businesses who deliver social impact to workplaces, communities and wider society. When it comes to working with MHFA England, the impact can be huge. Improved awareness and understanding of mental health create happier and more productive workplaces. We give people the skills to spot the signs of poor mental health, the confidence to start a conversation, and the knowledge to signpost to support. This can be lifechanging and lifesaving. We know how to work effectively in the public and private sector. When people work with us, they are not only creating social impact - they are getting a partner that meets their needs, provides market leading training and consultancy, and delivers a phenomenal service. Are there any challenges in applying for government contracts? We are thrilled to work with so many different government departments. It is a huge source of pride for us, as a social enterprise, to know that we are trusted delivery partner. We do brilliant work together that impacts both the workplace and wider society. We welcome the desire from government to work more with our sector. As with any relationship, both parties need to take time to understand one another and their ways of working. To achieve this, VCSEs must be treated as an equal partner. To increase the number of VCSEs working with government, the procurement process could be strengthened and streamlined. It can take a lot of time and resource to complete. We appreciate the need for diligence to ensure responsible spending, but it is important that the scale and time involved in the procurement process matches the business benefit of the contract. As a social enterprise, we want our time to be focused on making the biggest impact on the mental health of the nation, not processes and administration. Although we know that government departments want to work with us, we can be asked to discount heavily, which isn’t always viable. Budgets and funding in the public sector have to considered carefully, and we want to ensure we can make the largest impact in the most cost-effective way. We have to find a viable way to achieve this together. For more information about MHFA England and its training and consultancy, visit: mhfaengland.org [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-role-of-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-in-public-procurement/the-role-of-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-in-public-procurement

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England® is a social enterprise with a vision to improve the mental health of the nation. It will achieve this through its mission to train one in ten people in mental health knowledge, awareness and skills – the tipping point for lasting societal change.   With most adults spending a third of their lifetime at work, MHFA England focuses much of its efforts there, to change how society deals with mental health now and in the future. Its training, consultancy and campaigning is paving the way for positive mental health in the workplace and beyond. Through its work over the last 16 years, with more than 20,000 employers of all shapes and sizes, it knows that each organisation's culture is unique and the key to maintaining a mentally healthy workplace is understanding the people within it. In February 2024, MHFA England celebrated the phenomenal milestone of reaching a million people with its training, which equates to one in 38 of the population. Social enterprise working with government The government has committed to bringing more voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations into public sector supply chains. VCSE sector expertise means they are often uniquely placed to help create and deliver compassionate and responsive services, and government research has shown there are barriers VCSEs face in entering public sector markets.[1]       We spoke to Vicki Cockman, Head of Client and Training Delivery at MHFA England, to find out more about the social enterprise’s impact and its strong relationships with government. How does MHFA England work with central government departments? MHFA England works with a range of government departments including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Cabinet Office, the Department of Education, the Home Office, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Our flexible training and support offer can be tailored to support each department’s unique needs. For example, we have worked with DWP to train Instructor Members, who then train their staff. There are now more than 400 MHFAiders® at DWP. As part of our bespoke offer for the department, we also support quarterly sessions to look at the impact of MHFAiders and identify areas where further support is needed. This works well for DWP, but each department has its own approach, depending on its needs. For example, in 2024, we began work with Ofsted on a programme to train all their inspectors in our Mental Health Awareness course. This had a positive impact on those undergoing the training, and aims to create a ripple effect through the schools inspected. The contracting process varies between departments. The majority approach us directly, due to our proven track record, while others put out services to tender for which we apply. MHFA England is listed on the government’s procurement learning framework: a due diligence process allowing organisations to be listed as a preferred supplier. What would you say to commissioners who are debating working with social enterprises? There are lots of benefits to working with social enterprises. As well as meeting your own organisation’s needs, you are supporting businesses who deliver social impact to workplaces, communities and wider society. When it comes to working with MHFA England, the impact can be huge. Improved awareness and understanding of mental health create happier and more productive workplaces. We give people the skills to spot the signs of poor mental health, the confidence to start a conversation, and the knowledge to signpost to support. This can be lifechanging and lifesaving. We know how to work effectively in the public and private sector. When people work with us, they are not only creating social impact - they are getting a partner that meets their needs, provides market leading training and consultancy, and delivers a phenomenal service. What top tips do you have for VCSEs looking to work with government departments? There’s so much opportunity in working with government departments. We have worked with some brilliant individuals who are willing to invest time and energy in creating great relationships. The impact you can make is huge. We recommend getting your business in front of them as much as possible. When you are going through the procurement and contracting process, be willing to ask lots of questions. Don’t compromise on what you do as a business and don’t think that government doesn’t want to hear from you or work with you. For more information about MHFA England and its training and consultancy, visit: mhfaengland.org [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-role-of-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-in-public-procurement/the-role-of-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-in-public-procurement

Expanding Educational Outreach Through Culinary Arts to Promote Sustainability and Self-RelianceWaste to Wonder Worldwide, a leading force in global educational and sustainability initiatives, is proud to unveil its latest project the, ‘Sustainability Cookery School,’ set to open its doors in Gambia. This innovative project extends the impact of the organisation’s acclaimed ‘School in a Box’ program, which has already furnished 1,400 schools across more than 40 countries with essential educational resources.The Cookery School aims to nurture vital skills in Sustainable Cooking, Agriculture, Hospitality, and Tourism among the youth; positioning them at the forefront of an eco-conscious future. Spearheaded by the esteemed Chef Conor Spacey and in collaboration with the Global Orphan Empowerment Academy, this project aims to empower the local community with sustainable cooking and agricultural best practices, ensuring a self-sustaining future that will transcend generations.This pioneering project is more than a culinary school; it is a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of education in transforming lives. By integrating sustainable cooking techniques and the use of locally sourced, sustainable ingredients, the Cookery School is directly contributing to the United Nations Sustainability Goals, particularly emphasising responsible consumption and production patterns. The goal is clear: to significantly curtail waste and foster a culture of sustainability that can be a model for communities worldwide."The Sustainability Cookery School program combines Waste to Wonder Worldwide’s 20 years of Sustainable Development experience, supporting some of the most disadvantaged communities in the world and world leading Food Sustainability and Food Security Systems experience of leading chef Conor Spacey. The programme will up-skill a generation of young people out of poverty, fostering resilience and driving change in the Gambia and Beyond!" - Michael Amos // Managing Director // Waste to Wonder Worldwide CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT The Sustainability Cookery School is not just an educational institution; it is a movement towards a more sustainable and equitable world. Waste to Wonder Worldwide invites everyone to join this journey of transformation and progress. For more information on the Cookery School and how you can support or get involved, please click here.As a proud member of Social Enterprise UK, Waste to Wonder Worldwide is committed to driving social change through innovative and sustainable solutions. About Waste to Wonder Worldwide Waste to Wonder Worldwide is a leading social enterprise dedicated to providing educational resources and promoting sustainability across the globe. Through initiatives like the ‘School in a Box’ program and the Sustainability Cookery School, the organization aims to empower communities, foster self-reliance, and contribute to a sustainable future. If your organisation is interested in sponsoring the development of the school there's more information in this video. wastetowonder.com/cookery-school

By Anita Woods, Dental Nurse Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) is an employee-owned social enterprise and a referral only dental service, providing special and paediatric dental care and oral health improvement across much of the East of England and the East Midlands. CDS brings dental care to people who cannot easily be treated in general dental practice; its patients typically have learning disabilities, mental health issues or severe anxiety.  CDS has been piloting a treatment programme for people with Severe Multiple Disadvantage (SMD) and/or homelessness. The pilot is a partnership between CDS and the East Midlands Primary Care Team, working on behalf of five Integrated Care Boards in the Midlands. The CDS Mobile Dental Clinic has been visiting locations in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire that offer established services for people who are homeless. Patients are supported to attend appointments in an environment they are familiar with for check-ups and follow-up treatment. Here, we catch up with Anita Woods, a Dental Nurse of 46 years, who works for CDS in Leicestershire and is involved with the pilot. “I began working in a dental practice when I was 16. I attended college part time to do my dental nurse qualification, which I completed aged 19, passing the NEBDN examination and became a Registered Dental Nurse. I started work in the Maxillofacial unit at the Leicester Royal infirmary and then in 2002, I began working for the community dental services in Leicester and since joining CDS have undertaken my inhalation sedation training. I always wanted to work in a health setting and was drawn to the community dental service as it was an area of dentistry I had not worked in before and I felt that working with its patient group would be very rewarding. I also knew it would offer me the variety of working in different areas of dentistry and the opportunity to improve my skills. I enjoy working with my team members in CDS Leicestershire. We have so many lovely, highly skilled, hardworking employees, who I enjoy learning from every day. The care we give to our patients makes me proud and I like the excellent training that CDS prioritises, as well as the many extended support services they offer employees. Because we provide such a wide variety of services, every day can be different. From assisting the clinicians in the surgery to visiting schools as part of the epidemiology survey team and working on the mobile unit out and about in the community. I was excited when I received an email about this project and that the mobile unit was going to be doing some sessions in Leicester city and Leicestershire supporting people who are homeless. It was a service that I had not worked in before and was very interested, so I put my name forward to nurse on the mobile unit. Once successful, we all had a thorough induction on the mobile unit to make sure we were familiar with the clinic environment. People experiencing homelessness face many barriers to accessing oral health care and experience higher levels of dental carries and periodontal disease than the general population. Poor oral health is linked to a decreased quality of life among these patients, and people who are homeless can often feel ashamed and embarrassed to attend a dental practice full of people, fearing that they will be judged as well as facing difficulty finding and registering with a dentist without a fixed address. I wanted to be a part of CDS’s pilot, designed specifically around the needs of this patient group, with the mobile dental clinic attending places they are already familiar with and trust. We have not used a mobile clinic to treat people who are homeless in Leicestershire before, and I think it is a very worthwhile and much needed service that enables people, who have  difficulty in accessing mainstream dental surgeries for a variety of reasons, the opportunity to receive the dental care they need to progress with their lives. The dental nurse on the mobile unit plays a vital role. The nurse and dentist work as a team to deliver treatment to people who have no other way of accessing a dentist. The unit is very well equipped, and we are able to provide most dental treatments. The biggest difference between working in clinic and on the mobile unit, is that we are working in a much smaller confined space! The dental nurse and dentist must be able to multitask as there are just the two of us on the session, so, as the nurse, I do all the admin and decontamination of instruments as well as assisting chairside and even mopping the floor at the end of the day! We are welcoming to all patients that attend the sessions. We are kind and caring and put them at ease. We offer a translation service if they need it. We also give them the opportunity to ask questions about the treatment that we are providing. At the end of the appointment, we ensure that clear after care instructions are given and we provide them with emergency out of hours contact numbers and oral health advice. I find it extremely rewarding, especially as the patients are so appreciative of the dental treatment they are receiving. Some of the challenges I face whilst working on the homeless dental unit are language and literacy barriers and extreme behaviour. We are required to obtain a full medical history and because English is not the first language for a lot of patients that we see, we use LanguageLine on most of our sessions. The overall process can be time consuming, meaning we can then run late. Many of the patients we see are not able to read or write and they are usually unaccompanied. We overcome this by asking them the questions and filling out the medical history form for them. Very occasionally patients could be intoxicated due to alcohol or drug use and their behaviour can be erratic and even aggressive. However, the skills I have developed through my many years of dental nursing with a variety of people in different settings – including good communication skills; calmness in pressured situations; kindness and empathy; adaptability; positive attitude and a good sense of humour (!) come into play, and the patient care we provide remains excellent and no different from our clinic setting. I very much enjoy working with the Leicestershire mobile unit team. It is a small team that consists of the driver, Anna the dentist, Tracy who is also a dental nurse and me. We all bring a wide range of experience to the service. Although we have only been working together for a short time, we work and communicate well as a team to provide positive outcomes for all the patients that attend. I have been proud to be part of the mobile unit team working on this project as we are providing a much-needed, vital and worthwhile service here in Leicestershire and I hope it will continue a long time into the future.” So far, the mobile clinic has seen over 145 patients at twice weekly sessions which are also an opportunity to signpost to other services, such as smoking cessation and drug and alcohol support. The mobile clinic is equipped to provide a full range of dental treatment. Feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive: “I think this service is invaluable to me. I have not been to a dentist for several years. My teeth are a state from years of drug abuse and being beaten up while living rough on the streets. The dentist was very kind and put me at ease while looking at my teeth and guided me through the process/appointments. This is the beginning of the new me. Thank you so much.”  “I cannot thank the dentist enough for the support they have shown me. The dentist was non-judgemental towards me, as I was living in a tent in Derbyshire for over two years. To be honest, my teeth were the last thing on my mind, but looking back, my teeth are one of the first things other people see. I know that I would have never gone to a dentist surgery as I am far too embarrassed.” The one-year pilot is set to continue until June 2024.

Global collaboration will help unlock millions of hours for women and girls to improve quality of life, saving time for learning and income-generating activities. 15 April 2024 The Washing Machine Project, a grassroots organization that provides off-grid manual washing machines to people in low-income and displaced communities, announced today it is collaborating with the Whirlpool Foundation to deliver 10,000 manual washing machines to communities and households across the world over the next five years. The work is expected to impact an estimated 150,000 people and address a significant barrier to their advancement and quality of life. Recognized by The Washing Machine Project and the Whirlpool Foundation as the ‘Global Washing Divide,’ this collaboration will focus on the estimated 60% of the world’s population–or 5 billion people–that rely on washingclothes by hand. This new collaboration with Whirlpool Foundation will expand the reach of the innovative Divya manual washing machine and alleviate the burden of hand washing clothes for communities across India, Latin America, Mexico and Africa. The new partnership will enable The Washing Machine Project team to install over 10,000 Divya manual machines in 6 countries, impacting 150,000 people. In its first five years, the collaboration will help unlock approximately 17 million hours for women and girls to improve quality of life and halve overall water usage, bringing efficient and sustainable washing solutions where they are needed most. According to the World Health Organization, 70% of households worldwide depend on women and girls for water collection and laundry, which is amplified by the estimate that up to 20 hours each week are spent hand washing clothes in underserved communities globally. The collaboration will help save time and create opportunities for learning, income-generating activities and more time with family. “We are honoured to partner with the Whirlpool Foundation, whose legacy as a pioneer in home appliance innovation is only superseded by their passion to foster community development and improve life at home for people around the world," said Navjot Sawhney, founder and CEO of The Washing Machine Project. “This collaboration is a testament to what can be achieved when compassion meets technology. Together we are set to revolutionize laundry practices globally, paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future for hundreds of thousands of people.” Divya Washing Machine Impact At the initiative's core is the Divya Washing Machine, the world's first flat-packable manual washing machine that allows users to wash their clothes without electricity or a connected water source. Its simple design reduces the prolonged physical effort usually required to hand wash clothes, replacing it instead with a simple manual machine that can be used frequently and safely, saving the user up to 76% of the time compared to hand washing clothes. As a portable unit built with commercial-grade components and stainless-steel construction, the machine is easier to fix remotely and has the potential to be recycled at the end of its life. Divya, the machine's namesake, is named after Navjot Sawhney's former neighbour, whom he became close friends with during a work assignment in India engineering cook stoves. He was struck by how much time Divya would spend doing back-breaking chores, including hand-washing clothes for hours each week. At that time, he promised to return to Divya with a manual washing machine and help makeher life a little easier. In March 2024, in a joint trip with the Whirlpool Foundation, he did just that. “We greatly admire the mission and work of The Washing Machine Project and see an opportunity to help impact more lives collectively than either of us could individually," said Pam Klyn, Whirlpool Corporation executive vice president, corporate relations and sustainability. "Driven by shared passion and purpose, Whirlpool Corporation employees are lending their time and talents to help make this long-term vision a reality, recognizing that this initiative goes beyond washing clothes. It is about reclaiming time and improving lives for these individuals who will now spend much less time doing laundry, which opens the door to new opportunities.” In the first five years of its collaboration with Whirlpool Foundation, distribution is planned for underserved populations in rural and urban areas in India, Mexico, Brazil, the Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Uganda. Implementation will be tailored to meet the partnering regions' specific cultural, economic, and environmental conditions, ensuring the solution is effective and relevant in local contexts. Since The Washing Machine Project was founded in 2019, the organization has conducted ethnographic research in 13 countries and interviewed more than 3,000 families in India, Uganda, Jamaica, Nepal and the Philippines to gain insight into their clothes-washing tendencies. In addition to completing successful pilot studies, The Washing Machine Project has distributed Divya washing machines to families and communities in India, Iraq, Lebanon, the United States, Mexico, and Uganda. In 2024 The Washing Machine Project plans to scale across numerous countries, partnering with organizations like the Whirlpool Corporation and international development and humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Save The Children, Oxfam, Care International, and Plan International. About The Washing Machine Project Founded by Nav Sawney, The Washing Machine Project is a grassroots social enterprise based in the U.K. aiming to alleviate the burden of hand washing clothes and empower women by providing remote, low-income and displaced communities with an accessible, off-grid washing solution. The Divya Washing Machine - a manual, off-the-grid washer-dryer helps save up to 50% of water and 75% of the time compared to hand washing clothes. About Whirlpool Foundation Since 1952, the Whirlpool Foundation has been making real, positive differences in local communities where Whirlpool Corporation families live and work. Whirlpool Foundation shares our vision that communities and displaced people everywhere should have access to sustainable washing solutions; improving lives by reducing the physical impact and reclaiming the amount of time it takes to simply wash clothes. thewashingmachineproject.org

The award-winning service for adults with disabilities, Nickel Support, and their unique retail project, Interestingly Different, have started a brand new, revolutionary and bespoke retail training programme in order to address the shocking situation around employment opportunities and support for adults with learning disabilities and Autism.  Meet Charlie. Charlie is an amazing young woman with not only a smile for everyone she meets, but she also has a huge amount of potential, with a strong drive to work and have a purpose. However, Charlie also has a learning disability - which means that her ambition and goals are often met by hurdles and challenges. When Charlie started attending Nickel Support 9 years ago she struggled with confidence in communicating, and lacked support to achieve her potential. Throughout her time at Nickel Support, Charlie has grown in confidence and in her self belief, and has proven just how much adults with learning disabilities can achieve when they are given the chance to shine. She is now one of the trainees who is in paid employment at Interestingly Different, which forms the retail branch of Nickel Support.  Interestingly Different re-launched in 2023 opening their beautiful shop in Carshalton and introducing their online shop. They are a gift and homeware store with a difference - selling an incredible selection of high quality gifts, homewares, gift boxes and corporate gifting options from more than 30 social enterprises. However, Interestingly Different’s core goal is to provide training and employment opportunities for their trainees, all of whom have faced the same hurdles and barriers as Charlie, and to enable them to lead a purposeful and fulfilled life.  Since the re-launch, the team realised more needed to be done to provide training and employment opportunities - especially as government initiatives such as the Access to Work scheme, have lengthy, climbing waiting lists. Hence they set about creating an adaptable training programme to ensure that trainees gain necessary skills for employment. The programme was created in-house, and incorporates a variety of visual, written and audio materials in order to break down the barriers seen in mainstream training. It is delivered on a one-to-one basis, by trained Support Workers who not only understand learning disabilities, but who get to know each trainee, meaning they can tailor the training to their individual needs.  The training course has been set up with a true sense of urgency, as the employment situation for adults with learning disabilities and autism is shocking. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions recently comissioned The Buckland Review, in order to identify the barriers to autistic people securing and fulfilling employment. Published in February 2024, the report found that  “despite their wish to work, the latest official statistics show that only around 3 in 10 working age autistic disabled people are in employment.” And worse yet, we know from other sources that only 5.1% of adults with all types of learning disabilities in England are in paid work.  The Buckland Review found what Nick Walsh and Elena Nicola, co-founders of Nickel Support have long known - there is a wide range of potential barriers to work for autistic people [the same applies to people with any learning disability]. Even after finding work, maintaining long-term employment remains a challenge. Many do not receive the necessary support or adjustments to enable them to fulfil their role in the face of inaccessible sensory and social environments.  The current reality is sad and shocking, but Nickel Support and Interestingly Different are proud to see a positive impact even in the early stages of this project. When asked how she feels about the new training programme, Charlie commented, “The training I’ve already had has given me the self belief and confidence to work. I used to find it hard talking to customers, but now I feel confident to do that.  I am excited to start the new training programme because I think it is going to help me and the other trainees to learn new valuable skills”. There are currently five Interestingly Different trainees in paid employment, a number they intend to increase as they roll out the training programme.  Seeing Interestingly Different trainees embark upon their training is truly a wonderful thing - you can really sense that this is a place where they are valued, and are being equipped with vital skills for the workplace. Elena Nicola, says, “Seeing the trainees being given the opportunity to expand their knowledge, gain skills and move on to potential employment is so exciting, especially when all the evidence, and our first hand experience, shows that this is not something that is currently happening regularly in society. Sadly our story should not be news, but currently what we are doing really isn’t the norm. We eagerly look forward to the day when it is, and will not stop working to achieve that.”  Interestingly Different sources and sells a wide range of products from over 33 other UK based social enterprises, all of whom are working with adults with disabilities or facing life challenges.  Interestingly Different is open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and their  website, https://interestinglydifferent.co.uk/ not only sells their full product range, but also offers a fantastic insight to the work that they do. They also work with corporate clients providing monthly subscriptions of office supplies such as tea and coffee, alongside making gift hampers for staff and clients. Each and every purchase helps towards the greater goal of an inclusive society where adults with disabilities are able to meet their potential and live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Interestingly Different was one of the Small Biz Saturday’s top 100 small businesses in the UK in 2023, and has since also been named as one of Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday Winners. 

As part of our work in the Future Economy Alliance, today we brought together cross-party politicians and cross-sector business leaders in Parliament to discuss our new Business Plan for Britain, which sets out how the government can work in partnership with mission-led organisations to address huge social and environmental challenges. This newly published report sets out the national policy changes that can empower mission-led business to create a stronger, fairer, greener economy. From reforming the way we do business to putting power in the hands of local communities, and transforming public services to creating a people-powered green transition, the Plan presents a host of policy recommendations that can fix our broken economy. Read the report here An estimated four million of us work in social enterprise and other mission-led organisations; we’re living proof that business can be a force for good, and we need those in power to unleash our full potential. In an election year, we’re calling on our next government to recognise the importance of working for a purpose beyond profit and make our mission-led approach the national norm. Our chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE said: “Social Enterprise UK research provides a hefty evidence base for the impact of business with a purpose beyond profit – and in the face of so many complex challenges, we need this mission-led approach more than ever. The next government must seize the opportunity to unlock the potential for better business and fix our economy with bold reform that will deliver for generations to come.” It was heartening to see influential people taking an interest in our sector at the House of Lords event today – including cross-party MPs, national journalists and economic think-tanks – but publishing this report is just the start. We’re determined to make this a priority for the General Election and beyond. This month we’re also crowdfunding to create a stunt that will cut through the political noise with our bold message of change and hope. To build an economy that really works for our society, we need support from across that society. Will you help us? Support the campaign Please get involved with our campaign – donate if you can, use the toolkit to share it, and join the mailing list to find out about events or actions in future.

As a social enterprise, mission is the heart of everything we do - and as part of the Future Economy Alliance we’re campaigning to make this way of working the national norm. Inequalities are rising, divisions are deepening, and the climate crisis is growing. Trains are cancelled, rivers are polluted, people are having to choose between heating and eating – while the companies behind these vital services record huge profits. Our local councils are going bankrupt, our high streets are empty, and our NHS is on its knees. Nothing works anymore. At the heart of this is a broken system. ‘Business as usual’ isn’t working – so let’s change it. Let’s unleash the power of business to benefit people and planet. Let’s build a stronger, fairer, greener economy where all of society profits. Let’s fix our future. We’ve joined the Future Economy Alliance to highlight the importance of working for a purpose beyond profit, and make this mission-led approach the national norm. An estimated four million of us work in social enterprises and other mission-led organisations across the UK, and we’re living proof that business can be a force for good; we just need those in power to unleash our potential. Ahead of the General Election, we’re ready to guide our next government in the bold reforms needed to fix our economy – and with your support, we can put these issues at the top of the political agenda. We’re crowdfunding to create a unique campaign stunt that will really grab our leaders’ attention. It could be anything from billboards all over the UK to skywriting above Parliament or taking over Westminster; we’re planning the best possible tactics to bring our campaign to life, and anything you can donate will help make our message heard in the corridors of power. Will you help us? Please support our campaign We're gearing up for an exciting campaign stunt to grab the attention of our leaders and cut through the political noise with a bold message of change and hope: that we can build a new economy where all of society profits. We’re working with a creative agency to really bring our campaign to life, and anything you can donate will help make our message heard in the corridors of power. To build an economy that really works for our society, we need support from across that society. Every donation is a step towards a stronger, fairer, greener future for all of us. Join the Future Economy Alliance, join the movement, and let’s fix our future.

The Nelson Trust is a charity set up to support people with complex needs ranging from trauma and addiction to experiences with the criminal justice system. It has provided residential addiction rehabilitation support since 1985 - but in the mid-2000s it emerged that women in treatment centres weren’t having as good outcomes as men, leading the charity to look into their specific needs and establish a new trauma-informed gender responsive service with an all-female staff team. At the same time, a review into the female prison estate by Baroness Corston[1] found that women should be rehabilitated in the community as they tended to be serving short sentences for non-violent crimes. This enabled the Nelson Trust to win funding that led to it now running seven women’s centres across the South West and Wales. How does the Nelson Trust work with central government departments? On opening the first women’s centre, most of the Trust’s income was derived through grants, but in recent years the charity has moved into public sector tendering. The main central government department the Nelson Trust works with is the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and, through them, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. The charity has also received money from the Home Office. What kind of work does the charity do with central government? In 2022, the Nelson Trust led a partnership bid with nine other organisations to work on a prison leavers pilot for a contract created by the MoJ, based at Eastwood Park in South Gloucestershire. There were no specific delivery terms, other than improving outcomes for prison leavers so the charity could use its creativity and years of experience to create an innovative way of meeting the contract. It saw that services to support women both in prison and on release were fragmented; for example, – women from Wales serving time at Eastwood Park receive NHS England care but aren’t entitled to some ‘through the gate’ services (such as ‘reconnect’ which supports prison leavers access health care services) that they would be if they lived in England, as justice is centrally funded but health is devolved across the Home Nations. It also noticed a lack of integration meant women often had to share trauma-inducing stories repeatedly to different organisations, and so wanted to join up the system. As Christina Line, Chief Operating Officer at the Nelson Trust, states: “One woman told us she’d been asked if she was pregnant nine times through her induction into the prison. We wanted to co-ordinate a package of support so that a woman has one lead keyworker, has to tell her story once, has one assessment, we all work from one case management system and we broker in the other support services as she needs them.” The Nelson Trust led the work in partnership with other organisations including housing providers, organisations supporting women to re-unite and maintain ties with their children, a substance misuse specialist, and a domestic violence support provider. Prison officers also worked to bring women into the centre and aid systemic work within the prison for internal processes to be trauma-informed. Central to the whole project was one case management system, which all organisations could log into, preventing women having to tell their stories over and over again. This new system was funded as a pilot programme for 15 months and is currently being externally evaluated. Initial data from the project is showing that, as a result of this intervention, the rates of women going back into prison have significantly reduced. What were the benefits to the MoJ of delivering this contract? Christina Line believes that a core benefit of working with the Nelson Trust is the savings that such an approach to criminal justice and the wider system brings to the public purse. It costs the government around £1,500[2] to rehabilitate a woman through the Nelson Trust, but the cost of sending someone to prison is around £46,696 a year.[3] The way the charity is set up means that “we don’t close the door on women, and our support will continue long after the MoJ have finished paying”. The holistic help provided - from supporting people out of addiction and disadvantage to support finding work - also means that they are reducing costs in other ways, such as welfare benefits or ambulance and police call-outs. Christina says the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) is markedly different from larger profit-driven service providers in its dedication to “get on with the job”, explaining that “people work because they want to make an impact”. What are the main challenges in applying for government contracts? One of the main challenges identified by the Nelson Trust is the lack of capacity faced by many VCSEs, with some not having a dedicated business development team. This often means a lack of resources holds organisations back, even though they may be capable of effectively delivering contracts. There can also be challenges in the complexity of certain contracts, where “the level of detail required isn’t always commensurate with the financial contract”. Christina pointed out that contracts for women’s prison services worth around £100,000 can require the same level of detail as men’s prison services worth millions. Unless contracts are simpler, Christina believes that the whole contracting process can “tip the scales in favour of larger organisations”. Based on a conversation with Christina Line, Chief Operating Officer at the Nelson Trust nelsontrust.com [1] https://www.nicco.org.uk/directory-of-research/the-corston-report [2] What the Nelson Trust are paid on their contract annually [3] https://prisonreformtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/prison_the_facts_2023.pdf

The Nelson Trust is a charity set up to support people with complex needs ranging from trauma and addiction to experiences with the criminal justice system. It has provided residential addiction rehabilitation support since 1985 - but in the mid-2000s it emerged that women in treatment centres weren’t having as good outcomes as men, leading the charity to look into their specific needs and establish a new trauma-informed gender responsive service with an all-female staff team. At the same time, a review into the female prison estate by Baroness Corston[1] found that women should be rehabilitated in the community as they tended to be serving short sentences for non-violent crimes. This enabled the Nelson Trust to win funding that led to it now running seven women’s centres across the South West and Wales. How does the Nelson Trust work with central government departments? On opening the first women’s centre, most of the Trust’s income was derived through grants, but in recent years the charity has moved into public sector tendering. The main central government department the Nelson Trust works with is the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and, through them, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. The charity has also received money from the Home Office. What kind of work does the charity do with central government? In 2022, the Nelson Trust led a partnership bid with nine other organisations to work on a prison leavers pilot for a contract created by the MoJ, based at Eastwood Park in South Gloucestershire. There were no specific delivery terms, other than improving outcomes for prison leavers so the charity could use its creativity and years of experience to create an innovative way of meeting the contract. It saw that services to support women both in prison and on release were fragmented; for example, – women from Wales serving time at Eastwood Park receive NHS England care but aren’t entitled to some ‘through the gate’ services (such as ‘reconnect’ which supports prison leavers access health care services) that they would be if they lived in England, as justice is centrally funded but health is devolved across the Home Nations. It also noticed a lack of integration meant women often had to share trauma-inducing stories repeatedly to different organisations, and so wanted to join up the system. As Christina Line, Chief Operating Officer at the Nelson Trust, states: “One woman told us she’d been asked if she was pregnant nine times through her induction into the prison. We wanted to co-ordinate a package of support so that a woman has one lead keyworker, has to tell her story once, has one assessment, we all work from one case management system and we broker in the other support services as she needs them.” The Nelson Trust led the work in partnership with other organisations including housing providers, organisations supporting women to re-unite and maintain ties with their children, a substance misuse specialist, and a domestic violence support provider. Prison officers also worked to bring women into the centre and aid systemic work within the prison for internal processes to be trauma-informed. Central to the whole project was one case management system, which all organisations could log into, preventing women having to tell their stories over and over again. This new system was funded as a pilot programme for 15 months and is currently being externally evaluated. Initial data from the project is showing that, as a result of this intervention, the rates of women going back into prison have significantly reduced. What were the benefits to the MoJ of delivering this contract? Christina Line believes that a core benefit of working with the Nelson Trust is the savings that such an approach to criminal justice and the wider system brings to the public purse. It costs the government around £1,500[2] to rehabilitate a woman through the Nelson Trust, but the cost of sending someone to prison is around £46,696 a year.[3] The way the charity is set up means that “we don’t close the door on women, and our support will continue long after the MoJ have finished paying”. The holistic help provided - from supporting people out of addiction and disadvantage to support finding work - also means that they are reducing costs in other ways, such as welfare benefits or ambulance and police call-outs. Christina says the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) is markedly different from larger profit-driven service providers in its dedication to “get on with the job”, explaining that “people work because they want to make an impact”. What top tips do you have for VCSEs looking to work with government? Christina believes that initiatives such as the VCSE Contract Readiness Programme are “essential” to support organisations. She emphasised the importance of partnership working, especially opportunities to collaborate with larger organisations. The Nelson Trust also looked to build strong relationships with commissioning organisations, inviting the MoJ’s female offending policy team to its sites and offering feedback on strategy announcements. Based on a conversation with Christina Line, Chief Operating Officer at the Nelson Trust nelsontrust.com [1] https://www.nicco.org.uk/directory-of-research/the-corston-report [2] What the Nelson Trust are paid on their contract annually [3] https://prisonreformtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/prison_the_facts_2023.pdf

Our new research with the University of Worcester compares the registration and dissolution of Community Interest Companies over the last five years to other businesses, finding interesting differences. Community Interest Companies (CICs) are a legal form for businesses whose activity benefits the community rather than being purely for private gain. Most CICs are social enterprises, so can be a useful way to look at wider sector behaviour. We found that CICs were dissolved, on average, at a lower rate than other forms of registered businesses. CIC registration is growing significantly and proportionately more than other business models, but CICs tend to dissolve at a younger age. Since being created as a legal form in 2005, CIC registration now stands at over 31,500 businesses - with a spike in new CICs during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many were created to help communities manage the impact of the virus. However, as the economy re-opened following the peak of the pandemic, dissolution rates rose and registration rates leveled off across the UK overall, despite variation in English regions and devolved nations To discover more of our research visit our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre

The UK’s largest independent athlete support programme – the GLL Sport Foundation Awards – closes its application window on 20 February. Talented athletes from 65 areas across the UK are invited to apply for a range of support awards which include financial help, access to sport facilities, physiotherapy, lifestyle mentoring and mental health aid. Now in its 15th year of operation, the GLL Sport Foundation has so far contributed over £14m and distributed 26,000 awards to support young talented athletes on their sporting journey. The innovative scheme is provided by charitable social enterprise GLL and a number of partner sponsors and expects to award £1.2m worth of help in 2024 for successful applicants. Already a popular and essential support programme for athletes, the Foundation is expecting heightened athlete interest as training costs, equipment purchases, strength & conditioning costs and travel costs continue to rise.   All successful applicants will be given access to the 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its “Better” trading brand. Applications opened on 20 December 2023 and are available until 20 February 2024. The award application announcement for 2024 was made at the York Stadium Leisure Complex which comprises the LNER Community Stadium and York Leisure Centre.  Both of the co-located venues are run by GLL and now add their world class facilities to those that can be used by GSF athletes in training – including Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s Copper Box Arena, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority’s White Water Centre, Ice Centre and VeloPark; and Manchester’s Aquatics Centre and National Cycling Centre. The LNER Community Stadium will be hosting matches for the Rugby World Cup 2025 as well as resident teams York City FC and York Knights RLFC. Over the past 16 years, GLL Sport Foundation supported athletes have excelled in major competitions and have gained 76 Olympic and Paralympic medals and 77 Commonwealth Games medals. Previous holders of GSF awards include Darryl Neita (athletics), Anna Hursey (table tennis), Charlotte Worthington (BMX), Alex Yee (triathlon), boxers Anthony Joshua, Aiden and Michaela Walsh, divers Tom Daley, Matty Lee and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, swimmers Tully Kearney, Susie Rodgers, Tom Dean and Ellie Simmons. It has always however been a core mission of the programme to support young emerging talent on their sporting journey, with the majority of athletes aged under the age of 21 and the largest cohort under 18 years old. Across the programme, 87% of athletes receive no other funding or athlete support, which underlines the importance of the scheme to both athletes and GLL’s social values. Commenting on the closing of the application window for the GSF Awards 2024, Peter Bundey, GLL Sport Foundation Chair, said: “There’s still time for talented athletes across the country to apply for our awards and take advantage of a unique opportunity to reach their sporting potential. “Previous athletes tell us the awards provide a lifeline to individuals who want to compete at the highest level as well as helping local communities discover the opportunities and enrichment that comes through sport.” Applications are open until 20th February 2024 via the website portal – www.gllsportfoundation.org GSF supported para tennis player Lily Mills, 23, from Islington said: “I’m really excited about the new round of GSF Awards - for all young athletes out there like me, these awards can make a huge difference to us staying in training and competing at the highest level.”

Our latest report reveals that the UK suffers from a business monoculture - an economy dominated by firms that primarily exist to maximise profits, which encourages a short-term focus that can be damaging economically as well as socially and environmentally. We reviewed evidence from the five largest economies in Europe and found that the UK is an outlier, with lower levels of investment and employment in the social economy. Social enterprises and cooperatives deliver 14% of GDP in the Netherlands, 12% in Germany and 10% in France, but our social economy is only worth around 3%.  The research shows that growing the social economy in Spain's Basque Country and the Emilia Romagna region of Italy has increased GDP per capita and reduced inequalities. Overall, the data suggests that investment in people and capital tends to increase productivity, which in turn improves wages and living conditions. This means our European peers with bigger social economies enjoy higher wages and greater representation at work, while the UK struggles with weaker economic performance and lower working standards. We can and must change this. Our calculations show that growing the UK social economy, from the current 3% of GDP to be more in line with neighbouring countries at 12%, could: boost UK investment by £14bn (around 1% of GDP per annum)  raise average wages by up to £2,640 per worker  secure the Living Wage for 400,000 more workers   enable 75,000 more employers to train their staff  give 4.2m workers a real say in how their employers operate  improve work quality by widening access to initiatives like 4-day weeks and flexible working  have significant spill-over effects longer-term on the wider national economy, such as boosting productivity and living standards.  Social Enterprise UK produced this report with support from the Alex Ferry Foundation.

TCES National Online School – whose pupils have special educational needs, with many at risk of becoming ‘ghost children’ through missing out on school entirely - has been named as the first online special school to be accredited under the Department for Education’s new Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS).  The clampdown scheme was launched in response to growing concern about the quality and safety of an unregulated and rapidly growing online education sector. In a blog post explaining the scheme, National Director of Education, Christopher Russell, has identified the risks as: ‘Anyone - qualified or not – could cobble together an unsafe platform, plan a few lessons, and start to charge fees to unsuspecting parents. That’s bad for children, bad for their parents, and it's also unfair for the good online providers that are proud of their work and welcome independent oversight.’ A two-day inspection, during which inspectors spoke to children, parents and the Local Authorities who fund TCES National Online School places, concluded that the school had met all OEAS quality standards: ‘Led by the proprietor, leaders and staff are driven by a strong moral purpose to improve children’s academic and pastoral outcomes. They expertly intertwine education and therapy, working tirelessly to identify, reduce, and often, eliminate the barriers to learning children have faced.’  ‘In line with TCES’ other schools and services, TCES National Online School provides for pupils’ holistic development through a five-part curriculum: academic and vocational, enrichment, engagement, therapeutic and pupil leadership. The curriculum is designed to meet pupils’ educational, therapeutic and SEMH needs and is mapped against the targets in pupils’ EHC plans. When joining the provider, pupils are enrolled as full-time learners, with timetables specific to their needs. As they develop trust in their tutors and build in confidence, pupils access an increasing range of learning opportunities.’ Welcoming the first-of-its-kind quality mark, TCES Founder and CEO Thomas Keaney says:   ‘Being the first online special school to achieve the Department for Education’s quality mark is a huge achievement for my team. It proves that we’re doing what we set out to; provide a first-class, well-rounded education for children with special needs, anxiety and other challenges that make it impossible for them to attend school in person.   ‘Just as importantly the quality mark provides vital reassurance for families and Local Authorities. Now they can look for an online provider with the OEAS quality mark and know that we meet the standards demanded by the Department for Education.’ 10-year-old Daniel has a diagnosis of autism and ADHD and has been studying with TCES National Online School since May 2023. Prior to joining TCES, Daniel’s attendance at his mainstream primary school had fallen to around 50% and getting him into school had become increasingly difficult for his mum Louise, who says:  ‘I used to dread waking up in the morning to get Daniel into school. Sometimes I couldn’t get him there until midday or 1pm.  I felt like I was failing as a mum because he was suffering so much. I want him to have an education, but not at the expense of his mental health. Daniel could certainly have become one of the so-called ‘ghost children’ without TCES National Online School. His school said they couldn’t meet his needs, I would have had to take him out and maybe try home-schooling, but I don’t have any training in that area. Everything could have become very, very difficult for us both. Since he’s been with TCES, I’ve seen Daniel thrive and be independent. He’s excited rather than stressed. He’s calmer, happier, he knows he’s in a safe environment and doesn’t feel threatened.’ TCES CEO Thomas Keaney continues: ‘Most TCES National Online School pupils have Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) owing to their medical diagnoses, special needs, or mental health challenges. Often, they are victims of a broken system which has seen them permanently excluded with no other school that will take them, or waiting years for a special school place in a sector where chronic underinvestment means that need far outstrips supply.  For these families, online school is not a lifestyle choice, a nice to have, it’s quite simply the only way that their complex and vulnerable children can access the education they are entitled to. With more than 36% of children with EHCPs persistently absent, and more than 3,000 reportedly waiting for a special school place, it’s high time we stopped thinking of attendance in a physical school as the only solution. Today is a first for the online education sector, and I hope it sends a clear message that online special education – be it interim or permanent – is a viable option for the future. Regulating the sector must be just the start of the journey for the Department for Education. Next it must consult, invest, and plan for the expansion of state-funded online special schools, rather than allow a two-tier online school system to open up where only those parents who can afford it get the specialist education their children deserve.’ About TCES TCES National Online School has been providing a full online curriculum and school experience to pupils since 2020. It is part of the family-owned, social enterprise group, The Complete Education Solution (TCES). TCES was set up in 1999 by founder and CEO Thomas Keaney whose authentic commitment to inclusion means that no child has ever been permanently excluded in the Group’s 24-year history, and there are no fixed term exclusions either.  Increasingly, pupils referred to TCES National Online School have been out of school for long periods, and at substantial risk of becoming ‘ghost children’ and/or being drawn into criminal and other forms of exploitation owing to a chronic lack of support for them and their families. Working to the same therapeutic education principles used in TCES bricks and mortar schools (rated Good with Outstanding features by Ofsted) TCES National Online School aims to prepare pupils to ‘step down’ into physical mainstream or special schools wherever possible. Pupils attend TCES National Online School for a minimum of six weeks, with the average placement lasting 28 weeks. However, pupils also attend for longer periods where appropriate. The OEAS inspection report confirms that ‘no pupils leaving the provider [TCES National Online School] become NEET’ (not in education, employment or training).

Find out about social enterprise Beam's 131,370 Reasons to Act Now campaign to help support individuals and families experiencing homelessness to find safe and stable homes. Only 4% of Brits gave money to the homeless in 2023, according to the latest research by Beam, the social impact start-up supporting homeless people and refugees. Rates of giving have also declined year on year since 2021. 11% of people reported donating to the homeless in 2021, falling to 9% in 2022. Average giving in December has fallen from £9 in 2022 and £7 in 2021 to a new low of £3, month to date this December. These falling donation rates come at a time when the latest government figures state 131,370 children are now legally homeless, living in emergency accommodation due to the lack of social housing and the deepening cost of living crisis.  According to a survey of 2,000 adults in the UK conducted during the first week of December 2023, the reasons for declining giving were: not carrying cash (34%), the cost of living crisis (31%), unsure of what the money will be spent on (19%), don’t know enough about the individual (11%), and other causes being a priority (5%). The new data highlights the growing impact of a cashless society on giving. The survey also highlights the misconception that homeless people are mostly rough sleeping or begging, when over 80% of homeless people are off the streets in emergency accommodation.  However, there may be signs of a way out. The average one-off donation to people using Beam’s crowdfunding platform is £31.09*, highlighting that online giving, personal stories, direct connections and transparency on where donations go can significantly increase the size of donations.  Beam is the world’s first crowdfunding platform for homeless people and others in need. Beam has been able to help people like Regina from South London, who was introduced to the social impact start-up after almost four years of homelessness. She had to flee her home from an emotionally abusive domestic situation for the safety of herself and her daughter. To afford the hostel that the council offered her, Regina had to quit her estate agent job and go onto Universal Credit. Through Beam, the public funded Regina’s employment training and nursery bills so that her daughter could receive support while she levelled up her career. With Christmas around the corner, Beam has launched its “131,370 Reasons to Act Now” campaign. There are currently 131,370 homeless children in emergency accommodation in the UK. Beam is urgently raising £131,370 to support the individuals and families working with Beam to find a safe and stable home so that next Christmas their situation will be brighter. Alex Stephany, Founder and CEO of Beam: “This winter, we face a deepening homelessness emergency. Beam’s latest research highlights the UK public still holds some outdated beliefs that directly impact people’s willingness to support homeless people. Beam’s online donation platform tears down barriers like lack of cash and worries about where the money will be spent. At the heart of this new model is technology that can directly connect people who care about this issue with those in need. Homelessness is one of the biggest social problems of our time and the need has never been greater. By backing someone on Beam, people can give transparently as each homeless person has their own budget with costs broken down to the nearest pound. Efficiently - as 100% of donations go towards the campaign's cost. And responsibly - as Beam holds all donations securely on behalf of the people we help.” Regina comments: “Homelessness isn’t a choice anyone makes unless they are out of options. People not only need your help, but your kindness. I got 1-1 support from a Beam caseworker and financial support from Beam’s community. And I also heard directly from the donors who left messages of encouragement - those messages were lights of hope in the darkness. I will never forget one I got from a little girl who wanted to use her Christmas money to help the homeless. Those messages kept me going. This Christmas you could help someone like me and your money and kindness could mean that next Christmas they too are out of homelessness and on to a brighter future.” About Beam Beam is a start-up supporting homeless people and refugees into stable jobs and homes for the long-term. Its unique crowdfunding platform helps disadvantaged communities to raise funding for job training, work tools, rental deposits and other financial costs related to finding a job or home. Over 200,000 donations and 60,000 messages of support have flowed through Beam’s platform to homeless people and others in need of support. Donations come from the public and companies, who can view transparent budgets of financial barriers required to support each person. By partnering with the government to fund its overheads, Beam also has a unique 100% giving model, allowing every penny to fund financial barriers for some of the UK’s most vulnerable people this Christmas. Since launching in 2017, Beam has supported more than 2,500 homeless people and refugees into stable jobs and homes.

Serving London for over 20 years, Tarem Services Limited is a social enterprise dedicated to addressing the ongoing issues surrounding in-work poverty within the UK. We firmly believe that every cleaner and other blue-collar worker deserves to earn more than just a ‘living wage’ - this is especially true as the cost of living continues to soar. Our social mission is to “tackle in-work poverty for all and deliver real change within our workforce, create awareness of the issue, and drive better social values. We fully understand how critical our role is in providing our clients with the highest standards in terms of the services we provide. More importantly, we take the well-being of our entire workforce very seriously as they are the backbone of our excellence and persistent successful track record. We’re pleased to share Tarem Services' latest Social Impact Report July 2022 – August 2023.  The report highlights Tarem Services' commitment to delivering positive impact over the last 12 months.  As a social enterprise, we continue to take purposeful actions to uphold our responsibility to create a more sustainable and brighter future.   Download the full report from here

Stockport has been recognised by an expert judging panel as a Social Enterprise Place, meaning the area is committed to purpose-led business and the local economy is thriving. Stockport is one of the fastest growing northwest economies, placed in the UK top 20 for productivity growth. The status is a further welcome addition to the area’s achievements on top of it being ‘one of the top places to invest in 2022’ and affectionately dubbed ‘the new Berlin’ due it’s blossoming arts & culture scene. Jo McGrath, Chief Executive of Sector3, Stockport’s VCFSE infrastructure support organisation says of the status: ‘We see gaining social enterprise place status as another way for us to get focused on what we want and need to create and get our Social Enterprise community noticed for all the wonderful positive impact it has locally as well as the strong social economy we are part of building. The social enterprise community deserve to be recognised for the outstanding contribution they make to society and the economic progress has been made but there is still a way to go. We’ve taken heed of the recommendations from the last State of the Sector report, calling for greater collaboration within the sector and cross-sector, with more partnership opportunities established such as the Proper Good Business Conference.’ Over the past three years Stockport has invested time and resource into its social enterprise community with the creation of a steering group and commencement of investment and support programme, ‘Proper Good’, (funded by Access, the Foundation for Social Investment and Better Society Capital) - both driven by Sector3 and The Goodness Collective. Stockport sees Social Enterprise as a vital part of the economy, having incorporated it into the borough’s economic plan. Furthermore, Social Enterprises can play an important role in addressing and tackling inequalities. Stockport is the 8th most polarised borough in England and the deprived areas have lower education and life expectancy outcomes than comparators. In recent years more social enterprise and third sector organisations have been created to meet these changing communities and local need. Cllr Frankie Singleton, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Hazel Grove and Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Sport says: ‘I’m delighted that Stockport has been named as a registered Social Enterprise Place by Social Enterprise UK. We have so many thriving organisations here in the borough and a real sense of community that is something to be proud of. Social enterprises are good news for everyone: they create positive social change by investing in our communities and third sector organisations. Being officially recognised as a hotspot on a national scale is great news for Stockport, and I look forward to working closely with businesses and the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector to deliver the best outcomes for everyone who lives, works and spends time in the borough.’ The recognition is the result of co-ordinated activity between Stockport’s VCFSE infrastructure support organisation, Sector3, the Stockport Council and social enterprises across the borough via a steering group. Simone Callaghan, director of Social Enterprise The Goodness Collective CIC and leader of Stockport’s Proper Good programme says: ‘Stockport is home to an abundance of enthusiastic people with ideas and passion to support their communities through a different way of doing business that has a positive impact. We have 270 Social Enterprises registered here and counting, working in healthcare and wellness, education and skills development, digital, personal development, financial inclusion, arts and culture sectors and more.’ ‘We’ve got to this stage by supporting each other, working together and challenging the status quo. Those new to the sector in Stockport comment how well-connected, supportive and giving we are as a community.’ Social Enterprise UK’s CEO Peter Holbrook said: “With growing inequalities and the cost-of-living crisis adding to major challenges like housing and work insecurity, social enterprises have never been more important in our society – and Stockport’s social enterprises are already playing a key role in the local economy, not only providing vital services but supporting the community and improving the environment. “We hope that getting Social Enterprise Place status will help act as a lightning rod to galvanise the social enterprise community, supercharge the sectors growth and deliver the economic transformation needed for the communities of Stockport so that they can realise their full potential.” To find out more about Social Enterprise Places click here.

Interestingly Different in Carshalton has been selected as one of the nation’s 100 most impressive small businesses by the Small Business Saturday UK campaign, as it kicks off its second decade in the UK.  Interestingly Different, the innovative and unique retailer selling stunning products made by or supporting adults with learning disabilities or facing other life challenges, launched in January 2023. The shop and online outlet sell a wide range of stunning products, and provide employment opportunities for adults with disabilities as a way of tackling the statistic that only 5% of adults with learning disabilities in the UK are currently in paid employment.  Following a nationwide search it has been chosen as part of this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up, which showcases a line-up of 100 of the most inspiring independent businesses from across the nation.  Karen Stewart, Communications Assistant for Interestingly Different talks about how the team felt about having been selected as one of the Small Biz 100: “Having only launched in January this year, we are absolutely delighted to have already been selected as one of the top small businesses in the country. Naturally we are extremely proud that the quality of our business and products has been appreciated; but to be recognised in this way, as a social enterprise trying to smash stereotypes and create change for adults with learning disabilities, is what brings us the greatest pride of all.” Small Business Saturday will return on 2 December 2023, with a mission to support and celebrate the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses. With small firms facing huge challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis, the campaign is more vital than ever as it moves into its second decade in the UK. Interestingly Different was profiled by the campaign on September 5th as part of the 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday UK. “It’s fantastic to celebrate Interestingly Different as part of this year’s campaign” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK. “The impressive small businesses featured in this year’s SmallBiz100 sum up the phenomenal contribution that small firms make to our economy and local communities.” Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which celebrates small business success and encourages consumers to 'shop local' and to support businesses in their communities. Interestingly Different really does provide a fantastic opportunity for residents of Carshalton and Greater London to shop locally, whilst also selling all of their products online. Interestingly Different also offer a gift hamper service for individual and corporate clients, which creates a fantastic option for big companies to support small businesses whilst ensuring their gifting is socially and ethically responsible. The campaign was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, and the brand remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK.  On Small Business Saturday customers across the UK go out and support all types of small businesses, from independent boutiques and eateries to small service and b2b based businesses like wholesalers and digital marketers. Many small businesses take an active role in promoting the day by hosting events and offering promotions. Interestingly Different will be hosting a Christmas Shopping event on Small Business Saturday as part of their celebration of this incredible achievement. Make sure to follow them on Instagram for more details closer to the day. Over the time the campaign has run in the UK it has engaged millions of people each year and seen over billions of pounds spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday attracts huge attention on the day itself, with an impact that lasts all year. Last year the campaign trended at number one in the UK on social media platform X (formally Twitter), with the Prime Minister and the Mayor of London among those publicly supporting the campaign. Over 90% of local councils also supported the campaign. To get involved in Small Business Saturday UK visit smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com. To learn more about Interestingly Different and to do some impactful shopping visit interestinglydifferent.co.uk . Be sure to sign up to their newsletter for a 10% discount code for your first order.

Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for social good, is inviting trustees, directors, CEOs and managers of charities, social enterprises and community organisations to attend a series of free regional events in September and October. Held in collaboration with local and national sector partners, the events will explore the critical role of sustainable finance in driving positive change and fostering thriving communities. The half-day events will be taking place in Liverpool, London, Wolverhampton, and Southampton, with an additional virtual event to ensure that content is accessible to all. Speakers will include national and regional experts including Locality, Community First, Crowe Accountants, Brabners Solicitors, SIB Network, Charity Intelligence, and others. Together they will discuss how sustainable finance can enable charities and social enterprises to unlock their potential, the state of the sector, local challenges, and explore innovative solutions. The events will also offer an opportunity for charities, social enterprises, and community organisations to connect with like-minded individuals, finance experts, and expand their networks. Each event will be hosted from 9:30am – 12:30pm at the following locations: Liverpool (The Bluecoat, L1 3BX): Thursday 28th September London (Museum of Brands, W11 1QT): Tuesday 3rd October Southampton (Ordnance Survey, SO16 OAS): Thursday 5th October Wolverhampton (ASAN, WV2 1EL): Tuesday 10th October Virtual event (Via Zoom): Tuesday 17th October To find out more and register visit charitybank.org/NavigatingChange About Charity Bank Charity Bank is the loans and savings bank for charities, social enterprises and people who want to make the world a better place. It uses its savers’ money to provide much needed loans to UK organisations working to drive positive social change – bringing benefits for people, communities and the environment. Since 2002, Charity Bank has made more than 1,200 loans totalling over £450m to housing, education, social care, community and other social purpose organisations. Charity Bank is owned by social purpose organisations and aims to use its expertise, commitment and flexible approach to lending, to help charities and social enterprises get the support and funding they need. charitybank.org

The transaction is an offensive to unite two innovative social enterprises and global players in the IT industry; the deal unifies more than 465 autistic employees to become the largest autistic-majority company in the world. auticon and Unicus have entered into an agreement under which the two companies will unite. The deal was brokered by Ferd, an Oslo-based family-owned investment company and shareholder in both companies. The historic deal establishes a global model for an autistic-majority social enterprise and ESG company, addressing the inequalities in employment for neurodivergent adults.   By joining forces, auticon and Unicus increase potential for creating value for customers, employees, and society – in existing and new markets. The combination marks an important next step for our business and social mission. Our customers will get access to a broader range of IT, software and management services and a larger team with a global footprint, while our employees can continue to grow in the same supported work environment.   Under the terms of the deal:  The two combined companies will become the “largest autistic-majority company in the world,” with 81% (465) of its 575 employees on the autism spectrum.  Ferd, an investor in both companies, will become the lead impact investor in the combined company.  The two businesses come together under the umbrella of auticon GmbH as future joint holding company of the auticon and the Unicus shareholders. Lars Johansson-Kjellerød, CEO of the Unicus group will be joining auticon CFO Markus Weber and Group CEO Kurt Schöffer in the management board of auticon GmbH.  The unified company will operate in 14 countries, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, and France.  The company expects to achieve 50M EUR revenue and 600+ employees by the end of 2023. Investors include Ferd, Autism Impact Fund, Ananda Impact Ventures, KOIS, Felix Porsche, Sir Richard Branson, Ferst Capital Partners, and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.  A crisis of unemployment among autistic adults  It is estimated that less than 29% of autistic adults are in any form of meaningful employment (Office for National Statistics, UK, 2022). Many autistic adults possess cognitive strengths that make them particularly well-suited for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Despite this, they are faced with barriers such as an exclusionary recruitment process, poor autism awareness, and employers feeling unprepared to offer support.  With 15 years of experience and a solid track record, a global footprint of 14 countries, proprietary data, and technology platforms, the combined company will provide high-value IT services to clients, including data science, software development, cybersecurity, AI, and quality assurance and testing. Additionally, actionable neurodiversity training and advisory services will become available in Nordic markets.  On a mission to improve the lives of autistic adults  auticon and Unicus are improving the lives of autistic adults through employment. According to internal polling, both companies report significant quality of life improvements for employees, including increased self-esteem, quality of life, income, confidence, and improved well-being. To learn more, view the latest impact reports for Unicus and auticon.   auticon Group CEO Kurt Schöffer commented: “Imagine a company where the majority are autistic. Most could never conceive of such a thing, yet we come to work every day. This merger unites two high-profile IT consulting companies behind a unifying purpose – neurodiversity.”  auticon CFO Markus Weber commented: “This deal makes auticon even more interesting for the financial market. Under the guidance of Ferd, now our largest shareholder, auticon has unlimited possibilities and guidance for further growth.”  Unicus Founder and CEO Lars Johansson-Kjellerød commented: "By our marriage, we create the world's largest autistic-majority corporation. With the focus on neurodiversity, we will continue to create unique results for our customers and an increased quality of life for our employees. The joint companies have the same DNA and vision to create a more inclusive world, and when we combine Unicus and auticon's long experience, that is, in my opinion, the best prerequisites to successfully foster change and innovation and to create the leading Social company focusing on neurodiversity. I am looking forward to the journey ahead!" Ferd owner and Chair, Johan H. Andresen commented: "The combination of auticon and Unicus represents a major milestone for social impact investing. When Ferd started investing in social entrepreneurs in 2007 we had a vision that it would be possible to build and scale these organizations with their innovative solutions and that they could deliver both great social impact and strong financial performance.    Our journey with Unicus started in 2009, with a small grant to fund a pilot project, followed by an investment in auticon in 2018. Now we are witnessing the emergence of a multinational social entrepreneur, one of the very first of its kind. We are very excited and proud to support the new group in its ambitious plans going forward."  About auticon  auticon is an award-winning social innovation company. As an autistic-majority company, we're a resource for talent. We integrate our technology consultants into client organizations, performing as software developers, data analysts, QA engineers, and more. Clients experience our outstanding autistic professionals first-hand, opening minds and achieving diversity goals.  Our model improves the economic and social conditions of the autistic community with quality careers, unlocking opportunity, and empowering client organisations through actionable neurodiversity training and advisory services. Here, our employees build lifelong careers in technology, discovering personal autonomy and improved self-esteem.  Investors include Ferd, Autism Impact Fund, Ananda Impact Ventures, KOIS, Felix Porsche, Sir Richard Branson, Ferst Capital Partners and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. For more information, visit www.auticon.com. About Unicus  Unicus was founded in 2008 by Lars Johansson-Kjellerød, with the vision of a better and more inclusive world for people with autism built on the individual`s strengths. Unicus is an IT company specialized in services within Datascience, Software development, RPA and Software testing and today operates in Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and newly started in Poland, with many of the largest Nordic companies on their customer list. For more information, see www.unicus.com  About Ferd  Ferd is a Norwegian family-owned investment company owned by the fifth and sixth generations of the Andresen family. The investment company is called Ferd (‘journey’) because, in the true sense of the word, it represents ‘travel without an end’. The Ferd vision – to create enduring value and leave clear footprints – articulates a firm commitment to creating value that is not just financial. Ferd is an active, long-term investor in social innovative enterprises that generate measurable social impact using a sustainable business model. Ferd is the majority shareholder in Unicus, and has been a supporter of the company since inception in 2009. For more information, see www.ferd.no/en/ 

Social Enterprise UK member Fair for You is a winner in the prestigious Global Good Awards for the second consecutive year. Fair for You was recognised in the Community Partnerships category for its pioneering Iceland Food Club scheme, which it operates for retailer Iceland Foods. The zero-interest loans scheme, which enables families to stock up ahead of school holidays, has been used by more than 26,000 households, meaning an estimated 50,000-plus children have been able to avoid going hungry. Evidence has shown that the scheme has helped parents to get control of their finances, reduce stress and anxiety, and avoid having to use dangerous illegal lenders. In 2022, Fair for You was awarded the 'One to Watch' prize in the Community Partnership category, not long after the scheme was rolled out nationally. In 2023, it took a step up and secured a Bronze award in what was again a highly-competitive category. Simon Dukes, CEO of Fair for You, said:  "The Iceland Food Club, our ground-breaking partnership with Iceland Foods, has helped remove the threat of food poverty from an estimated 50,000 children. "In turn it has helped their parents to get their finances under control, and avoid having to turn to dangerous illegal lenders. "Being recognised alongside other fantastic schemes by these prestigious awards is further validation of the power of affordable credit, and the impact retailers can have through such partnerships." Earlier this year, the Iceland Food Club was highlighted as an important measure by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ending the Need for Food Banks, supported by the Trussell Trust, in its report ‘Cash or food? Exploring effective responses to destitution’. The report highlighted the social impact of the Iceland Food Club, and the role of affordable credit schemes such as this in helping to “prevent people needing to turn to loan sharks or high-interest loan companies, which could make a bad situation turn worse”. Fair for You was created in 2015. It is owned by a charity, and reinvests all surpluses into its social mission of supporting financially-excluded households to buy essential items, avoid hardship and improve their financial resilience. It is backed by a range of leading charities and social investors, including Big Issue Invest, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Social Investment Scotland and the government-supported Fair4All Finance.

GLL – the UK’s largest provider of public leisure facilities – has taken an important next step towards powering its facilities with renewable energy with the announcement of its first ‘Green Gym’. Charlton Lido and Lifestyle Club in South East London boasts a 350 m2  gym with over 40 pieces of equipment, many of which are “Self-Powered” .  Since installing a brand new 38 kW solar array on the roof, the power generated now has sufficient capacity to operate the gym by renewable energy for the first time. The forward thinking charitable social enterprise – which missed out on Government energy support afforded to Cultural institutions like libraries and museums – has made the investment from its own capital reserves as part of its journey towards a carbon zero future.  The new panels at Charlton Gym will generate 35,000kWh of renewable power and save 7 tonnes of CO2 per annum. At the same time, the company has invested in a solar panel array at Middlegate House – its Royal Arsenal Riverside HQ – which is providing the power needs of its Customer Service Centre, again for the very first time. GLL’s solar installation for the Customer Service Centre also allows for surplus energy to be stored in batteries for rainy day use – a boon in Britain’s fickle climate. The investment comes on the back of a multi-year journey to make the business – which operates nearly 400 facilities across Belfast, Cardiff and England - more sustainable,  reducing waste, CO2 and energy consumption under its “Respecting the Planet” Corporate Value.  GLL is also working closely with its partners to invest in the environment for the future. Chris Hebblewhite, GLL’s National Director of Standards & Compliance said: “This is fantastic news for GLL, taking our sustainability journey towards zero carbon to the next level. “Our customers and staff will benefit too knowing that respecting the planet is an important part of the purposed business they have chosen to be a part of. “Our social enterprise is all about making a difference for communities and the climate crisis is already having an effect on them. Reducing our impact on the environment aligns us with the ambitious goals of our local authority partners and we are very pleased to expect to be able to make further announcements later this year. “GLL has already invested millions of pounds in green technologies over the last few years and these latest investments are another important part of our journey”

Social Enterprise UK has collaborated with the Co-operative Party, to produce a new report exploring how we can make the UK the best place to start an alternative business. Alternative businesses, including social enterprises and co-operatives are key for delivering shared prosperity and building a more resilient economy. However, many of these businesses face distinct challenges that can hinder their development and growth. This new report puts forward an ambitious yet practical policy recommendations, aimed at nurturing those businesses that believe in more than profit. Through improving access to finance, simplifying governance, and building networks, we can create a richer, more diverse business community that will address the entrenched challenges our country faces. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ALTERNATIVE BUSINESS REVIEW

The award-winning service for adults with disabilities, Nickel Support, has launched their new shop “Interestingly Different”, which sources and sells a wide range of beautiful products all created, designed and/or packaged by adults with learning disabilities or facing life challenges. Interestingly Different, the gift and homewares store with a difference has re-opened after being transformed in a spectacular renovation. The shop in Carshalton, Sutton,  sells an incredible and varied selection of high quality gifts and homewares. The social enterprise has also relaunched its website, giving shoppers the choice of buying in person or online. All of the products being sold are made by social enterprises supporting marginalised groups across the country. However, as well as providing a unique place for shoppers who want to shop more consciously, Interestingly Different’s core goal is to provide training and employment opportunities for their 100 trainees who all have a learning disability and/or autism, and thus enabling them to lead a purposeful and fulfilled life. Just 4.8% of adults with learning disabilities are in paid employment. Nick Walsh and Elena Nicola set out to change this statistic over 10 years ago when they founded Nickel Support after they had become disillusioned by the learning disability sector as a whole. They felt that people with learning disabilities were being short changed by some of the more traditional services, and that they deserved so much more, including more opportunities for paid employment. Amongst their other strands of support, Nickel Support and Interestingly Different have helped address this lack of opportunities by launching various enterprises, including upcycling furniture and the development of a range of hugely popular jams and chutneys. Nick Walsh, Nickel Support’s Operations Director commented: “The enterprises have been fantastic for harnessing the skills and abilities of the trainees. However, as the enterprises grew it became obvious that there was scope for widening the areas in which trainees could gain skills, as well as to provide more opportunities for paid employment. We put our heads together, successfully secured funding, and set about refurbishing and expanding Interestingly Different.” After various months of hard work, the shop was transformed into the beautiful light and airy space it is now. On February 3rd, 2023, Elliot Coburn MP cut the ribbon alongside a group of trainees and declared the shop open for business. The launch of the physical shop was also an opportunity to announce the count-down to the online store, which went live a few weeks later. Interestingly Different now sources and sells a wide range of products from over 15 other UK based social enterprises, all of whom are working with adults with disabilities or facing life challenges. The shop offers a unique opportunity for the trainees to acquire the vast range of skills required for employment in the retail industry such as fulfilment, customer service, and till work to name a few. The shop also works with corporate clients to help with their gifting needs. Seeing Interestingly Different’s trainees working in the shop - be it behind the till and serving customers, or downstairs packaging up online orders - you can really sense that this is a place where they are valued, and are being equipped with vital skills for the workplace. One trainee commented, “The training has given me the self belief and confidence to work”. There are currently five Interestingly Different trainees in paid employment, a number they hope to increase in the near future as the shop gets busier. Interestingly Different is open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and their  website, https://interestinglydifferent.co.uk/ is currently offering a 10% discount off your first order when you sign up to their newsletter. They also work with corporate clients in making gift hampers.  Each and every purchase helps towards the greater goal of an inclusive society where adults with disabilities are able to meet their potential and live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Interestingly Different is part of their parent organisation, Nickel Support. Nickel Support is a pioneering, award winning, not-for-profit community interest company set up in 2012, which works with over 100 adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Nickel Support is based in Sutton and now work with over 100 adults with learning disabilities across their two branches in Carshalton and Cheam. Nickel Support was a finalist in the 2022 National SME Business Awards as well as in the 2022 Social Enterprise Awards; and has recently been shortlisted for the 2023 Small Awards. For further information or quotes regarding Nickel Support, please contact Nick Walsh, nick.walsh@nickel.org.uk , 020 8669 5567. For further information or quotes regarding Interestingly Different, please contact Ashley Walsh, ashley.walsh@nickel.org.uk , 020 8669 5567. For a press-pack of high resolution images please contact Ashley Walsh as per the above details. Interestingly Different has also written articles for a number of publications. If you would be interested in article provision, please contact hello@interestinglydifferent.co.uk. Interestingly Different & Nickel Support, 15 & 16 The Parade, Benyon Road, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3RL www.nickel.org.uk www.interestinglydifferent.co.uk

A multi-award winning social enterprise aiming to eradicate period poverty is celebrating after donating 30 million products to vulnerable people. The team at Musselburgh-based Hey Girls reached the major milestone this month after just five years of trading. The multi-award-winning social enterprise operates on a “buy one, donate one” model – meaning a box of period products is donated to community partners like foodbanks, homeless shelters and women’s refuges for everyone purchased. Celia Hodson founded the business with her daughters Kate and Bec after the family personally experienced the hardships of period poverty. Speaking after reaching the milestone, she said the business will not slow down while people continue to endure similar experiences. She said: “All of us are absolutely thrilled to reach such a major milestone. “In five years we have helped reshape the attitude towards periods in the UK and played our role in breaking the taboo. “But our work is far from over. The cost of living crisis has seen more people fall into period poverty and they need our help. “We are incredibly thankful to all our valued customers and supporters for helping us reach 30 million donations – but we won’t be celebrating for long. Now is the time for action.” One in 10 people in the UK are affected by period poverty, a situation that has worsened with the economic crisis. Customers typically include businesses looking to improve period dignity in the workplace, as well as local councils, universities and schools. Their purchases are matched with a donation to Hey Girls’ network of more than 250 community partners – a number continuing to grow. Away from selling products, the Hey Girls team also work hard to put pressure on governments and local authorities to bring forward positive change. Celia added: “So much has changed since we first started – and the passing of the Period Products Act in Scotland is proof that a fairer world is possible. “That historic day is one that will stay with us forever, but now is the time for the rest of the country to follow suit and achieve period equality once and for all.” Visit Hey Girls page on the Social Enterprise Directory

This year, Breadwinners took Impact reporting to the next level by using a Participatory Action Research methodology. Led by Abdoul, a graduate of the Risers Programme, and a team of 12 young people including participants from the Proofers Programme, young people designed the survey questions and called over 250 alumni. This approach not only provided Breadwinners with meaningful insights to improve our programmes, but it also gave Breadwinners programme participants the opportunity to gain new skills and paid work. Read the full report here Breadwinners won the Prove It: Social Impact award at the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2022 - find out more.

Delivered by the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) and Voice4Change England, and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – the VCSE Contract Readiness Programme‘s objective is to enable greater participation of charities and social enterprises (otherwise known as Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations) in public service procurement. The VCSE Pathway The VCSE pathway is the primary part of the programme. It offers charities and social enterprises a range of webinars, short and long courses to help them understand the public procurement process and provide them with support to better compete for public sector contracts. Upcoming courses and webinars can be found on the SSE website CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE VCSE PATHWAY AND GET INVOLVED The Commissioner Pathway The commissioner pathway offers a range of support for public sector commissioners to help them understand the charity and social enterprise sector and how best to work with them. Social Enterprise UK are leading on the commissioner engagement stream of the programme. This will involve working with government at a strategic and departmental level to make it easier for government to engage with VCSE suppliers. At a strategic level, this work will include: Working with Contracts Finder/Find a Tender on enriching the VCSE data held by government. Driving engagement with government platforms/tenders from a wider range of VCSEs. Building a Champions network of commissioners to help them to drive the agenda forward.  At a departmental level, SEUK will also be: Benchmarking departmental spend with VCSEs by using SEUK’s datasets to help departments. understand how much they’re spending with VCSEs and how they can do more. Engaging staff through a series of “Demystifying the VCSE sector” webinars. Driving new relationships through a series of targeted meet the buyer events working with relevant VCSE suppliers for specific departmental/category level spend. SEUK are working closely with DCMS to drive all of the above activity with the relevant areas of government. If you work for a department and would like to engage with the programme or find our more please email the DCMS public sector commissioning team at public-sector-commissioning-team@dcms.gov.uk

Here at Data Orchard CIC, our research shows that a lack of knowledge and skills about data is a major problem across the nonprofit sector, and that leaders are generally not making data-informed decisions. We think leaders are the key to advancing data maturity and to securing organisational commitment to drive improvements. With this in mind, we’ve launched a brand new training course designed especially for nonprofit leaders, board members and CEOs to teach the big picture things you need to know and understand about data, so you can lead your organisation’s journey to getting better with data. The 5-week course is available for enrolment now, with the first cohort running 26 April - 24 May. We’re offering a 10% discount to social enterprise leaders, using the code SEUK10 and a discounted rate for the keenest early birds. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK YOUR PLACE

London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) Invites Children, Parents and all Early Years Settings to Join Them on their Pioneering Sustainability Journey with the Publication of its Unique Strategy. LEYF has launched its very first Sustainability Strategy which sets out its ‘Green LEYF’ approach to become a sector-leading sustainability organisation, working in partnership with the Early Years and Schools to lead and amplify best practice whilst preparing children to undertake their roles and responsibilities as dutiful global citizens. As LEYF celebrates its 120th anniversary in 2023 plus its Planet Mark Award for employee engagement and its ongoing carbon footprint measurement as an organisation, the social enterprise organisation is naming 2023 as its Year of Sustainability – with a call for all Early Years settings across the UK to put sustainability at its core. Framed within the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed by the United Nations (2015) which are underpinned by the three pillars of sustainability: economic prosperity, social equity and environmental integrity, LEYF’s approach to sustainability is based on its duty to do its bit to give our children the education needed to become rounded global citizens of the future. Sustainability is often focused on environmental issues through climate change issues but it is also critical to how we shape businesses, lead with a social purpose and address unfairness and environmental damage that comes through our current market economy. LEYF demonstrates how a social enterprise can operate an effective business model which allows us to subsidise up to 35% of places to children from more disadvantaged communities who benefit enormously from high quality Early Years education. When LEYF first started to define what was meant by sustainability nearly ten years ago, it sought the support of all the staff. LEYF believes that change needs be championed at every level of an organisation if it is to be fully embraced. The result was a very collaborative approach with engagement from the grassroots right through our governance, pedagogy and operations. LEYF continues to build this into a sustainability community of practice and hope people will join the journey. LEYF initially began looking at ‘little wins’ that would have a big effect such as removing single-use plastics where possible, changing all milk deliveries to glass bottles so they could be reused and recycled, banning glitter and placing wormeries and composters in every nursery garden to help reduce food waste. From that promising beginning, an organisation-wide approach was developed that mapped LEYF’s steps to complete the ISO 14001 and achieve the Planet Mark which provided the framework to plan a strategy that included our governance, operations, procurement and practice. To help educate staff, LEYF also developed and introduced the first Level 4 Cache endorsed qualification - Developing Sustainability in the Early Years and supported this with two books: one on social leadership and the other providing ideas for sustainability in a nursery. All this groundwork helped us make decisions through a stronger sustainable lens  and build a strong strategy. Furthermore, sustainability has been embedded into every element of the organisation including the governance, pedagogy and operations along with an understanding that motivates and empowers children, colleagues and parents. June O’Sullivan, CEO of LEYF says: “Sustainability is finally moving to the centre of political and public agenda, especially as we face huge global issues including growing poverty, inequity in education, environmental degradation and much more. Sustainability needs to be led from the top and engage everyone in the organisation. It needs a holistic strategy if it is to work.  Everyone needs to play their part including the children. People think children don’t understand about sustainability, but they do and they are interested. Our job is to prepare them to undertake their roles and responsibilities as global citizens of the future.” The 8 principles below that are underlying LEYF’s approach to sustainability stem from Permaculture–Permaculture which is a way of creating practical sustainable and self-sufficient ways of living – including principles that align with a holistic approach that can be altered to different scales. leyf.org.uk

The UK’s largest independent athlete support programme closes its annual Award programme for new applications next month (20 February). Talented athletes from across 65 areas across the UK are invited to apply for a range of support awards which include financial support, access to sport facilities, physiotherapy, lifestyle mentoring and mental health support. The GLL Sport Foundation celebrates its 15th year in 2023 and it is the UK’s largest independent athlete award programme which has so far contributed over £13m to help over 24,000 athletes on their sporting journey. Previous holders of GSF awards include Darryl Neita (athletics), Anna Hursey (table tennis), Charlotte Worthington MBE (BMX), Alex Yee MBE (triathlon), Anthony Joshua OBE, Aiden and Michaela Walsh (boxing), Tom Daley OBE, Matty Lee MBE and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix (diving), Tom Dean MBE (swimming), Tully Kearney MBE, Susie Rodgers MBE and Ellie Simmons OBE (Paralympic swimming). The innovative scheme is provided by charitable social enterprise GLL and expects to award £1.2m worth of help in 2023 for successful applicants. Already a popular and essential support programme for athletes, the Foundation is expecting heightened athlete interest as the cost of living crisis hits and training costs, equipment purchases, strength & conditioning costs and travel costs continue to rise.   All successful applicants will be given access to the 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its “Better” trading brand – including the iconic London Aquatics Centre, Copper Box Arena, Manchester Aquatics Centre and National Cycling Centre, Lee Valley VeloPark and White Water Centre. Over the past 15 years, GLL Sport Foundation supported athletes have excelled in major competitions and have gained 76 Olympic and Paralympic medals and 77 Commonwealth Games medals. Peter Bundey, GLL Sport Foundation Chair, said: “With the majority of award holders aged under 21 and 87% receiving no other funding support, our Sports Awards offer a lifeline to many talented young athletes as well as helping local communities discover the opportunities and enrichment that come through sport”.  Applications are open until 20th February 2023 via the website portal – www.gllsportfoundation.org Notes to the editor About GLL/Better Established in 1993, GLL is the largest UK-based charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and community services. Operating under the Better brand, we manage 258 public sport and leisure centres, 113 libraries and 10 children’s centres in partnership with 50 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations. GLL has 850,000 members and welcomes 46 million customer visits per year. www.gll.org For more information, please contact: charles.dean@gll.org or 07813 458 258

Welcome to the Public Services Hub. This page is intended to support public sector professionals to understand why and how to engage with voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs). The VCSE sector’s expertise and commitment to purpose make them natural commercial partners for government and well placed to deliver effective public services. What is the VCSE Sector? Government uses the term voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector to refer to the charity and social enterprise sectors. Most people are familiar with the charity sector, and aware of its long history working with and delivering on behalf of government. Many will be less familiar with social enterprises. Social enterprises are businesses which trade for a social or environmental purpose. To be a social enterprise, the organisation should: have a clear social or environmental mission set out in its governing documents and be controlled in the interest of that mission. be independent of state or government control, and earn more than half of its income through trading re-invest or donate at least half of its profits or surpluses towards their mission There are more than 168,000[1] registered charities in England and Wales, contributing £15.6 billion[2] to the economy and employing around 1 million[3] people - 3% of the UK workforce. There are an estimated 131,000 social enterprises in the UK, employing an estimated £1.9 million people.[4] Social Enterprise UK estimate social enterprises contribute £60 billion to the economy.[5] Why work with VCSEs? Working with VCSEs has many benefits for government. In terms of policy alignment, VCSEs are the ideal partner to government in a number of key areas: Levelling Up. Over 75% of VCSEs deliver public services where they are based, with strong links to and knowledge of that locality.[6] Their expertise and connection to local areas ideally place them to create responsive, efficient and trusted public services. Social Value Act. The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 aims to improve procurement practice and diversify suppliers to the government, enabling more VCSEs to deliver public services. It requires public service commissioners to consider how they can secure wider social, economic and environmental benefits, known as social value, through the performance of a contract. Government extended the Social Value Act by launching the Social Value Model, placing new requirements on central government from January 2021 onwards to explicitly evaluate social value and thereby further encourage the commissioning of VCSEs. SMEs. Government is committed to supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) via government procurement. The majority of VCSEs are also SMEs[7] – so working with them helps support those targets as well. Are they competitive? Government is committed to delivering social value and increasing opportunities for VCSEs in public procurement. Working with VCSE suppliers is a win-win for government, with VCSEs also providing competitive, innovative and high quality services in spite of the common misconception that they will be less competitive. According to SEUK’s research on the £250m spent to date by our corporate supply chain partners, over 80% found VCSEs were competitive on price and over 95% were comparable or better quality than incumbent providers.[8] VCSEs can also bring innovation to government delivery. The government’s Social Enterprise Market Trends Report 2019 found that social enterprises were more likely to have introduced a new or significantly improved service during the past three years.[9] Development of new products and services is the proxy used by government to measure innovation. VCSEs deliver differently, and this can help to bring new solutions to government. What sectors do they operate in? VCSEs operate in a variety of sectors. They are well known to operate in ‘people-services’ sectors such as health and social care, employability, homelessness, disability and domestic violence and sexual abuse support services. However, charities and social enterprises also operate in every other area of the business sector from technology to legal services. Resources for Commissioners VCSE Contract Readiness Programme Delivered by the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) and Voice4Change England, and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – the VCSE Contract Readiness Programme is designed to work with both VCSEs and public sector commissioners. Social Enterprise UK are leading on the commissioner stream of the programme. This will involve working with central government departments to make it easier for government to engage with VCSE suppliers.  This will include working with central government departments to: Benchmark departmental spend with VCSEs by using SEUK and open-source datasets to help departments understand how much they’re spending with VCSEs and how they can do more Engaging staff through a series of “Demystifying the VCSE sector” webinars Driving new relationships through a series of targeted “meet the buyer” events working with relevant VCSE suppliers for specific departmental/category level spend SEUK are working closely with DCMS to drive all of the above activity with the relevant areas of government. If you work for a department and would like to engage with the programme or find out more please email the DCMS public sector commissioning team on public-sector-commissioning-team@dcms.gov.uk. Commissioning for Social Value The Public Services (Social Value) Act requires people who commission public services to think about how they can also secure wider social, economic and environmental benefits, known as social value, through a contract. The Social Value Model – In 2018 government announced it would go further and explicitly evaluate social value when awarding most major contracts with all departments expected to report on the social impact of their major contracts. The Social Value Model helps government departments implement the changes. It provides a consistent approach to social value for both commissioners and suppliers. More details on how this works can be found in Procurement Policy Notice 06/20 (PPN 06/20) Guides and other online resources The art of the possible in public procurement  - This report published by E3M looks at the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the flexibility it provides commissioners. It goes through how commissioners can unlock these flexibilities, highlighting the art of what is possible in public procurement. From procurement to partnership: A practical toolkit for commissioners - This step by step guide from E3M has been created to help commissioners maximise positive social outcomes and public value through the creation of effective public service community partnerships. Local Authority Guide – A guide created by Social Enterprise UK and supported by GLL is for people working in local authorities who are interested in social enterprise: council leaders, senior managers, directors of services, commissioners, heads of procurement, or those with responsibility for economic development. It explains what social enterprise is, how social enterprises can help meet a local authority’s strategic objectives, and gives practical advice on how local authorities can best work with them Government Outcomes Lab outcomes toolkit - for commissioners considering using outcomes based commissioning in their work with VCSE partners. Research The role of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations in public procurement (August 2022) – This publication from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) explores the role which VCSEs can play in public services. It looks at VCSEs current participation in public procurement, the barriers faced by VCSEs in securing public sector contracts and how these can be reduced. UK Public Procurement through VCSEs, 2016-2020 – DCMS research carried out by Tussell to analyse the scale and proportion of UK public sector procurement conducted through VCSEs from 2016 through to 2020. Creating a social value economy (May 2022) – This report sets out a new vision for social value and how it can be used as a tool to shape markets, transform public services and create an environmentally sustainable future. This was published as part of the Social Value 2032 Programme, a programme of work delivered by SEUK in partnership with Jacobs, PwC, Shaw Trust, Siemens and Suez. Social Enterprises Market Tends Report (April 2021) – DCMS coordinates government policy towards social enterprises and commissioned this report. It examines the sector and identifies its scale in the UK, utilising a broad DCMS definition which includes both social enterprises within the voluntary and community sector and also social enterprises operating as mission-led or purposeful businesses with private sector legal forms. Front and Centre report (May 2019) – The report focuses on the extent to which social valuehas been embedded through processes and priorities within government. It particularlylooked at the understanding and awareness of the Act in local government among officers andcouncillors outside of procurement teams and examined the appetite to use the Act. Find suppliers The Social Enterprise Directory – A directory of all social enterprises which are members of Social Enterprise UK. Upcoming Changes to working with VCSEs The Procurement Act will come into force during 2024 and is set to reform the UK’s public procurement regime post-Brexit. Provisions within the Bill will more effectively open up public procurement to VCSEs so that they can compete for and win more public contracts. Further detail on the Bill is available at the Transforming Public Procurement landing page. [1] Charity Commission, as of 17th February 2022 [2] DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates, Summed Monthly GVA (to September 2022) [3] DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates, Employment July 2021-Jun 2022 [4] DCMS BEIS Social Market Trends report, April 2019 [5] The Hidden Revolution - SEUK, 2018 [6] Tussell Trust Research for DCMS, UK Public Procurement through VCSEs 2016-2020, 2021. [7] State of Social Enterprise report 2023 and Charity Commission 2023 [8] Buy Social Corporate Challenge Year 6 Impact Report, SEUK, 2022 [9] DCMS BEIS Social Market Trends report, April 2019

The UK’s largest independent athlete support programme opens its annual Award programme for new applications today (20 December 2022). Talented athletes from across 65 areas across the UK are invited to apply for a range of support awards which include financial support, access to sport facilities, physiotherapy, lifestyle mentoring and mental health support. The GLL Sport Foundation celebrates its 15th year in 2023 and it is the UK’s largest independent athlete award programme which has so far contributed over £13m to help over 24,000 athletes on their sporting journey. The innovative scheme is provided by charitable social enterprise GLL and expects to award £1.2m worth of help in 2023 for successful applicants. Already a popular and essential support programme for athletes, the Foundation is expecting heightened athlete interest as the cost of living crisis hits and training costs, equipment purchases, strength & conditioning costs and travel costs continue to rise.   All successful applicants will be given access to the 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its “Better” trading brand. Applications open from 20 December 2022 until 20th February 2023. The award application announcement for 2023 was made at Lee Valley VeloPark, following the commencement of GLL’s newest partnership with Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA). This means that athletes based at LVRPA’s world class facilities are now able to join the GLL Sport Foundation, including Lee Valley VeloPark (which hosted the Commonwealth Games Track Cycling event in 2022), Lee Valley White Water Centre (hosting the ICF Canoe World Slalom Championships in 2023), Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, Lee Valley Athletics Centre, Lee Valley Riding Centre, and the new £30m Lee Valley Ice Centre (opening in 2023). This is in addition to a number of other world class venues – the London Aquatics Centre and Copper Box Arena on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Manchester’s Aquatics Centre (reopens 2023) and National Cycling Centre. Over the past 15 years, GLL Sport Foundation supported athletes have excelled in major competitions and have gained 76 Olympic and Paralympic medals and 77 Commonwealth Games medals. Previous holders of GSF awards include Darryl Neita (athletics), Anna Hursey (table tennis), Charlotte Worthington (BMX), Alex Yee (triathlon), boxers Anthony Joshua, Aiden and Michaela Walsh, divers Tom Daley, Matty Lee and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, swimmers Tully Kearney, Susie Rodgers, Tom Dean and Ellie Simmons. It has always however been a core mission of the programme to support young emerging talent on their sporting journey, with the majority of athletes aged under the age of 21 and the largest cohort under 18 years old. Across the programme, 87% of athletes receive no other funding or athlete support, which underlines the importance of the scheme to both athletes and GLL’s social values. Speaking at the launch of the awards at Lee Valley VeloPark, Peter Bundey, GLL Sport Foundation Chair, paid tribute to the support of Foundation Patron Sally Gunnell and all partners involved in the programme including; SportsAid, Mary Peters Trust, SportsAid Wales, sponsors, medical and local authority partners and a new collaboration for 2023 with Switch The Play, who will provide wider mentoring and mental health support.  “Our awards work alongside a number of national talent pathways, provide a lifeline to individual athletes as well as helping local communities discover the opportunities and enrichment that comes through sport”.  Daryll Neita, who secured a bronze in the women’s 100m and a silver in the 4x4 100m relay at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games said:  “I am so thankful for the support I have received from GLL Sport Foundation. My first individual medal ever is extremely special and I would not be here if it wasn’t for the support I have received from the GLL ‘family’.” The successful impact of the Foundation is important to Patron Sally Gunnell OBE, who remains the only athlete to hold consecutive Olympic, World and Commonwealth titles.  She said:  “From my own experience starting out as a young athlete and progressing through my sport, I understand how important the recognition and support from organisations like the GLL Sport Foundation can be to a young athletes. It can make the difference in achieving sporting ambitions. “This is ever-more important today as we recover from a difficult and challenging two years, where dreams have been put on hold and sport had to stop. Athletes can now refocus having re-started competition and working towards those goals with the support of the GLL Sport Foundation.” Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority said: “We’re delighted to support the GLL Sport Foundation Awards in 2023 – it’s an extension of the commitment we consistently make to communities across the region. “These are hard times for athletes so any extra financial or practical help is welcomed ahead of national and international competition. “Like the GLL Sport Foundation, our venues are truly inspiring, offering world class facilities for athletes and anyone who wants to take part in sports and physical activity for fun and health.” Applications are open until 20th February 2023 via the website portal – www.gllsportfoundation.org About GLL/Better Established in 1993, GLL is the largest UK-based charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and community services. Operating under the Better brand, we manage 258 public sport and leisure centres, 113 libraries and 10 children’s centres in partnership with 50 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations. GLL has 850,000 members and welcomes 46 million customer visits per year. Co-founder and CEO of GLL, Mark Sesnan OBE, is stepping down from his role at the end of 2022. Mark has been a key figure in the social enterprise movement for over 30 years, and under his tenure GLL has grown to being one of the country’s largest and most successful social enterprises. Find out more about Mark’s involvement with GLL here. www.gll.org GSF athletes attending the GSF Awards launch event at Lee Valley VeloPark were: Will Kirk - triathlete Jonty Yin - taekwondo Kimberley Woods - canoe slalom Joe Clarke - canoe slalom Nikita Setchell - canoe slalom Prince Reid - para athletics Chris Reid - para athletics Gavin Rumgay - table tennis Amy Holder - discus Susanna Banjo - athletics Catherine Demont - swimming masters

November 2022 A must-visit London event for those curious to discover work by the worldʼs most exciting makers, Cockpitʼs Winter Open Studios return this year, revealing the extraordinary work made behind closed doors at Cockpit Bloomsbury from 25 to 27 and Cockpit Deptford from 2 to 4 December. United by their unrivalled skill and imagination, Cockpit makers span every kind of craft practice, from finely made functional homeware to exceptional one-of-a-kind art objects. With prices to suit all budgets and many one-off, new and exclusive pieces launching, there is no better place to buy handmade this Christmas. The Winter Open Studios offer a rare chance to purchase directly from the private workshops of more than 160 of the countryʼs best emerging makers and globally renowned craftspeople working in textiles, glass, weaving, jewellery, ceramics and much more. Works are created sustainably and hyper-locally, on site and by hand. While investing in storied pieces that are designed to last, visitors can experience the visceral nature of physical making up close. They can explore what it means, and how it feels, to make and own things with intrinsic meaning and exceptional quality. A number of makers will show new work at Cockpitʼs Winter Open Studios, including a group of timeless yet contemporary new jewellery designs by Zia Huang, whose imaginative breadth of work spans everything from abstract minimalism to organic geometric forms. Jeweller Hannah Bedford will show Rain, a new collection that has evolved from a series of observations of droplets in nature. Also debuting a new jewellery collection, Ciara Bowles will unveil Kaleidoscope, an exciting group of jewels that juxtapose and harmonise colour combinations using reclaimed gemstones. Shamanic spirit artist and jeweller Chloe Valorso, an MA graduate in Jewellery and Metal at the Royal Academy of Arts, will introduce a new collection of Spirit Amulets and new editions to her much-loved Smiley rings. Exclusively for Open Studios sculptor Lucille Lewin will launch a series of new pieces, including small porcelain works, brass boxes and petri dishes. As part of her ongoing research and development of glaze, ceramicist Tessa Eastman will reveal pieces glazed with metallic surfaces alongside five miniature versions of her popular Baby Cloud Bundle sculptures. Textile artist Ellen Mae Williams will show work created during her recent residency on the Greek island of Skopelos, seen in the UK for the first time at the Winter Open Studios, while weaver Eva Dennis launches new wall hangings crafted from vintage fabrics and recycled yarn as well as earrings and brooches. Those looking for a hands-on experience are invited to join print artist Paige Denham for a Christmas stocking screen printing workshop, alongside a number of other interactive opportunities at Cockpit Bloomsbury ad Cockpit Deptford. Annie Warburton, CEO, said: “As days grow shorter and nights darker, at this time of year we turn towards the light of human connection. Most of the year, a makerʼs studio is private space and rightly so, but Cockpit Open Studios is the moment that we open to welcome guests to connect with our makers and show the extraordinary work being made on site. In the dopamine rush of Black Friday deals, itʼs easy to be seduced into bargain buying. Craft offers something different, more soulful, more enriching, more nourishing. A visit to Cockpit is anything but ʻjust shoppingʼ. Itʼs a moment to take time, have conversations and to linger over choosing a gift made with heart, soul, care and imagination. A gift that will bring lasting pleasure. “ Public admission Cockpit Bloomsbury: 25-27 November, Cockpit Yard, Northington Street, London WC1N 2NP Cockpit Deptford: 2-4 December, 18-22 Creekside, London SE8 3DZ Opening times: Friday 2 ‒ 8pm, Saturday & Sunday 12 ‒ 5pm General admission tickets are £6, concessions are £4 Tickets for Cockpit Bloomsbury Winter Open Studios Tickets for Cockpit Deptford Winter Open Studios About Cockpit Cockpit is home to some of the most exciting makers in the world. Spanning every kind of craft, Cockpitʼs makers are united by their extraordinary skill and imagination. Our Mission A voice for making in all its forms, Cockpit stands for the transformative power of craft to shape a better world. Cockpit gives makers tools to build their businesses so they can focus on what they do best: making. From studio space to business advice, Cockpit is where careers in craft are made. At the heart of the craft community, Cockpit is an ardent champion of social justice. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Cockpit bridges that gap, opening pathways for new talent to succeed. Our Story Cockpitʼs name comes from our first studio site at Cockpit Yard, Bloomsbury. Originally an eighteenth-century cockfighting arena, the yard was taken over by a cabinet maker in 1745. It has been a site for craft and making ever since. Cockpit as we know it today began in 1986 when Camden Recycling created five starter units in Cockpit Yard for young, unemployed makers. In the early 2000s, Cockpit opened its second location in Deptford and launched its pioneering business support programme. From there, Cockpitʼs reputation grew to become the destination for makers starting up in practice. Highly sought-after, a place at Cockpit is a mark of quality. The organisation has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in contemporary craft. It is a place to discover the stars of the future. A registered charity and award-winning social enterprise, Cockpit is now home to 150 of the worldʼs finest makers. Cockpit is recognised as a UK top 100 social enterprise on the NatWest SE100 index 2021 and is proud to be a London Living Wage employer. Cockpitstudios.org | @cockpit_studios

On 31st October, 2021, COP26 launched, full of post-pandemic excitement and hope for collective action on the health of our planet. Yet, after 13 days of very little action and legal commitments by our global leaders, we knew we had to take our own action. On Friday 12th November 2021, COP26 ended and Amplify Goods was born.  With COP27 just around the corner, we’ve paused to reflect on the past year.  We’re proud that Amplify Goods has continued to challenge the status quo - growing a circular-enabled, net-positive, women led and mental health focused social enterprise that is part of the Just Transition. With political turmoil around us all, in the UK and globally, we know progress on climate goals has been modest at best.  Amplify Goods remains determined to make practical progress on the transition where so many seem frozen in the headlights. It’s been encouraging to see how many people are changing their behaviours to respond to the energy crisis and the climate emergency.  There seems to have been a shift by consumers too, with more asking big businesses to stand up and be transparent about their impact >> good and bad >> socially and environmentally. Almost every product we currently use needs redesigning for a Net Zero future, and we stay hopeful by celebrating the actions already made. So here’s to amplifying our top 5 bits of good news since COP26 ….and they are all big! BANKING -  Triodos Bank has been joined by 300 others in signing the UN Principles for Responsible Banking, a vital movement now representing nearly half of the world’s banks!  There is more to applaud: a recent commitment by  Lloyds Bank’s to shun fossil fuels and Axa’s recent commitment to invest $500m in ocean nature-based solutions aimed at improving resilience for 250m people in coastal areas around the world. ACT: Join Triodos GREENWASHING - Triumph for the Good Law Project, Friends of the Earth and ClientEarth lawyers as UK admits its net zero strategy is unlawful and has agreed to come up with another one.  Even the Harvard Business Review is warning of the negative impacts! If we’ve turned a greenwashing corner, its good news we will see less stuff like this from HSBC. ACT: Donate to Client Earth LAW - Over 200 organisations endorsed a position paper calling for inclusion of a crime of ‘ecocide’ in the revised EU Directive on protection of the environment through criminal law. Then the EU's environmental affairs (ENVI) committee voted to back the revision to include ‘ecocide’. Boom. We see the ‘Stop Ecocide’ movement as VITAL to turning a corner in the fight; if the definition is agreed, and it’s then legislated as a crime, businesses will really have to change to protect their financial existence! ACT: Join Stop Ecocide CORPORATES BUYING FROM SOCIAL ENTERPRISES - Just weeks after our launch, we found ourselves on a call with Lyreco. Within 3 months we’d met the team and within 9 months we were in their catalogue in front of 70,000 UK businesses - together, we’re working to raise the bar for sustainable buying in UK. We’ve sold millions of doses of soap already, but that’s just the beginning! Lyreco’s support programme is great for SE’s ACT: Apply to join next year’s Lyreco Supplier Support Programme, as they once again offer a helping hand to ambitious microbusinesses and social enterprises with their established supply chain and scale. Get in touch: wise.goodness@lyreco.com. ADAPTATION - As much as adaptation seems like a sad plan b, it's important too - PLAN A [change the system] + PLAN B [adapt], because the most financially vulnerable (primarily in the Global South), are at a huge risk and it’s our emissions in the Global North that have caused it. Two and a half billion people are now covered by adaptation plans with 53 (and counting) long term strategies submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. ACT: Get involved in the Climate Justice Alliance So as COP27’s final day looms on Friday 18th November 2022, we’ll turn one, but the big hope is for more people to embrace the Just Transition: So, our call to action - Global leaders: get on with it. And to our fellow Social Entrepreneurs: look after your mental health and whenever you can, make sure your peers know that we’ve got each other’s backs! Ps. Happy Birthday Amplify Goods, celebrate a bit and then crack on; the hour is now. About Amplify Goods Amplify Goods is all about redefining products that work for our collective future. Amplify Goods is a unique B2B hygiene brand balancing function, carbon, plastic and social impact. Offering liquid washes, glass dispensing systems, compostable sponges and accessories via distributors, we partner with you to rinse-return-clean-reuse bulk containers using a circular business model validated by ReLondon. Amplify Goods is a net-positive and women-owned social enterprise, investing profits in the wellbeing of Quiet Changemakers working towards a Just Transition. amplifygoods.org

October 2022 Charity Bank was officially launched at 11 Downing Street by then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, on 17 October 2002. Since then, Charity Bank has continued to be owned by and committed to supporting the social sector, making more than 1,100 loans totalling over £400m to housing, education, social care, community, and other social purpose organisations. During the evening, Charity Bank unveiled a new brand video “Where You Bank Matters” showcasing the impact that the bank continues to have on charities and social enterprises. Former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown said “I want to offer my congratulations to the Charity Bank for years of service to the people of the United Kingdom. Thank you for the important work you do and the difference you have made. It was my pleasure and my privilege to launch the social impact bank in Downing Street in 2002. “And since then, through thick and thin, the bank has been instrumental in assisting and helping charities and social enterprises flourish, with loans and savings accounts that deliver real social impact in communities across the country. You deserve our thanks, and you deserve our best wishes.” Alan Hodson, Chair at Charity Bank said “One of the great things about Charity Bank is that while we all have different roles to play, we share common values and a desire to use finance to make a difference. We’re celebrating not only our history and heritage but also the success of a bank for good and our vision for the future. “With the current pressure on people and communities across the UK, it’s more important than ever that we continue to do everything we can to support the charities and social enterprises making a real difference in their communities.” Ed Siegel, CEO at Charity Bank said “We’re delighted to be celebrating, not only 20 years of Charity Bank but two decades of investment in social impact. Charity Bank is not your average bank; we’re a community of people committed to using money to tell a better story. “One thing we know is that where you bank really does matter. We know that the charities we support will be needed more than ever in the years ahead and that’s why it’s so important that Charity Bank continues to grow in order to support our borrowers and the immense impact they are able to have on the communities they serve.” ENDS About Charity Bank Charity Bank is the loans and savings bank for charities, social enterprises and people who want to make the world a better place. It uses its savers’ money to provide much needed loans to UK organisations working to drive positive social change – bringing benefits for people, communities, and the environment. Since 2002, Charity Bank has made more than 1,100 loans totalling over £400m to housing, education, social care, community, and other social purpose organisations. Charity Bank is owned by social purpose organisations and aims to use its expertise, commitment, and flexible approach to lending, to help charities and social enterprises get the support and funding they need. www.CharityBank.org

Keen observers of social media will have noticed that Social Enterprise UK attended the Conservative Party Conference this year, one that will live long in the memory for the news and content it generated. As with Labour, we were there to understand the future direction of policy and to raise awareness of the social enterprise sector. Social enterprise and levelling up Away from the headlines, there were some positive references to social enterprise and recognition of the value of the sector. On Sunday, the New Social Covenant Unit launched a new paper called “Social Capitalism” (covered in the Times and on Radio 4), authored by 12 Conservative MPs.   The paper made the case for investing in our social infrastructure, the local institutions that make up our communities, and treating it as seriously as our physical infrastructure (roads, railways, broadband). The paper made numerous references to social enterprises from the importance of social enterprises in maintaining this social infrastructure to social enterprises delivering public services in a way that listens and works with communities creating stronger bonds between people. This will require investment in the sector, reform to the way that we deliver public services and greater support for communities to develop social enterprise solutions. The paper was launched by the former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and Dehenna Davison, the new Minister for Levelling Up, who both endorsed the vision outlined in the paper. We will be taking this forward to see if warm words can be turned into strong action to support social enterprises and realise their potential to level up the country. There were also positive references to social enterprises at a number of different events, particularly those organised by the sector such as those from Social Investment Business and Big Society Capital. Overall, there was a sense at conference that “enterprise” was the way to help communities to level up – although without a clear sense of what government was doing to stimulate this enterprise. No plan for growth or public services The centre piece of the conference was “growth” and how the government was going to deliver growth. It is clear that accelerating the growth of GDP is going to be the central focus of the government. The problem is that there is simply no plan to deliver it beyond tax cuts. Social enterprise is one of the fastest growing forms of business in the country, yet the ideological view from No.10 is that the business of business must only be business. There is no recognition that alternative approaches putting social and environmental purpose first could drive faster growth and generate greater resilience through encouraging long term investment in people and places. The main positive of the Mini-Budget and its fall out is that the shallowness of the position on tax cuts has encouraged politicians and the media to think more broadly. If tax cuts won’t work, what will improve our economy? The fact that noted economist, Kate Raworth, was invited to speak on Radio 4 in the wake of the Prime Minister’s speech is a recognition in the media that we need a national conversation on what drives growth beyond tax cuts and deregulation. Social enterprises will need to fight to be heard but for the first time in a while, a genuine debate is emerging. The other concerning area is public services. Under the radar of conference, the government announced that departmental budgets would not see their funding increase by inflation. Effectively that is a cut of £18bn for government departments and these savings will be passed through the system, with public services and welfare budgets likely to come under severe strain. Schools and hospitals alone are estimated to have to find £11bn in “efficiency savings” to make up for rising prices. Given the state of public services after a decade of austerity and the impact of COVID, this feels untenable. Backbench Conservative MPs were clearly worried about the impact of further cuts to spending and once Ministers face the reality of these spending reductions, some form of rebellion feels likely. However, the embattled state of the government means that there is no guarantee that this policy will be changed. Social enterprises delivering public services should plan for a difficult two years ahead. A tale of two parties The overriding sense of this conference was a party divided. On the one hand, those that have a more holistic view of society and the economy are concerned that this government is heading in the wrong direction. On the other hand, those that want to see government get out of the way and cut taxes for business feel that they simply need to stay the course. Their plan will work, if it is given time. In the middle are a lot of MPs and activists who do not know what to think. Who will win out in this battle, it is hard to say. Either way, Social Enterprise UK will keep engaging with politicians on all sides to recognise the value and importance of social enterprise for our future. The fastest way to grow our economy and have high quality public services is to grow social enterprise. By Andrew O'Brien - Director of External Affairs at Social Enterprise UK

Anna Devitt and Pritam Josephs from the EY Foundation joined us to tell us more about Accelerate - a programme that supports young social entrepreneurs and social enterprises with a focus on supporting young people into employment, education, or enterprise. It provides 1:1 business coaching, tailored workshops & webinars, networking events and project support resources from EY. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B621wOwVKTA

14 September 2022 This webinar hosted by Alison Smith, CEO of social enterprise Roots HR looked at ways of how organisations can ensure their recruitment practices are fair and how they can limit unconscious bias from influencing decision-making. It also looked at what you can do to make the recruitment and selection process itself more inclusive in order to attract more diverse candidates. Listen to the recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIqx5SqalHY

22 September 2022 Yesterday’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme is a vital intervention which will give our members some of the help they need over the winter months. The UK Government have published guidance on their website going into more detail about how the scheme works, information on how bills will be reduced and examples of how the scheme will be applied to different organisations.   Social enterprises do not need to take any action to access the scheme and support (in the form of a p/kWh discount) will automatically be applied to bills. The level of price reduction for each business will vary depending on their contract type and circumstances. You can read the full guidance from Government here  We will be following up with more information about what the scheme means for social enterprises shortly and will continue to work hard to urge Government to support social enterprises through the uncertainties the next few months bring.  

8 September 2022 Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of Social Enterprise UK and Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said:  Her Majesty the Queen has been the ultimate leader of our nation for the last 70 years. We, along with millions of others, have greatly admired her unwavering commitment to her duties and how she made supporting social causes a central part of her role, through her patronages.   Throughout all the challenges the UK has faced in her reign she has provided stability, comfort and shown steadfast leadership, often saying exactly what people have needed to hear in some of our most trying times. This is a deeply sad time for the UK and our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this time of their great personal loss. 

Responding to Liz Truss winning the Conservative leadership election, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK Peter Holbrook said:  Liz Truss’ appointment as Prime Minister comes at a critical time for our society and economy. We look forward to working with her Government on the role of social enterprise in getting Britain back on track.  Like all businesses, social enterprises need to know that the Government has a plan for them this winter, which is why we are urging the new Prime Minister to include a substantial package for business in her forthcoming energy announcement, that reflects the scale and urgency of the threats at hand.   Social enterprises have proven themselves time and time again to be resilient, but they are not of course immune to the effects of skyrocketing energy bills, along with other eye watering increases in operating costs. They need to know the government is behind them for the tough winter ahead and beyond.  Social enterprise should be a vital component of the engine for delivering growth and prosperity to the UK, while also reaping benefits for the environment and communities. We want to work with the new Government so that its new vision sees the potential for social enterprise and all that it delivers. 

On Purpose, an organisation that develops a new generation of leaders to drive transformational change, has now helped over 800 people transition to impact-driven careers. Founded in London in 2010, On Purpose works towards a world in which organisations put purpose before profit, thereby creating an economy that serves everyone, whilst regenerating the planet. To make this happen, the social enterprise believes a fundamental shift is required, led by people who transform the organisations in which they work. On Purpose helps develop these leaders and increases the capacity of all sectors to move to a regenerative future through its Associate Programme. Now run in London, Paris and Berlin, the one-year, full-time programme for high-potential mid-career talent, brings together two six-month purpose-driven and paid work placements in a wide range of organisations, alongside half day a week of training, fortnightly mentoring, and quarterly coaching. The impact the Associate Programme has had on participants as well as the organisations they work in during and after the programme, has been significant. After completing the programme, 95% of Associates said they were more confident leading change. Fellows have gone on to take roles in all parts of the system, including a former Geography Teacher now the CEO of Hubbub, a former Consultant now Managing Director of Divine Chocolate, and a former Marketer at Google, now Head of Europe for Terra.Do. Some Fellows also go on to start up organisations, such as Breadwinners, the award-winning social enterprise, which supports refugees and young people seeking asylum into employment through artisan baked goods. Furthermore, as of July 2022, On Purpose London has worked with more than 200 purpose-driven organisations in the UK alone and has built a community of over 1000 people. On Purpose Founder and CEO Tom Rippin said: “Ultimately, the economy will change when organisations change, and organisation change when people change. We are changing people one at a time. Wherever our On Purpose Fellows choose to continue their careers after the programme, they will continue learning, they will change the organisations they work in, and they will "infect" others with the ideas of a transformed future they carry within themselves.” Applications for the April 2023 cohort of the On Purpose Associate Programme are opening soon. Register your interest and be the first to know when applications open in September. onpurpose.org

An impressive 145 past and present athletes supported by the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme will be competing at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. The supported athletes taking part in a variety of different sports - including athletics, boxing, netball, para-athletics, swimming, para table tennis and triathlon. The GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) is the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme which is designed to give young talented athletes a range of funding, access to sports facilities and athlete support services. The GSF work in partnership with SportsAid, SportsAid Wales and the Mary Peters Trust in Northern Ireland as well as numerous sporting, medical and local authority partners. In 2022 over 1,500 talented athletes are being funded by the GSF, of which an 87% receive no other centralised or independent funding or assistance. The GSF support has provided a lifeline to the athletes and an inspiration to other young people in local communities particularly as sport training and competition emerges from the Covid pandemic.  They also provide a support network for a growing number of talented athletes heading to national and international competition. Greenwich athlete Darryl Neita, 25 is one of the supported athletes.  She said: "It’s fantastic to be supported by GSF for another year, as I have been backed by the Foundation for many years it is a great help in my journey - I would not be where I am today without the help of GSF. “It’s so special that GSF has been a part of my career all these years especially this year as there is a home championships.  It means the world to have the support". Paralympic athlete Simon Lawson, 40, of Allerdale, competes in the wheelchair marathon.  He said: “I’m really excited to compete in Birmingham for this year’s Commonwealth Games and try and improve on my last Commonwealth Games Bronze medal!  “It’s a great honour to represent our country - especially in a home Games!  A lot of work and preparation has gone into my training for this event, with a big special thanks to GSF for financial support and training facilities/gym memberships – it’s a huge help in my programme.” Peter Bundey, GSF Chair, paid tribute to the GSF athlete award holders heading to Birmingham: “We are proud to be supporting so many talented athletes that will be competing for their countries in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. “They exemplify the very best of our communities and embody the spirit of our social enterprise philosophy and I wish them the very best of luck. “I want to thank our sponsors, partners and supporters for helping give these athletes a welcome boost and allowing them to continue the richly diverse sports they love and excel in.” Welsh GSF award recipient Calum Jarvis, 29, who trains in Bath competes in the men’s freestyle swimming.  He said: "Thank you for all your support going into the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. It's an absolute privilege to be representing Wales a third time. Especially with it being a stone's throw from Wales. “GLL support will allow me to get the equipment and nutrition needed for me to perform at another level for the Commonwealth Games”. Anna Hursey who trains in Cardiff and competes in Table Tennis said: “I am thankful for support from The GLL Sport Foundation, it helps me to be able to train and compete internationally, which is needed for me to develop and compete at tournaments like The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham ". The GSF is the brain-child of GLL, the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise delivering sport, leisure, culture, health and community facilities. Charitable social enterprise GLL operates 260 sport and leisure facilities across the UK in partnership with 42 local authorities and sporting bodies. These venues span the UK with presence in Belfast, Cardiff, London, Manchester and large parts of England from Carlisle to Cornwall. GLL managed centres operate under the consumer brand ‘Better’, each one offers leisure, fitness and wellbeing – with gym, swim, classes, courts and pitches to enjoy, indoors and out – or family fun during summer staycations at lidos, trampoline parks and watersport centres. ENDS About GLL GLL manages 260 sports venues, leisure centres, gyms and pools under the ‘Better’ brandin partnershipwith nearly 50 local authorities and sports bodies.  GLL operates the world class venues in the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority – including the VeloPark in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which is celebrating ‘10 Years On’ since the London 2012 Games. The Lee Valley VeloPark will also host track and para track cycling competitions as part of Birmingham 2022. gll.org About GSF In 2022, 1,523 talented young athletes from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from a cumulative £700,000 worth of memberships for sports venues and leisure centres, cash bursaries and other athlete services - thanks to leisure charitable social enterprise, GLL. Athletes are supported through the GLL Sport Foundation, (GSF) the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK, which in 2022 marks its 14th year of supporting both emerging and established national sporting talent. While GSF focuses mainly on supporting young and upcoming grassroots athletes in the local community, many have gone on to success in major competitions.  Award holders past and present include Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Susie Rogers, Michael McKillop, Dina Asher-Smith and Charlotte Worthington. The athlete awards cover Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic, Special Olympic and Commonwealth sporting disciplines.     With a staggering 87% of award recipients receiving no other sport funding and 56% of recipients being aged under 21, the GLL Sport Foundation has highlighted a vital funding gap for young talented athletes and the need to tackle inequalities in sport; a significant number of award recipients have confirmed that this funding is essential to their journey and some could not continue without it. gllsportfoundation.org

Loneliness, living alone and poor social connections are as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone and since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, these problems have increased drastically. In society we are also faced with the ongoing cost of living rises, and younger people are being priced out of towns and villages when looking for an affordable place to live. In 2021 house prices rose again with the average house price in September 2021 at a record high of £270,000; £28,000 (11.8%) higher than September 2020, making it even harder for young people to save towards purchasing their first home. At Homeshare UK we are working with our network of providers to tackle these two key issues by bringing together people with spare rooms with people who are happy to chat and lend a hand around the house in return for accommodation. Together, householders and homesharers share home life, time, skills and experience. Typically, an older householder with a room to spare will be carefully matched with a younger person who will provide around 10 hours of support in exchange for affordable and sociable accommodation. Daily living tasks are part of this support, such as cooking, cleaning, shopping and providing companionship. “Due to the ongoing housing crisis in many locations across the UK, the majority of our homesharers are now aged between 26-35 (67%), including young professionals, university students as well as public sector workers, all of who need affordable accommodation and a place to call home.” – Deborah Fox, Head of Homeshare UK “Perfect catch, perfect match!” Each and every Homeshare match is very different from the next. For many people, it is their concerns about becoming isolated or lonely that lead them to Homeshare. For others, still socially connected and very much valuing their own space, it is the reassurance of having someone else around that is key to them welcoming someone new into their home. In Valerie’s case it is the latter; she is 84, friendly, sociable and values her independence and time alone. At the same time, she recognises that the presence of someone else in the house, particularly at night, is most reassuring, not just to herself but to her brother Bill, who lives a couple of hours drive away. Tomi, 24, a Film Studies Masters student from Slovenia, has been welcomed into Valerie’s home and is described by her as “the perfect catch!” Valerie says, “Tomi is such a lovely person to have around. I really enjoy our conversations. I actually see Homeshare as a way of keeping in touch with today’s fast-moving modern world too.” Reflecting on his Homeshare experience, Tomi describes Homeshare as being a way to learn as well as teach, to help and be helped; in short, an enriching reciprocity. “To be honest”, he says, “it’s like a dream come true. Living in a lovely home with a lovely person and within my limited budget. Being of help to someone is also a really important part of it for me”. Tomi and Valerie – Photo Courtesy of Homeshare Oxfordshire Bill, Valerie’s brother, continues to visit on a regular basis, but with a Homeshare arrangement in place he knows Tomi is there and is more than happy to help with the small things that inevitably crop up. “I don’t need to worry if I can’t get hold of Valerie on the phone. A quick call to Tomi puts my mind at rest”, Bill says. “Homeshare, to me, is reassurance”.   The expansion of Homeshare UK Homeshare UK is part of Shared Lives Plus – the UK membership charity for more than 6,000 Shared Lives carers, 150 Shared Lives programmes, and a growing network of over 20 Homeshare providers. Our vision is for a kinder, stronger society built around people sharing their lives, skills, and homes. We are currently driving forward an ambitious five-year growth strategy that will bring Homeshare to key towns and cities across the UK. “Gabby has been living with me for over a year and Homesharing is working really well. She is a super cook and great company. I enjoy our chats together over a meal in the evenings and she’s very helpful with things I can’t manage around the house.”– Margaret Householder, Novus Homeshare Your next business could change lives Working with socially-minded individuals, community and voluntary organisations as well as existing social care providers we are aiming to establish 40 new Homeshare franchise opportunities in locations currently not serviced. “To reflect our passion for growth, the cost of our social franchise is among the very lowest in the franchise sector. Our franchisees will be provided with the support, training, and resources to set up and operate a successful Homeshare social business.” – John Wilberforce, Homeshare UK Social Franchise Manager For more information on Homeshare UK and our franchising opportunities, visit  https://homeshareuk.org/

7 July 2022 Statement from Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive Officer, Social Enterprise UK “The Prime Minister has resigned and we will now see a contest to replace him.” “The country faces significant challenges from the cost-of-living crisis to the climate emergency. We need the next Prime Minister to be someone who understands that we cannot go on with business as usual. We need bold leadership if we are going to get Britain back on track.” “The present situation has shown the importance of integrity and why all our institutions, not just our politics, need to be governed with a sense of social responsibility. Government and business must put people and planet first.” “Social enterprises have a huge role to play in our future. There is no route to levelling up and bringing prosperity to all parts of our country that does not involve growing the social enterprise sector.” “SEUK will work with all Conservative leadership candidates to help them to understand the potential of our sector and we look forward to working with the next Prime Minister.”

The area around Anfield has a proud sense of community and at its heart was Mitchells Bakery, selling pies to locals and to football fans on match-days. However a lack of investment in Liverpool coupled with what has been described as the controlled decline of the city resulted in people moving out of the area, rising unemployment and boarded up housing. Mitchell’s Bakery was forced to close. In 2002 the area was identified as a ‘market-failure’ with properties designated to be demolished and rebuilt under the Housing Market Renewal Initiative. When this scheme was pulled in 2010, the area was effectively abandoned. Taking regeneration into their own hands What followed was an ambitious attempt by members of the local community to save the bakery and take ownership of the local area to steer development to benefit residents. It all started with an arts project, 2 up 2 down, which worked with local people to rent out the bakery space and use it as a site for public discussion on planning the future of the area. It was decided by residents that the bakery should be re-opened as a community led business and in June 2012 Homebaked Bakery Co-operative was formed. The following year a community land trust (CLT) was formed to take on responsibility for the development of the bakery building and future community assets. A bakery at the heart of the community In October 2013, Homebaked Bakery was opened as a social enterprise dedicated to feed, employ and train the local community with an absolute commitment to improve the local area. The bakery’s strapline is ‘more than a pie’ with the shop employing local people, running training courses and using the space as a community hub. What started as a small business has now grown into a thriving social enterprise turning over £500,000, employing 16 people and supporting many more through its training programmes. Pre-COVID-19, 90% of the business’s income came directly through trading. Football income from matchdays is used to subsidies affordable prices and the business’s pies have attracted national fame and recognition Despite taking a hit during the pandemic the bakery continued to be a constant source of support for the Anfield community– providing freshly baked loaves and rolls to local foodbanks and organising the delivery of free school meals. The bakery is emerging out of the pandemic with ambitious plans for the future, looking to increase pie production beyond 3,000 a week, build up stronger links with both Liverpool FC and Everton and to continue to find more ways to feed, employ and support the local community.

Social Enterprise UK member Fair for You has been nominated for a prestigious Global Good Award alongside the supermarket Iceland for tackling food poverty in the UK.  The affordable credit provider and the retailer are piloting a scheme offering micro-loans of between £25 and £75 so that families can smooth out their income in the school holidays, or when hit by unexpected bills or hardship, to ensure they can continue to put food on the table.  Early data from the pilot already shows 65% of customers reducing their food bank usage, 80% having improved mental health, among other positive outcomes.  The scheme means Fair for You is one of six finalists in the Community Partnerships category of the Global Good Awards, with other nominees including projects in Argentina, India, Pakistan, Rwanda, Turkey. The winners are announced in a ‘hybrid’ (virtual and in-person) ceremony on 13 October.  Simon Dukes, CEO of Fair for You, said: “We’re very proud that, by working with Iceland, we can help families put food on plates without having to resort to food banks – an option which is not always available to all who might need it.  “We’re proud of the impact we’re having and this global recognition. We’re also very grateful to Iceland and those investors who have made the scheme a success so far, and hope to continue its rollout.”  Following an initial trial in two locations – Huddersfield (Yorkshire) and Rhyl (North Wales), the Food Club has recently been rolled out to Liverpool, Chester, Wirral, Newport (South Wales), and parts of Manchester, Scotland and London to further test the scheme.  One unemployed single mother in Yorkshire told Fair for You she would barely eat for the last week of the month without Food Club. Another in Wales, who works as a teaching assistant, commented: “I do have an alright monthly income, but it’s not much after the rent and the car comes out. The Food Club has been really good, you’ve got that option of filling up for the holidays, it’s good peace of mind knowing that it’s there.”  Under the terms of the Food Club, a £75 loan paid back over eight weeks will accrue interest of £2.89. For a £25 loan, it is just 40p. Loans are loaded onto a pre-paid shopping card for use in Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores only. By borrowing through the Food Club, customers are able to improve their credit rating and potentially then access other financial products which many of us take for granted, such as mobile phone contracts.  Fair for You was founded in 2015 and has since lent to more than 50,000 customers, enabling  those excluded from mainstream credit to take control of their finances and purchase what they need to create a comfortable home and a healthy family – and avoid falling victim to predatory, high-cost lenders. Owned by the Fair Credit Charity and backed by leading charities and foundations, Fair for You is focused on supporting rather than profiting from low-income households and has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, as well as a string of industry award wins.  fairforyou.co.uk

Community reporters from the UK’s first older people’s led newsroom have been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.  The team of volunteers which run the Greater Manchester-based news platform Talking About My Generation create news stories, videos and podcasts every month covering news, views and nostalgia – all while challenging ageist stereotypes.  Bob Alston, volunteer Tameside reporter and magazine designer and editor, said: “I am over the moon that we have received this award. I have been on the team since the start of the project and have loved watching it grow with all of our hard work and dedication. We are all so proud of being the first UK’s older people’s led news team.  “We have all learnt something new or have refreshed an old skill or interest whilst volunteering and have all made great friends in the process. I can’t wait to see how big our community can get and continue to change the record on growing older in Greater Manchester and share stories that challenge ageing stereotypes.  “And it is made even more special to receive this award in the Queen’s Jubilee year.”  Stories the community reporters cover range from national issues like fuel poverty and effects of the pandemic on mental health, to looking back at childhood memories, podcasts with actors and authors, sports reports, video vox pops at conferences and Pride events and reviews of vegan restaurants or gigs.   The Talking About My Generation volunteers are one of 244 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year – the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.  They will receive an award crystal and two members of the news team will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023.  Kirsty Day, Media Director of social enterprise Yellow Jigsaw, which manages the Talking About My Generation project, said: “I am so chuffed at this announcement. It is well deserved. This team of volunteers first got together in 2019 and have gone from strength to strength – with their dedication to reporting never waning through the pandemic.   “Some joined the team having never listened to a podcast, been in front of a camera, written a news report or had the confidence to speak at a conference and now they have all the skills of any regional news team, and thrive in this environment, so much so they are now training up new volunteer community reporters so they continue to grow and give a voice to older people across Greater Manchester – showing they are valuable not vulnerable.”  The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.  Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.  Learn more about the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service here and visit the Talking About My Generation news site here. 

GLL Sport Foundation keeps local communities’ sporting dreams alive after pandemic hiatus and through the cost of living crisis – removing inequalities and spreading opportunity 1,452 talented young athletes from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from a cumulative £700,000 worth of free memberships for sports venues and leisure centres, cash bursaries and other athlete services – thanks to leisure charitable social enterprise, GLL GLL manages 260 sports venues, leisure centres, gyms and pools under the ‘Better’ branding partnership with nearly 50 local authorities and sports bodies.  Athletes will be supported through the GLL Sport Foundation, the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK, which in 2022 marks its 14th year of supporting both emerging and established national sporting talent. With a staggering 87% of award recipients receiving no other sport funding and 56% of recipients being aged under 21, the GLL Sport Foundation has highlighted a vital funding gap for young talented athletes and the need to tackle inequalities in sport; a significant number of award recipients have confirmed that this funding is essential to their journey and some could not continue without it. These include those currently competing and National and International levels following a difficult period during the pandemic when competitions were curtailed, individual athlete’s training programmes halted and earnings reduced. The free training memberships can be activated across 260 GLL and a number of partner-operated sporting venues.  In addition, chosen athletes will share £111,000 of cash value awards as well as access to physiotherapy and introductory access to athlete services offered by the Foundation partner “Switch the Play”. Fabio Zamparelli, 18, from Cornwall is UK’s No. 1 Under 20 Para-athletic Shot Put Thrower and Discus Thrower in the F20 class – who lives by his motto “Find your passion. Find your purpose. Set your goals. Work hard”. He said on receiving his award: “I am immensely grateful to receive the GSF award. This support means that I can concentrate on training, improve my strength and conditioning, without worrying about where to train. Therefore, I can focus on my long term goals. “Thank you for believing in me and recognising my efforts so far. I am targeting future Paralympic Games and to be world champion and I am delighted that you will be on this journey with me. Thank you!” Peter Bundey, GSF Chair, paid tribute to the athletes, programme stakeholders and also highlighted the impact the Foundation is making to reduce inequalities across a wide range of sports. He said: “These last 2 years since the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic have had an unprecedented impact across sport especially with younger emerging talent. “For young talented athletes, restrictions of their training, travel and competitions appear to have impacted significantly. “But these awards offer a welcome boost for athletes to continue the richly diverse sports they love and excel in – allowing us to reach deep into communities across the UK to remove barriers to participation. “Since the Foundation began, we have now given nearly 20,000 athlete awards, totalling nearly £13million of support. I would like to give heartfelt thank all our sponsors, partners and supporters, who remain the lifeblood of this fantastic GLL initiative. I would also like to thank SportsAid for their continued partnership and the athletes who have continued to support us over the last two years and look forward to being with you for years to come”. GSF Patron and former Olympic Champion Sally Gunnell explained the impact of GSF support on the next generation of athletes and the communities they live in. She said: “Sport is such an important part of all our lives and has the power to inspire young people to excel and harness their talent towards their future. From my own experience starting out as a young athlete and progressing through my sport, I understand how important the recognition and support from organisations like the GLL Sport Foundation can be to a young athlete. It can make the difference in achieving sporting ambitions. “This is ever-more important today as we recover from a difficult and challenging year, where dreams have been put on hold and sport had to stop. Athletes can now refocus and start competition and working towards those goals with the support of the GLL Sport Foundation. “This support can positively impact communities by promoting the opportunity that sport can bring and promoting the benefits it brings in well-being from someone within that community.” While GSF focuses mainly on supporting young and upcoming grassroots athletes in the local community, many have gone on to Olympics and Paralympics success.  Award holders past and present have amassed an impressive 77 medals between them – including Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Susie Rogers, Michael McKillop, Dina Asher-Smith and Charlotte Worthington. The athlete awards cover Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic, Special Olympic and Commonwealth sporting disciplines. gll.org gllsportfoundation.org better.org.uk

6 June 2022 Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for positive social change, today announced it will pilot a voluntary four-day work week as part of a six-month global programme coordinated by flexible working experts, 4 Day Week Global The four-day work week pilot starts today, and Charity Bank is the first UK bank to reduce its work week from a standard 35 hours to 28 hours for the same pay and benefits.  Charity Bank will continue to offer its specialist customer service and support five days a week, whilst giving all employees the option to move to a four-day work week.  Rather than rewarding presenteeism, the four-day week pilot focuses on productivity, outputs, and results.  The approach Charity Bank will be piloting is the “100:80:100” model – which means employees will receive 100 percent of their pay while working 80 percent of their contracted hours, in exchange for a commitment to maintain at least 100 percent productivity.  Adopting a four-day work week is a business improvement strategy centered on working smarter rather than longer with significant investment in the well-being of the most important asset to any business – people.  Charity Bank’s decision to join the pilot and take the lead in redesigning the nature of work is rooted in its socially conscious mission. Charity Bank’s CEO Ed Siegel said: “As an ethical bank we are constantly looking at ways to deliver increased societal impact through our values-driven approach – that’s what makes the four-day working week such a good fit for us.” “We have long been a champion of flexible working, but the pandemic really moved the goalposts in this regard.  We’ve all seen the benefits, and the experience has led us to reassess what good looks like.  For Charity Bank the move to a four-day workweek seems a natural next step.” “With a meaningful redesign of the way we work, we expect to improve efficiency without affecting productivity whilst enhancing the physical and mental health of our colleagues. In essence, a happier and healthier workforce is more productive and delivers superior customer service which enables us to do more for the charities and social enterprises we exist to serve. “By valuing productivity over time spent, we aim to bridge the gap often felt between full-time and part-time staff, removing any possible barriers to promotion and progression. We anticipate that the shorter working week will also help us attract a more diverse workforce and encourage people who would previously have been unable to commit to the standard five-day working week to join us. As well as benefitting colleagues, the shorter work week will help us to reduce our carbon footprint through a reduction in the frequency of commuting and by eliminating unnecessary meetings and travel. “The 20th-century concept of a five-day working week is no longer the best fit for 21st-century business. We firmly believe that a four-day week with no change to salary or benefits will create a happier workforce and will have an equally positive impact on business productivity, customer experience and our social mission. “We are proud to be the first UK bank to reduce its work week from a standard 35 hours to 28 hours for the same pay and benefits. As one of our Board members put it, we believe ‘this trial will put Charity Bank on the right side of history.’” charitybank.org

Whilst at school Kerrine Bryan excelled at maths and science, enjoying the problem-solving aspect of these subjects. However, when it came to choosing a career, she felt that the subjects she loved did not give her many options beyond the expected accountancy qualifications. When she was 17 her maths teacher recommended she attend an engineering course which led to her having a successful career in the traditionally male dominated industry of engineering. Her experiences as an engineer and her initial lack of understanding as to what career opportunities were available to her, led Kerrine to set up a social enterprise dedicated to challenging the gender stereotypes which hold back the dreams and aspirations of so many children. Changing perceptions from a young age Butterfly Books is a business which creates playful and thought-provoking stories that aim to transform the lives and minds of children and families. Set up by Kerrine with the help of her brother Jason, the educational books challenge stereotypes and perceptions encouraging an open-minded world for future generations. “Remembering the misconceptions and lack of knowledge about engineering as a profession when I was at school, I decided to volunteer doing talks about my job across the country to children. It was then that I got the idea to develop a range of children’s books that could tackle some of these inherent misconceptions. I saw it as a good way of communicating to children a positive message about all kinds of professions, especially STEM careers that are suffering skill gaps and diversity issues.“ – Kerrine Bryan Butterfly Books is built on the premise that representation matters. Key to the social enterprise’s philosophy is the importance of challenging gender stereotypes at a young age, changing perceptions around what jobs are for girls and which jobs are for boys. Through changing this one small aspect of a child’s education they look to inspire the next generation to look beyond gender stereotypes. Their first published book was based on Kerrine’s own experiences and was called ‘My Mummy is an Engineer’. Subsequent publications have included ‘My Mummy is a Firefighter’, ‘My Mummy is a Footballer’ ‘My Mummy is a Plumber’ and ‘My Daddy is a Nurse’ which was the first of their books to focus on young boys, challenging entrenched attitudes on masculinity. Taking the message to schools and businesses Kerrine takes her stories into schools and so far around 7,000 copies of the books have been sold with the stories reaching approximately 15,000 children, addressing negative misconceptions and biases through colourful illustrations and rhyme. Butterfly Books collaborates with major organisations, working with them to ensure that content is relevant and grounded in the lived experience of the people whose jobs are being written about. These have included the British Army, Nursing Now England, London Fire Brigade and Lewes Football Club (which was the first football club to pay men and women players equal salaries). Organisations are also using the books in their own outreach, with ‘My Mummy is a Firefighter being used by fire stations across the country. Butterfly Book’s desire to break down stereotypes and promote a world of diversity and representation is an example of the ambitions of many social enterprises to build an economy based on principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and justice. butterflybooks.co.uk

NAViGO are an award-winning social enterprise that provides mental health services across North East Lincolnshire in the south of the Yorkshire and Humber region, covering acute and community facilities as well as specialist services such as an older adult’s inpatients services, rehabilitation and recovery services, perinatal mental health support and a specialist eating disorder facility. A social enterprise driving innovation NAViGO runs a huge range of services, coming up with creative new ways of delivering care resulting in more responsive, available and effective services. Here are just a few of the innovations the social enterprise has created: Open access mental health crisis service NAViGO runs a 24/7 open access walk in mental health crisis service where people in a mental health crisis are brought by the ambulance or police services meaning specialist care is given and that lengthy waits at stretched A&E services are avoided. Joint response vehicle NAViGO are trialling a new mental health response vehicle to reduce pressure on emergency services. The Joint Response Vehicle is crewed by trained clinicians and support workers and is deployed when there is an urgent mental health related call-out. In the first month since launch the vehicle attended 16 incidents. Nine of these call outs would have normally resulted in the person being detained but only one of the calls resulted in this outcome. Through providing a mental health focused rapid response service, the social enterprise is delivering better support for vulnerable people and saving the time and resources. Safespace An out-of-hours, open door crisis café where people can get instant and practical mental health support without the need for calling ahead, Safespace provides a judgement-free space for people to speak to fully-trained mental health professionals either in person or via Zoom. Doing things differently Being an independent social enterprise working for the NHS family has allowed NAViGO to do things differently. This includes creating commercially viable businesses which help fund services and which provide training, education and employment opportunities for people that NAViGO supports. One of these is Grimsby Garden Centre, which now employs over 30 people from the local area, some of whom have mental health difficulties or are in rehab or recovery. It has also supported over 100 service users gain valuable training, increasing confidence and supporting them back into the world of work. The garden centre is a big part of the local community, promoting the health benefits of gardening with all profits made being reinvested back into NAViGO’s services. NAViGO’s cleaning, catering, horticulture and maintenance services are all run by Tukes – the social enterprise’s own employment service. Tukes offers training, education services and employment to people throughout their recovery and rehabilitation journey. Bringing these services ‘in-house’ means that money that would otherwise have been spent on external contractors is spent on service users. Since setting up 18 years ago, over 280 people have been supported into work through Tukes and over 2,000 qualifications gained by service users. navigocare.co.uk

May 18 2022 A new report by Social Value 2032 and authored by Professor Chris White – former Member of Parliament and author of the Social Value Act – has found that smarter public sector procurement could unleash an extra £56bn per year in social value which could be used to level up the country, tackle Net Zero and strengthen communities. Social Value 2032 is a new partnership and programme of work delivered by PwC, Shaw Trust, Siemens, Suez recycling and recovery UK and overseen by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK). Ten years after the passage of the Social Value Act, which places an obligation on public bodies to consider the wider economic, social and environmental impact of the services they commission and procure, this partnership has launched a new report: Social Value 2032: Creating a Social Value Economy. The report outlines a new vision for social value, a way of using procurement to create added social, economic and environmental impact through spending by public bodies and private companies. Social Enterprise UK has analysed the past decade of public spending and found that the UK public sector is only realising a fraction of the benefits that could be generated through greater embedding of social value. The analysis found that between 2010 and 2020 an estimated £36bn could have been generated through social value in public sector procurement. An estimated £762bn could have been generated if social value had been implemented universally across the public sector from day one of the Social Value Act.   Using this figure SEUK estimates that there is £56bn of social value that could be unlocked by the public sector annually – equivalent to double the UK Government’s current commitment to Net Zero. As the Government looks to level up the country, this new report identifies a major ‘quick win’ to use existing public sector spending to reduce inequalities and transition to a green economy. Alongside this, the report calls on the UK’s largest businesses to adopt a social value approach to working with the public sector. The report, published at the Social Value Leaders’ Summit in Birmingham on 18 May, outlines a new vision for procurement focused on: Systems-change: using procurement to create better and more sustainable businesses and markets in the UK.Transformative public services: focused on long-term prevention and innovation.Environmental sustainability: considering not just the social impact of how we spend money but also the environmental impact. Realising this vision for the UK will: Deliver levelling up faster through smarter use of public and private investment.Make British business stronger through promoting long term investment and sustainability.Create stronger communities through greater partnership between places, businesses and government.Help the UK take advantage of the growing market for environmentally sustainable products.Make the UK the world leader in measuring social and environmental impact generating billions in service exports. Download the full report Download the report summary

January 2022 Nancy Platts and Simon Francis from social enterprise Campaign Collective gave Social Enterprise UK members some hints and tips on how to market organisations successfully without big budgets or big teams. Watch the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4SYGLoPApw

October 2021 We were delighted to host an interview with Adil Mohammed Javed, CEO at Alchemy Arts – a brilliant social enterprise set up to support underrepresented people work in the arts. They are a business set up to break down barriers, dedicated to reclaiming the narrative, telling forgotten stories, and using the creative industries to raise up voices and empower communities. Adil discussed their their projects which range from challenging the negative stereotypes of mental health in racialised communities to reducing social isolation in the elderly South Asian community and supporting them to becoming more tech-savvy in their flagship project TEK Eagles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4SkipRZvNc

October 2021 Cafédirect, one of the UK’s most successful and recognised social enterprises, turned 30 in 2021. To mark this milestone we hosted an online interview with their CEO, John Steel, to find out more about the incredible impact the business has had over the last three decades. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y37IfhRYUXI

Impact Hub Yorkshire celebrated a milestone five years of empowering individuals, communities, and businesses across the region with a special gala dinner at Bradford Live on 12th June. Nearly 300 guests and dignitaries gathered for the occasion, which also marked a significant moment for the city — the first event to be held in the newly restored Bradford Live ballroom since 2000.  The milestone comes shortly after His Majesty The King visited the organisation’s headquarters in Bradford’s Little Germany, where he met with social entrepreneurs and community leaders supported by the Impact Hub. The visit also marked the formal transition from Impact Hub Bradford to Impact Hub Yorkshire, reflecting the organisation’s ambition to scale and support communities and projects across the region.  Founded in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, Impact Hub Yorkshire emerged as a catalyst for driving innovation and positive change. Since then, it has supported over 1,000 individuals and businesses. From developing accessible funding models to leading regeneration projects, empowering young people, and championing inclusive economic growth in underserved communities, its work continues to create meaningful impact across the region.  The gala dinner at Bradford Live brought together community members, project partners, and supporters from across Yorkshire. It is also the first formal evening event to be held in the newly restored ballroom, making it a symbolic location for an organisation rooted in the regeneration of Bradford and committed to shaping the region’s future.  Kamran Rashid, CEO and founder of Impact Hub Yorkshire, said: Five years ago, we made the bold decision to launch Impact Hub in the middle of a pandemic, during a period of global uncertainty and personal change. What began as Impact Hub Bradford has grown into something far bigger – because we believed, and still believe, that meaningful change begins with community.   “Expanding to a Yorkshire-wide remit marks an important shift. It speaks to our belief that every community across this region deserves access to opportunity, investment, and space to lead. We’ve been privileged to work alongside some incredible partners over the years, and I’m deeply grateful to our sponsors and to Bradford Live for helping us mark this milestone in such a special way.”  Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed a three-course meal, networking, and talks and panel discussions from Kamran Rashid, Imran Hussain MP, Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, and Kersten England CBE – Chair of Bradford City of Culture 2025. Sponsors included Bradford Live, Bradford UK City of Culture, the Broadway Shopping centre, Mylahore British Asian Kitchen, Biscayne Maintenance Services, Faum Architecture, Schofield Sweeney, and Jinnah Restaurants. With their support, the Impact Hub was able to host the evening for over 270 guests.   Impact Hub Yorkshire continues to support a wide range of projects, including partnerships with organisations such as Green Street, Pandora’s Box Desserts, the African Caribbean Achievement Project, and the Tasif Khan Community Boxing Academy.  Kamran concluded: “As we step into this next chapter, our commitment remains the same: to build a movement grounded in equity, shaped by collaboration, and driven by the people and places we serve.”

The Living Pension is a new Living Wage Foundation accreditation for employers who want to help workers boost their pension pots. Clean for Good is an award-winning ethical cleaning company and has become the first cleaning company in the UK to become a Living Pension Employer. Clean for Good has recently accredited as a Living Pension Employer. As an early adopter of the Living Pension, their commitment will see all of their employees offered regular pension savings equal to 12% of their wages, including a generous 8% employer contribution. This will ensure that their workers are more likely to retire with a ‘living pension’. Clean for Good is a pioneering company setting new standards in the UK cleaning sector. It was one of the first cleaning companies in the UK to become a fully accredited Living Wage Employer and a B-Corp, It was the first to adopt the Fair Tax Mark. Today it is the first UK cleaning company to become a Living Pension Employer. Clean for Good is a different kind of cleaning company, established as a social business to provide a fairer deal for cleaners and to drive change in a sector that is infamous for low pay and poor conditions. The Living Pension accreditation, awarded by the Living Wage Foundation, is a voluntary savings target for employers who want to help workers, especially those on low pay, build up a pension pot that will provide enough income to meet basic everyday needs in retirement. It launched in March 2023. A Living Pension Employer must meet a pension savings target of 12% of a full time Living Wage worker’s salary, including a minimum 7% employer contribution. Clean for Good is providing an 8% employer contribution, asking employees to provide just 4%, delivering a dignified pension at a low cost to employees. The scheme is voluntary for employees, who can opt in if they wish to benefit. The Living Pension builds on auto-enrolment, which requires a minimum 8% pension savings, with employers contributing at least 3% and workers paying the remaining 5%. (The Living Pension savings target can also be met as a cash amount of £2,950 a year, to which the employer must contribute at least £1,720). The rise in Employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025 has undoubtedly increased the costs for business, especially for a ‘people-business’ like Clean for Good. Yet even in these challenging times, Clean for Good believes that continuing to invest in its people, through initiatives like the Living Pension, is the best way to improve its services to customers. Clean for Good pays the Living Wage, offers occupational Sick Pay and now a Living Pension because it believes that what is good for workers can be good for business. Charlie Walker, Clean for Good’s Managing Director said: “We want to provide our cleaners with a living wage both at work and into retirement. We believe cleaning, in and of itself, is a dignified job and career. So, if you choose to work with Clean for Good we want to honour that, to invest in you, and pay a fair wage both now and after you retire. This is the right thing to do” Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “We are delighted that Clean for Good has signed up as a Living Pension employer, providing stability and security for their workers now and in the future. Over the last ten years the Living Wage campaign has grown in strength and numbers. Now paid by over 15,000 employers, it delivers essential pay rises to 460,000 workers every year. The Living Pension builds on this by encouraging employers like Clean for Good to do more to help their workers build a pension pot that meets basic everyday needs in retirement.” Christine Ellis, a cleaner employed at Clean for Good said: “I feel strongly that the Living Pension is a great way to build on my savings funds for retirement alongside the Living Wage standard scheme that has been put into great effect. With the contributions from my employer and me as the employee I could reach my target to live within an acceptable standard when retired." cleanforgood.co.uk

In this blog Charlie Walker, Managing Director at Cleand for Good, looks into the Government's plan to scrap 'waiting days' and the need to transform sick pay. The Government have announced their new employment rights bill, something they promised within their manifesto. Within the raft of measures, ‘waiting days’ associated with Statutory Sick Pay will be removed. No idea what I am talking about? Nor did I, before joining Clean for Good. It probably means, like me, you have never had to worry about sick pay in your job. Grab a cuppa and let’s dive into the detail on all things Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). It’s more interesting than you might think! SSP is the minimum pay that employers have to pay staff when they fall ill. Currently it is £116.75 per week, or £23.35 per day, (so just over £3 per hour). You are only entitled to SSP if you earn a certain amount per week, more than £123 AND if you have been ill for more than 3 consecutive days. So, for the first 3 days you are off ill you get paid nothing. And it’s these 3 days that are known as ‘waiting days’. Still with me? Many (perhaps all?) of us will never have come into contact with ‘waiting days’. We have worked for good employers who have decided to run their own ‘Occupational Sick Pay’ scheme. These schemes go above and beyond SSP, often considerably so, and will pay staff (rightly) for every day they are off sick and most of the time at full pay. This is a wonderful benefit. In over 20 years of working, I have never had to worry about being off sick. So, what’s the issue? Well, picture a multi-storey building in the heart of London, every floor filled with different companies, lawyers, charity workers, insurers, bankers, engineers and more. One of the lawyers catches a bug and his lovely HR team tell him to go home, rest up and only come back when he is fully recovered. The lawyer agrees and after 2 days of bed, Netflix, and chicken soup he comes back to work, rested and recovered. Unfortunately, though, the bug has spread, and it takes down other members of the office and also Carol, the cleaner, who came to clean the building that evening. Carol is on SSP and is confronted with the reality of these ‘waiting days’. Does she stay at home and get paid nothing for 2 days or turn up to work ill. Terrible choice made worse by the fact that Carol earns less than the real living wage. Two days off genuinely puts at risk her ability to pay her mortgage, her bills and more. It’s not really a choice, she goes to work. As we take this further and begin to imagine Carol having to go to hospital and being forced off for a week earning just £46.70, what then? Lots of us, I suspect, would begin to struggle with our bills and payments that month. And maybe you could scramble through for a month, but after 10 years of the same thing? It’s like a repetitive kick to the face and it’s the horrible reality for Carol and thousands of cleaners, security guards, and others in low paid professions across the UK So, we will of course welcome the scrapping ‘waiting days’, whilst at the same time not pretending that getting by on £23.35 SSP per day, is anywhere near adequate. At Clean for Good we are one of the very few cleaning companies (and to date I have not come across any in London including some of the real biggies in the market) who run our own occupational sick pay scheme. From day 1 if cleaners are off sick, at Clean for Good, they are paid in full. One of the joys in the last couple of years was taking on a team of new cleaners from another cleaning company (this happens at the point that you take over a cleaning contract) and seeing one of our new cleaners, eyes bulging as we explained to her that CFG has its own sick pay scheme. She stopped me mid-sentence and exclaimed…What, you will pay me if I am sick? To which I replied Yes, we will! She had been a cleaner in London for over 15 years surviving on SSP. If you’re not sure what your employer pays you when you go off ill, you will find the policy lurking somewhere in the depths of your staff handbook. Do go and check it out, and if you are part of an organisation that has its own sick pay scheme go and encourage your HR team and tell them they are all wonderful today! Find out more? The centre for progressive change is running a national campaign on sick pay. If you want to find out more on the whole area of sick pay. Check the campaign out here.

Sarah Rial is the social outcomes lead at our Social Value 2032 programme partner Jacobs, and the lead author on a new report exploring how social value techniques can improve major project delivery. Infrastructure is the backbone of every country - providing connectivity, shaping places, and delivering vital services to citizens. At its core, infrastructure delivers undeniable value to society. However, budgetary constraints, competing political agendas and conflicting local and national priorities can often result in society feeling overlooked in the decision-making and delivery processes of major infrastructure projects. Speaking with professionals who work across major project delivery in a variety of roles, our research has revealed that projects often feel “inflicted” on communities, rather than being integrated into their regional and national ecosystems. This is leading to the rise of so-called “NIMBYism” (Not in My Back Yard) and criticism regarding the rising cost of major infrastructure programmes, hindering growth and equitable access to quality infrastructure in the UK. There remains an inherent tension in major infrastructure delivery. While projects aim to serve the needs of the nation, in doing so they often have profound impacts on local communities. While in some instances the national interest must be served and the price of the few may be deemed something we must bear; without a clearly articulated rationale for this decision and without carefully selected options and mitigation strategies; this adverse impact on the few can be detrimental to the project, with costs soaring and reputations irreparably damaged. So how do we overcome these challenges to unlock significant economic, environmental and social benefits and ensure these benefits are equitably distributed across society? The answer is simple: we must place people at the heart of infrastructure delivery and bring everyone on the journey with us, united by a common purpose. Infrastructure investments are often driven by societal needs. By conveying a cohesive purpose, companies can drive collective action to respond to customer and societal needs. It can support attraction and retention of high-quality talent and enhance customer loyalty. Purpose-driven companies often demonstrate better long-term performance as their sustainable practices can lead to more stable and predictable returns. As environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors become increasingly pivotal in investment decisions, purpose-driven companies can excel in ESG criteria, thereby attracting private investment. Major infrastructure delivery can benefit greatly from this approach. “Purpose-driven delivery” involves understanding the society our project serves, effectively communicating their value to stakeholders and actively listening while empathising and responding to the communities affected throughout the delivery process. Like purpose-driven organisations, this approach enhances project delivery, aids in making sound investment decisions and mitigates critical risks during execution. This concept isn’t new. The techniques and case studies are derived from established industry practices, tested on major projects in the UK. These methods are employed daily by social value and sustainability practitioners, yet many still limit “social value” to a mere question in public sector procurement. We recognise the potential of social value in achieving improved outcomes on major projects; it helps projects develop a clear “purpose” that resonates with communities, funders, staff and suppliers, uniting them behind a common mission and creating a cohesive approach that permeates every stage of the project lifecycle. Our research has confirmed that social value has been crucial in delivering project outcomes far beyond procurement. It has helped reduce risks, attract financing, foster a united culture and maximise the value delivered for every pound spent. This new publication serves as guidance, offering inspiration and lessons learned from over 40 organisations, demonstrating how social value techniques can benefit both society and projects. We aim to equip leaders, designers, commercial experts and all teams working on major projects with the tools and methodologies to adopt a “purpose-driven” approach to delivery across every project lifecycle stage. By doing so, projects will remain focused on the people they serve, creating a tangible golden thread that runs through every facet of the project and fostering a culture that prioritises doing things right for the benefit of all. This update is part of a series exploring the opportunities for social value to expand across public sector procurement and influence the spending of the UK’s largest companies. Find out more about the Social Value 2032 programme here.

City Health Care Partnership’s (CHCP) annual patient and colleague surveys show a clear link between happy staff and happy patients. 76% of colleagues completed the survey on what it’s like to work at CHCP, a local NHS organisation providing community health and care services in Hull, the East Riding and Merseyside. 91% said they would recommend CHCP to friends and family who needed care or treatment. This is reflected in the annual patient survey, which asked 2,422 people about the service they’d received from CHCP last year. 93% said they were satisfied with their overall experience but even more striking was the 98% of patients who said they were treated with care and respect by their health professional; 96% said they were happy with the amount of time their clinician spent with them. Andrew Burnell, group chief executive at CHCP, says these results show that when people feel valued and appreciated, they pass this on to their patients: “As a registered nurse myself, I know what it’s like to work in our services and I know that feeling that you’re doing the best you can for your patients is crucial to a positive experience of work. “The health and wellbeing of all our colleagues is vitally important; in the survey they mention the positive work culture, job satisfaction and the feeling of being valued as reasons for 81% of them recommending CHCP as a place to work. “And our patients reap the benefits of this. They talk about the friendliness, professionalism and efficiency of the people looking after them and that our staff are caring and supportive. “But there is always room for improvement and we are looking at the areas where we need to do better for colleagues and patients. We are working on reducing waiting times and making it easier to get an appointment. “One of our patients said, ‘You can’t improve on excellent’ but I want us to try! We are delighted with these results, but we can always do better.”

Leading community dental provider, CDS CIC has been piloting a treatment programme for people with Severe Multiple Disadvantage (SMD) and/or homelessness. The pilot is a partnership between CDS and the East Midlands Primary Care Team, working on behalf of five Integrated Care Boards in the Midlands. The CDS Mobile Dental Clinic has been visiting locations in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire that offer established services for people who are homeless. Patients are supported to attend appointments in an environment they are familiar with for check-ups and follow-up treatment. People experiencing SMD and homelessness face many barriers to accessing oral health care and experience higher levels of dental carries and periodontal disease than the general population. Poor oral health is linked to a decreased quality of life among these patients, compounding issues such as poor diet and substance misuse to alleviate pain. 36% of people who are homeless have accessed A&E services due to oral health related pain*. People who are homeless can often feel ashamed and embarrassed to attend a dental practice full of people, fearing that they will be judged as well as facing difficulty finding and registering with a dentist without a fixed address. The pilot been specifically designed around the needs of this patient group, with the mobile dental clinic attending places they are already familiar with and trust. Nicola Milner, Chief Operating Officer for CDS in the Midlands, said: ‘We know people who are homeless have multiple problems with their oral health. They find it incredibly difficult to access the care they need experiencing pain, frequently visiting A&E or even resorting to taking out teeth themselves. We worked closely with people who support this group of patients, and we are becoming known and trusted. It is fantastic that we can provide a positive experience for patients who may not have had good experiences accessing dental care before and to relieve their pain and embarrassment associated with their teeth.’ So far, the mobile clinic has seen 145 patients at twice weekly sessions which are also an opportunity to signpost to other services, such as smoking cessation and drug and alcohol support. The mobile clinic is equipped to provide a full range of dental treatment. Feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive: “I think this service is invaluable to me. I have not been to a dentist for several years. My teeth are a state from years of drug abuse and being beaten up while living rough on the streets. The dentist was very kind and put me at ease while looking at my teeth and guided me through the process/appointments. This is the beginning of the new me. Thank you so much.”  “I cannot thank the dentist enough for the support they have shown me. The dentist was non-judgemental towards me, as I was living in a tent in Derbyshire for over 2 years. To be honest, my teeth were the last thing on my mind, but looking back, my teeth are one of the first things other people see. I know that I would have never gone to a dentist surgery as I am far too embarrassed.” The pilot began in June and is set to continue for 12 months. ENDS Notes to editor: *Reference: Healthy Mouths. A peer-led health audit on the oral health of People experiencing homelessness. Groundswell 2017 available at www.groundswell.org.uk

Project provides free business support to Hackney business owners with coaching, events & cost saving advice Allia is leading a new 18-month project, Hackney Impact, a dynamic partnership committed to fostering growth and prosperity within Hackney’s vibrant business community. Working with Hackney Co-operative Developments, East End Trades Guild, Social Founders and Better Futures, the programme is funded by the UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund, Hackney Council and Hackney Business Network. The group of organisations and experts are uniting to provide a range of free business support to entrepreneurs in the Hackney borough, from early-stage start-ups to more established local businesses and charities. In addition to business support, the project aims to engage and embed collaboration and build community within the Hackney borough. The project kicked off today on Monday 23 October at a business breakfast networking event in Hackney for people to learn more about the project, meet the partner organisations and find out what support is on offer. A diverse group of founders, entrepreneurs and business owners from across a wide range of industries – such as café owners, artists, architects and massage therapists – gathered to learn about the project and how it aims to help the local business community.  Paul Wight, Allia’s Programme Manager for Hackney Impact said: “It was poignant to hear that many business owners are still feeling the impact of the Covid pandemic and were open about other challenges, such as the cost crisis and energy bills, that they are facing. The morning highlighted that there is a huge appetite for this type of support, and we are keen to provide that helping hand to help them on their journey.”Over the duration of the Hackney Impact project, over 220 businesses will receive: 1-1 coaching from Allia’s expert business coaches who provide personalised guidance, helping the business owners navigate challenges, set goals, and achieve their aims. Tailored business support courses that teach essential business knowledge and skills to succeed in today's competitive markets. Affordable workspace and local events where founders can come together to network, learn and collaborate. Free Energy Audit assessments and Net Zero business advice to help a business reduce their costs and lower their carbon footprint. Net Zero Grant Opportunity to make a business premises more energy efficient (applicants must meet eligibility criteria). Mentorship opportunities where experts will give bespoke insights and industry know-how to steer a business towards success. Allia has been active in the business community in Hackney for over six years, providing a range of support to help entrepreneurs and small local businesses get their ideas off the ground, and help them thrive and grow. It ran online Business Resilience programmes over the Covid pandemic to help those local businesses that had lost their customer bases and revenue streams by supporting them to pivot and diversify, so that they could survive. More recently it has been working with Hackney Council on its Green Business Programme to help local businesses adapt their ways of working to a more environmentally focused operation. Andrew Brisbin, Director of Ventures at Allia, said: “We’re excited to be part of an incredible group of partners who are building solutions for local entrepreneurs across every stage of their business journey. It’s amazing to bring together such a diverse set of skills, backgrounds, and passions to help strengthen the community we love." Cllr Guy Nicholson, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Delivery, Inclusive Economy and Regeneration said: “The Council has proven that when it is provided with funding and is empowered to design and deliver local business support programmes, it delivers positive social, environmental and financial outcomes for the businesses themselves and the wider community. The focus for this 18-month programme, which is expected to run to 31st March 2025, is on helping businesses transition to Net Zero, enhancing their social impact, and strengthening Hackney’s local ecosystem of business support.” Douglas Racionzer from Hackney Co-operative Developments said: “Hackney Cooperative Developments is delighted to collaborate in bringing to maturity our inclusive local economy.  This ecosystem has the potential to catalyse our common thoughts. Join us and let's flourish together.” Henrietta Cyrille from East End Trades Guild added: "I am no longer alone. The East End Trades Guild unites small businesses like mine, fostering a thriving ecosystem of self-starters who inspire and uplift each other towards prosperity. It is a place where generosity fuels knowledge and growth, where we connect, find support, and celebrate the essence and spirit of our endeavours. Hackney Impact steps up this support to a grander scale with its innovative ecosystem bringing real transformation for Hackney's micro-enterprise community." Caroline Diehl MBE at Social Founders said: “We are excited to support Hackney-based founders to grow both their impact and their financial sustainability - that challenging ‘double bottom line’, and to connect them with the wider ecosystem across this dynamic, innovative and vibrant borough. We want to support founders at all stages of their founder journey, and celebrate their achievements, stories and courage.” Jane Mossman at Better Futures said: “Better Futures is really excited to be working with Hackney's local businesses to identify ways to reduce their energy bills, reduce their carbon footprints and build resilience so they can thrive and be a force for good." 

Fair for You is pleased to announce that it will receive investment of up to £2m from Fair4All Finance, to enable further growth for the Iceland Food Club, our pioneering partnership with Iceland Foods. The ethical microcredit scheme gives financially-excluded households access to loans of £25-£100 to spend at Iceland, helping them to spread the cost of food and essential items during the school holidays. Iceland Food Club launched nationally in August 2022, following an extensive regional pilot which demonstrated significant social impact for the scheme. Since the national launch, more than 23,000 families and an estimated 44,000-plus children have benefitted from the scheme. This is on top of thousands of customers joining during the scheme's extensive regional pilot. The additional investment will support further growth, and recognises the scheme's significant positive social impact to date. Richard Walker OBE, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods, said: "We have seen the remarkable impact that the Iceland Food Club has had in supporting struggling customers through the cost-of-living crisis. Setting up the Food Club alongside Fair for You has been one of the most transformational decisions we have made as a business, and we know it has been a lifeline for so many families who now have a workable solution for affording essential goods." Simon Dukes, CEO, Fair For You, said: "Around a quarter of households in the UK have less than £100 in savings which makes holiday periods very stressful. Fair for You is delighted to make life easier for tens of thousands of Iceland customers who can’t always afford a big grocery shop but who can afford a small interest-free loan, which is paid back within weeks, to help them and their children through the holidays. The additional investment from Fair4All Finance will enable us to reach even more people who will truly benefit from the Food Club." Sacha Romanovitch OBE, CEO of Fair4All Finance, said:  "We've been impressed with the strong social impact and positive customer outcomes of Iceland's Food Club, and the vital support that access to low value, zero percent interest credit provides to customers in the most financially vulnerable circumstances. "We're pleased to be investing up to a further £2m in Fair for You to help grow this scheme and help more people manage through the school holidays and navigate the cost of living crisis." The scheme has been a winner at the prestigious Global Good Awards for two consecutive years. In March this year it was cited as an important option for families at risk of needing to use food banks, in a report by a group of MPs, supported by The Trussell Trust.

The Sewing Rooms have designed and are manufacturing The Sew Fab Thermal Cooking Bag which reduces the amount of cooking fuel consumption by up to 70%  with the potential to save hundreds of pounds per year. The SewFab thermal cooking bag is inspired by medieval ways of cooking, the straw and haybox method as well as third world versions. The fact is, we use our ovens to cook casseroles for 3 or 4 hrs a time not realising that ovens are among the most energy-demanding appliances in our homes. Aside from our fridge, the oven is likely responsible for the highest energy consumption out of all our kitchen appliances.  Lots of us are feeling the pinch and having to make choices about where we can save money. Some of us have tougher choices to make than others.  The elderly and food bank users, already experiencing hardship, are finding that this latest hike in living costs is forcing them into fuel poverty and into impossible living conditions.  And we at the Sewing Rooms wanted to be part of the solution. As Iceland’s managing director, Richard Walker reports: “It’s incredibly concerning. We’re hearing of some food bank users declining potatoes and root veg because they can’t afford the energy to boil them.” To hear that those people already struggling to feed their families sufficiently are now unable to heat the little fresh food that they do have access to, is heart breaking. We hope through this campaign to raise a minimum of £5000 to help us to distribute The Sew Fab Thermal Cooking Bag to Food Banks  and community initiatives across the country we need your help to reach this goal. The more successful we are the more SewFab Thermal cooking bags we can gift to our most struggling communities. How does The Sew Fab Thermal Cooking Bag reduce fuel costs?  The thermal bag is based on medieval methods of cooking and more recently “Haybox Cooking”; a process which has been developed over the years and now, here in Skelmersdale, we have produced our own modern, portable, washable version. By choosing The Sew Fab Thermal Cooking Bag over your usual oven method, you can reduce cooking fuel consumption by up to 70% per meal, saving on average 1 ton of carbon emissions per year (based on twice weekly usage)  We estimate that 1 family using this cooking method  wice a week can save on average  £6 per week on fuel costs, that’s a saving of around £312  per year.   A family using this method 4 times a week can save around £12 per week with an estimate saving of £624 per year  That also a saving of 2 ton of carbon a year*.   Oven cost per hr Times per wk using oven 3.5 hr oven usage cost Cost of fuel oven use over the year times per wk using sewfab bag Cost Saving on fuel per week Cost saving on fuel per year 61p 1 £2.14 £111.28 1 £2.14 £111.28 61p 2 £4.28 £222.56 2 £4.28 £222.56 61p 3 £6.42 £333.84 3 £6.42 £333.84 61p 4 £8.56 £445.12 4 £8.56 £445.12 61p 5 £10.70 £556.40 5 £10.70 £556.40 61p 6 £12.84 £667.68 6 £12.84 £667.68 61p 7 £14.98 £778.96 7 £14.98 £778.96  So, How does it work?   This short video explains how the Sew Fab Thermal Cooking Bag works: https://twitter.com/SewFabAcademy/status/1538900662469156864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1538900662469156864%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.socialenterprise.org.uk%2Fmember-news%2Fthe-sewing-rooms-presents-the-sew-fab-thermal-cooking-bag-a-product-that-helps-us-in-the-fight-against-fuel-poverty-and-climate-change%2F What is it Made of?  Environmental impact The Sew Fab Thermal bag will use unwanted rolls/roll ends of textiles which are gifted  to us by Lancashire based companies, The Senator Group and Panaz Fabrics. Their help and support is invaluable as we will repurpose this fabric for the thermal bag, in addition we will be using their offcuts/scrap pieces of foam/textiles/polyester,  which we  shred to create a hybrid filling for the thermal insulation. Each Sew Fab Thermal Cooking Bag saves approximately 6 kg. of materials from going to waste.  Support the Crowdfunder! CEO and co founder Paula Gamester explains: “So many people are facing difficulties and hardship, and we at the Sewing Rooms wanted to be part of the solution so we did some research and designed the SewFab thermal cooking bag. We have launched a crowdfunder https://crowdfunder.co.uk/p/sewfab-bag  our target is £5000, however the more we raise the more people we can help.