By Jovan Owusu-Nepaul – Head of Public Affairs at Social Enterprise UK Today (Monday 20 June) Andy Burnham entered Downing Street. With an already warm slogan shaping his world view, ‘good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart’, he marries together heart and head in hopes of re-casting the direction of British politics. … Continued
Two new reports launched today set out recommendations for reforming NHS commissioning and public procurement to better support social enterprises, with Lord Victor Adebowale arguing the choice is “what kind of country we want to become”. This morning, Social Enterprise UK launched two reports at the House of Lords containing recommendations for how the government can further support social enterprises to create fairer, … Continued
Corporate spending by our Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners on goods and services supplied by social enterprises has now created nearly 8,000 jobs, according to the latest annual report looking at the impact of the programme. The Challenge, our flagship social procurement programme, is working with a group of 36 high-profile businesses with the aim … Continued
On Wednesday 25 March 2026, leaders from across the private, public and social enterprise sectors came together at the Strand Palace Hotel to discuss and debate the future of social value, one year after the passing of the Procurement Act and the opportunities it presented to social enterprises. The Summit opened with an introduction from … Continued
The Social Value Leaders’ Summit has become an agenda-setting event for policymakers, commissioners, business leaders, social enterprises, charities and social value practitioners who wish to see a procurement system which delivers better public services, better value for taxpayers, and better social and environmental outcomes for the country. Last year’s Summit took place just after the … Continued
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 … Continued
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 … Continued
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 … Continued