Together with the SEMCIC Board and having taken advice from Bishop Fleming LLP we have made the difficult decision to close our company from 3rd April 2024 and have instructed them as regards a creditor voluntary liquidation to wind up. This means that all client and partner activity will cease.

It is our belief that this is in the best interests of our Mark Holders and partners, considering the very difficult operating environment in which we all find ourselves currently.

For all our loyal valued customers, partners and supporters we are extremely sorry about this situation.

I am immensely proud of what we have achieved over the last 14+ years and it’s been a privilege to have both founded and led SEMCIC, as the pioneering specialist accreditation for our sector. We have led the way in demonstrating and proving the great work that social enterprises across the world do, and valuing what makes them different from shareholder led businesses.

When we started in 2003, social enterprises were poorly understood and lacked credibility. Today, they are legitimate, mainstream ventures which are valued and trusted. SEMCIC has been central to building this legitimacy, and our legacy continues.

I would like to pay tribute to all those who have supported us over the years, including our fantastic Mark Holders, the team, the Board, my fellow shareholder, the Accreditation Panels and our Ambassadors. There are so many who have helped us along the way!

And what next for me? I have yet to decide what I do with my future, but a better way of doing business remains core to my being. This cause remains as urgent as ever so be assured that I will continue to fight for social enterprises, championing the role they play as we meaningfully reframe our world to be a better place for people and planet.

We are in the process of formally instructing Bishop Fleming so they will be in contact with all creditors in due course as regards the liquidation process.

At Social Enterprise Mark CIC, we’re working every day to build an economy that delivers more for people and planet – so we’ve joined forces with dozens of organisations in the Future Economy Alliance to push this up the political agenda.

Today we’ve been in Parliament to launch a new report on the national policy change needed to better support our growing movement and create a stronger, fairer, greener economy. You can read all the details in our ‘Business Plan for Britain’ on the Future Economy Alliance website.

We’re calling on the next UK Government to recognise 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 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.

It was heartening to see influential people taking an interest in our sector at the House of Lords this morning – 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 unique creative campaign that will cut through the political noise with our bold message of change and hope. Will you help us?

Arvinda Gohil OBE, chair of the Future Economy Alliance, commented: “Millions of us across the UK work in mission-led organisations that show the way to a stronger, fairer, greener economy. We just need those in power to unleash the full potential of our movement, so that this way of working becomes the national norm. With government and business working in partnership, we can build an economy where all of society profits.”

Lord Victor Adebowale CBE added: “It’s exciting to see champions of change coming together from all business sectors across the UK, united in the work to fix our economy. As a mission-led entrepreneur myself, I hope this message will ring loud and clear in the halls of Westminster: Business as usual isn’t working; we need a new business plan for Britain.”

To build an economy that really works for our society, we need support from across that society. Please get involved with our campaign – donate if you can, use the tools on the Alliance website to share it, and sign up to find out about events or actions in future.

Earlier this year, we conducted a comprehensive survey of our Mark Holders and other key stakeholders, to ensure our services continue to address the evolving needs of the growing social enterprise sector and create meaningful impact.

Many thanks to all those who took the time to participate in the survey – your feedback is extremely valuable and will help inform our strategic direction and future development of our services.

We are pleased to share this summary report, which highlights the key findings from the survey and illustrates the impact that we have on the social enterprise sector.

The data collected in the survey will be used to create our annual impact report, which will be published in the Autumn.

If you have any comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

If you are interested in finding out more about gaining accreditation for your social enterprise, you can take our short online quiz to check your eligibility or register your interest in applying for accreditation.

We are delighted to have been named in the NatWest SE100 Index of the UK’s top 100 social enterprises. We are in esteemed company – congratulations to all the social enterprises who made the list.

This is the third time we have been included in the index since 2020, when we were also shortlisted as a finalist for the SE100 Social Business Awards.

Managing Director Lucy Findlay said “Absolutely fantastic news that we have made it into the prestigious SE100 again this year. It’s great to be in the company of so many social enterprises truly making a difference to people’s lives and the world around us for the better.”

The SE100 Index is selected according to a number of different criteria to reflect both business and impact issues – including financial performance, how thoroughly impact is measured and managed, and commitment to both climate issues and to taking positive action on equality and diversity.

The Index was created by Pioneers Post in partnership with NatWest Social & Community Capital, the bank’s independent social investment charity.

Megan Virrels, CEO of NatWest Social & Community Capital, said: “A huge congratulations to all those named in this year’s NatWest SE100 list. Social & Community Capital has been committed to supporting UK social enterprises for over 20 years, and we are constantly inspired by the resilience, ambition, and creativity that we see in the sector.

So we’re delighted to partner with Pioneers Post again to showcase the very best social enterprises across the UK and recognise the fantastic work of these impactful organisations.”

You can view the full SE100 Index on the Pioneers Post website.

We recently partnered with Cambio and Flourish CIC to organise a series of successful events in Manchester, which brought together a vibrant community of individuals and organisations committed to extending the reach, embedding best practice in, and amplifying the impact of social enterprises.

The events, supported by the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, featured prominent figures from across the social enterprise sector, who shared their insights and emphasised the significant role played by social enterprises in sustainable civic engagement and the pursuit of equitable growth.

The first event was an invite-only roundtable event promoting collaboration across social enterprise provision for Higher Education Institutions.

The conference invited key leaders from the Civic Universities network and keynote speakers included Dr Julian Skyrme, Director of Social Responsibility at The University of Manchester and Professor Sharon Handley, Pro Vice Chancellor for Culture and Community at Manchester Metropolitan University.

This event was followed by an evening networking reception with keynote speaker Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, and a showcase of local social enterprises, including Met Much, Tales to Inspire, Equal Education Chances, and All Ears CIC.

The final event was our ‘Beyond Better Business’ annual conference, which looked at the future of business and how alternative economic models, which prioritise the wellbeing of people and planet over private gain, can enable businesses to make a real difference to the communities in which they are based. Guest speakers included Erinch Sahan from Doughnut Economics Action Lab, Charlotte Timson from Transform Trade, and Chris Cowcher from Plunkett Foundation.

Our SEEChange partner Peter Ptashko FRSA, CEO of Cambio, expressed his gratitude to all those involved in the events, stating, “These fantastic events brought together the community in Greater Manchester to extend reach, embed practice and amplify impact in civic social enterprise. A big thank you to Andy Burnham and both the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University for catalysing that impact, as we continue to build towards a more sustainable, place-based future for business and society”.

Our Managing Director Lucy Findlay, highlighted the main event takeaways, saying, “Social enterprises can provide THE model for sustainable civic engagement and leveling up due to their combined financial and social value/impact approach, reinvesting in their communities rather than extracting for shareholders.

Without social enterprises, there is a risk of an inconsistent approach to supporting communities as funding waxes and wanes. Manchester is ahead of much of England due to better partnership working, thriving grassroots entrepreneurship, and support for social enterprise at a policy level by Mayor Andy Burnham.” 

Nickala Torkington, Co-Founder and Director of Flourish Together CIC added, “It was fantastic to bring the Social Enterprise Mark CIC conference to Manchester this year as well as shine a light on what our Universities and wider social economy are innovating and achieving. As well as showcasing local talent and discussing key turning points and solutions for our region, in benefiting people and planet,  it was great to learn from colleagues across the UK and nationally thanks to the networks and audience the event attracted.”

To keep up to date with future events, please join our newsletter mailing list.

As a customer-focused organisation, we conduct an annual stakeholder survey to ensure our services continue to address the evolving needs of the growing social enterprise sector and create meaningful impact.

We greatly value your input to inform the future development of our services and welcome you to participate in the survey.

As a thank you for your time, there is the option to be included in a prize draw* for a chance to win 4 hours of HR advice line support from social sector specialists Roots HR via their COMPLY service, valued at £396 + VAT. Support is delivered by social sector HR experts. Hours remain available to use for up to 12 months from the date you are notified of your win.**

Please complete the survey below, or click this link to complete the survey in a new window.

Please note: the survey will close at midnight on Friday 23rd June 2023.

*The winner will be drawn at random from all complete survey responses after the survey closes.
**Access to the HR advice line is by phone or email. All work is undertaken remotely. Usage of time is recorded on a timesheet in multiples of 15 minutes.

We were excited to host the latest meeting of our Social Enterprise Women’s Leadership Network last week, which coincided with the celebrations around International Women’s Day.

We were joined by Dr Sharon Zivkovic (who joined us all the way from Australia!) and Cathy Brown, who spoke about neurodiversity in women’s leadership, using their personal experiences as neurodiverse social entrepreneurs.

We launched this network on International Women’s Day in 2021, to address the gap in support for women leaders in social enterprise. Meeting every couple of months, the network brings together women from across the world to benefit from much needed peer support, thought leadership and shared learning.

Having initially kept the group fairly small while we established the network, we would now love to welcome more women leaders to join us. If you are interested in joining please contact us at marketing@socialenterprisemark.org.uk and we will share details of the upcoming meeting dates.

As we embark on an ambitious growth trajectory to develop our international presence as an award-winning social enterprise accreditation authority, we are currently recruiting up to three new Non-Executive Directors to strengthen our Board.

We are particularly looking for candidates who can bring a strong background in SMEs, Higher Education or healthcare.

We are partnering with Nurole, the leading board-level hiring platform, to find the best candidates. You can find out more and register your interest on the Nurole website. For any questions or problems, please contact fionn.connolly@nurole.com

The deadline for applications is Thursday 2nd February. Interviews will take place on 27th and 28th February.

These roles are unremunerated, but reasonable and pre-agreed domestic travel expenses will be covered. The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed once at the discretion of the Board.

Click here to view profiles of the existing board members.

As we embark on our 13^th year of providing clear and credible standards for the social enterprise sector, we remain committed to protecting the integrity of genuine social enterprises by supporting them to prove their credentials and lead the world in ethical and sustainable business practice.

Lucy Findlay at launch of the Social Enterprise Mark in 2010

We have seen many changes in the market over the 12 years since we launched the Social Enterprise Mark, and in recent years there has been a growing proliferation in marketing claims around ‘purpose’, ‘good business’ and ‘sustainability’. This has led to a more crowded marketplace for those businesses seeking to stand out based on their social enterprise credentials.

We have seen widespread ‘greenwashing’ – the practice of using misleading PR and marketing claims to appeal to ethical and environmentally-conscious consumers. Sadly, this is now commonplace in consumer markets and many large corporates often focus on specific areas of how their product/service is ‘environmentally-friendly’, ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’, while ignoring the other areas where they have a significant negative environmental impact.

With increasing numbers of consumers looking to spend their money with ethical and sustainable businesses, it is vital they are able to cut through this greenwash to identify those businesses that are genuinely focused on creating social or environmental benefits.

For example, in 2019 Shell announced a $300 million investment in ‘natural ecosystems’ as part of a strategy to take action against climate change. However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has pointed out that such actions do not mitigate or offset the continued release of greenhouse gases that result from Shell’s extraction and burning of fossil fuels.

With increasing numbers of consumers looking to spend their money with ethical and sustainable businesses, it is vital that they are able to cut through this greenwash to identify those businesses that are genuinely focused on creating social or environmental benefits.

Following research by the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) in 2021, which showed a staggering 40% of green claims made online could be misleading consumers, new regulatory guidance has recently come into force in the UK, which protects consumers from misleading claims, and also protects businesses from unfair competition. The Green Claims Code, which sets out six key principles to help businesses ensure their green claims are genuine and not misleading, aims to creates a level playing field for those businesses whose products genuinely represent a better choice for the environment and who can make truthful environmental claims.

Our friend Sian Conway-Wood, Founder of the #EthicalHour online community, recently ran a webinar, which gave a really useful overview of the Green Claims Code and provided guidance to support businesses to get ready for the new guidance and use their sustainability as a competitive advantage whilst remaining compliant. We would recommend getting in touch with Sian if you would like support with turning your sustainability into a selling point.

Interestingly, the CMA guidance states that claims must not focus on a minor part of what the business does if the core business produces significant negative effects… I refer you back to the Shell example given above! Dependent on the power, resources and willingness of the CMA to act, hopefully the subsequent investigations (and probable high fines for those found to be flouting the regulations) will lead to a reduction in greenwashing. This would enable more social enterprises to truly differentiate themselves and stand out as the ethical and sustainable option.

One of the central principles of the Green Claims Code is that claims are substantiated by credible evidence. Part of this is being able to demonstrate that the claim has been subject to independent scrutiny/verification.

So, how can businesses that are genuinely driven by a motivation to create value for people and planet effectively back up their claims? One way to gain independent verification is through gaining external accreditation/certification.

In its guidance, the CMA states, “Symbols, trust or quality marks awarded by independent third parties on the basis of a formal assessment against lawful and objective criteria are less likely to be misleading. For example, where these endorsements are based on clear, publicly available criteria, or internationally accepted methodologies.”

Additionally, from a consumer point of view, they are more likely to trust claims that have been independently verified. Research commissioned by Compare Ethics in 2020 showed 83% of consumers would be more likely to trust a product’s sustainability claim if it had been verified by a third party.

Our own social enterprise accreditations provide independent assurance that an organisation has met a set of robust sector-agreed criteria, which are fully transparent and made public for anyone to view, which should create more customer/consumer trust in the claims made around being a social enterprise.

As a sector we need to be the leaders in openness and transparency, and we can’t expect people to take our claims for granted, especially in this world of increasing greenwash and hype around ‘purpose’ and ethics.

As social enterprise is still not a distinct legal form in most countries, in effect any business can claim to be one. By providing a clear and credible set of standards against which to assess social enterprises, we can hold these businesses to account for their claims and in doing so support them to prove their credentials and stand out from the crowd as in independently verified social enterprise, which is creating positive impacts for people and planet.

As one of our Social Enterprise Mark holders recently stated, “We can now proudly show that we have been assessed against a recognised and reputable framework, and that the work we do as a social enterprise has been validated by experts in the field… The accreditation process is very rewarding and has certainly been hugely beneficial to our organisation.”

As a sector we need to be the leaders in openness and transparency, and we can’t expect people to take our claims for granted, especially in this world of increasing greenwash and hype around ‘purpose’ and ethics. If we are not careful, we will be left behind as others with louder voices and more power eclipse our voices through these means.

Meaningful accreditation and showing our distinctiveness is an important part of getting our house in order to tackle the world’s challenges as we grow in maturity and stature.

If you are interested in finding out more about how accreditation can benefit your social enterprise, please complete our short online form and a member of the team will be in touch.

As is our usual custom at the start of a new year, we have been reflecting on the previous year and have created a short video to share our key highlights from 2021 as well as looking ahead to our key priorities for 2022.

This year, we want the world to understand that there is credible business alternative that leads the way in creating a better, kinder society that heals and tackles climate change and global inequality; the biggest issues of our time.

If you have any questions, feedback, or would like to discuss how we can support you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We wanted to take this opportunity to wish all our social enterprise community a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous 2022. It’s been another challenging year but once again we have been inspired by the dedication and commitment of social enterprises across the UK and the world.

We hope you get the opportunity to take a well deserved break over the festive period. To allow our own staff to relax and recharge, we will be closing for the Christmas break from Thursday 23rd December to Monday 3rd January (inclusive). We will respond to all messages as soon as possible on our return in January.

We look forward to working with you in 2022.

As a social enterprise, we hold ourselves accountable to the same standards that underpin our assessment of other social enterprises, which includes reporting on how social objectives are being achieved.

We report on our social impact on an annual basis through the social impact evidence on our directory listing, and now for the first time we have created a dedicated Impact Report, which summarises the impact we created during 2020/21 in our role as an advocate for the social enterprise sector.

This impact was not created in isolation and we recognise and value the power of collaboration in creating positive social change. Thanks go to all our partners and our social enterprise community for their contributions!

Click here to view/download the report.

Our MD Lucy Findlay is proud to have been invited to join a new Business Advisory Board at Solent Business School.

This Board, which brings together senior business leaders with an interest and influence in relevant industries and organisations across various areas of business, will help inform student success, curriculum development and knowledge exchange.

Board members will provide input and feedback for both strategy development and operational requirements, such as supporting student employability, graduate outcomes, mentoring and ensuring our courses are future-proofed. They will also be actively involved in driving knowledge exchange between business and Solent’s student community, sharing their knowledge, expertise and experience through a range of programmes and initiatives.

On joining the Board, Lucy said: “I am very pleased to join the Solent Business School Business Advisory Board. I ‘m hoping to apply my knowledge and experience gained over the years in social enterprise to help prepare students and graduates for the new demands of the business world – where social and environmental issues are integral to a sustainable business model to create a better world.”

Caroline Walsh, Director of Solent Business schools said: “This exciting initiative will provide the school with an additional platform for collaboration and innovation with business.  It will help Solent achieve its strategic priorities by producing dynamic, work ready graduates that industry needs.

“By ensuring that the school is aligned to relevant industry practices and future skills needs, their valuable insights will benefit staff, students and the economy, Caroline continues.”

Visit the Solent University website to find out more about the Business Advisory Board and its members.

In 2019, we launched the Social Enterprise Disability Employment Mark (SEDEM); a new standard for social enterprises that primarily deliver social value through the employment of people with disabilities or long-term health conditions.

This bespoke accreditation was designed specifically for the supported business sector, with the aim of providing assurance for commissioners/funding bodies and disabled people on the specialist supportive environment provided for employees with disabilities.

Following an initial pilot phase with a number of supported businesses, including Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company and MTIB, we have now developed the criteria and assessment process. This was done in consultation with the Supported Business Steering Group* to ensure the criteria and assessment is relevant and appropriately robust.

Assessments will be reviewed by an independent Accreditation Panel, which comprises individuals from different backgrounds, including those with experience of disabilities and long-term health conditions, and the criteria being examined. The Panel’s role will be to consider and make judgements on assessments conducted, ensuring these conform with criteria expectations and setting new precedents for assessing eligibility going forward.

After initial testing of SEDEM with a number of local authorities, we also developed a separate accreditation, the Local Authority Disability Employment Mark (LADEM), to recognise the specific benefits of supported businesses that are embedded in Local Authorities.

We are now rolling out these accreditations more widely to provide recognition to innovative employers that are tackling the disability employment gap by creating supportive working environments, which empower disabled people to find and maintain meaningful employment. Applications are subject to an external assessment process, where organisations are required to describe how they are meeting the criteria and submit supporting evidence in respect of this.

If you want to get recognised as an exemplar employer and prove how you are delivering social value through the employment of people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, you can register your interest and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss the next steps.

*The Supported Business Steering Group comprises members of the British Association of Supported Employment and other sector stakeholders. They provide an advocacy and lobbying role for supported businesses and promoting the employment of people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. This includes regular engagement with the Department of Work and Pensions, who manage funding in support of these interests, who were also involved in the consultation around the development of these accreditations.

During the Covid pandemic, we have been keen to support our social enterprise community in any way we can. We recognise there is likely to be long-lasting economic consequences for many social enterprises (like all other businesses), including a drop in their trading income following an increased reliance on grants and funding to support them through the crisis. Some may even have ceased trading temporarily due to national restrictions on businesses in certain sectors.

As social enterprises work to re-establish their businesses in the aftermath of the Covid outbreak, we are keen to support them to get back on their feet, whilst continuing to recognise them for meeting recognised standards of good practice.

Therefore, we have consulted our Accreditation Panel and they have agreed a temporary relaxation of the Social Enterprise Mark assessment criterion around trading income.

We will continue to ask new applicants and existing Mark Holders to report their income levels, so that we can assess how social enterprises have been affected; but provided the trading criterion requirement* was being met before the outset of the pandemic lockdown, any failure to meet it following this will not count against an organisation’s eligibility to hold the Social Enterprise Mark (and similar conditions will apply for our other accreditations).

We hope this measure will alleviate pressure on our existing Social Enterprise Mark network, as well as encouraging other social enterprises to consider joining our pathway to recognised standards of good practice and excellence.

We remain responsive to the challenges facing the sector and will continue to consider adjustments to our processes, while continuing to deliver meaningful accreditation services.

If you have any questions around the assessment requirements, please contact Richard Cobbett, Assessment and Compliance Manager.

*The trading criterion normally requires organisations to demonstrate that they have been recently trading and that at least 50% of their income has derived from sales and fees, or similar receipts in respect of services and product outputs, as opposed to support grants, loans, interest, donations and other similar types of income.

Throughout the Covid crisis, we have been working with our partners across the social sector to ensure that appropriate support packages are available to get social businesses through this crisis.

As part of this work, our Managing Director Lucy Findlay has taken a lead for the New Economy Alliance on tackling issues that many social businesses are having in accessing the government’s emergency finance measures, which the BBC recently reported on.

Social businesses shut out of government support https://t.co/v5aZLstkIb

— BBC Business (@BBCBusiness) February 15, 2021

The BBC report features the The Restore Trust in Bristol, which is one of many social enterprises that has faced long delays getting necessary support. They explained that they had “tried every lender on the government’s list… none of them would let us open a new account and get a bounce-back loan.”

The social sector has been raising awareness of these issues for several months and it is now absolutely vital that these are addressed by government, to enable social businesses, which are playing a crucial role for our communities in this pandemic, to continue their important work for the long-term. The latest research from the social sector shows that Covid-related uncertainty, trading income and other funding/finance are the leading concerns for social entrepreneurs in the year ahead.

Back in the autumn, we collected feedback from the social sector, which showed there were some fundamental gaps and challenges in accessing the vital financial support being offered by the government. In particular, there were clear obstacles to social businesses trying to navigate the government emergency loan schemes – Bounce Back Loans (BBLs) and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans (CBILs).

As we reported in a recent news post, consistent anecdotal evidence from social enterprises, co-operatives and community businesses showed us that there are two key obstacles blocking access to government-backed loans:

1. Many ethical and social banks that social enterprises bank with are not approved to provide Bounce Back Loans
2. Social enterprises are not able to open new accounts with participating banks, with waiting times to open new accounts often being several months

In January, we wrote a letter to Minister John Glen (Economic Secretary to the Treasury), raising our concerns that many vital services are in danger of being lost unless access to emergency finance is improved. We were disappointed to receive a response which, although sympathetic to the plight of social enterprises, basically demonstrated that the government is unwilling to intervene in what they see as operational matters which are under the “commercial discretion” of the banks involved.

We plan to respond to the Minister, proposing solutions to the problems he acknowledged in his letter. We propose the following actions, which can be made to Government-backed emergency loan schemes to make them work quicker, better and more inclusively:

1. The Treasury should explore every avenue to encourage more banks to become lenders of Government-backed emergency loans, especially the ethical banks popular amongst social entrepreneurs. If banks can’t take on new customers during lockdown periods when many businesses are being hit hardest, we need to extend the emergency loan scheme to more banks.
2. The government should set-up a separate emergency loan/investment fund, or section out a specific ‘pot’ within the overall loan scheme, tailored to our sector, provided by lenders with sector-expertise.
3. A central helpline should be set up to support social enterprises that are unable to communicate directly with banks to troubleshoot any issues. Reports of common issues and barriers should be reported to both government and the banking sector with a requirement to act on these.

The measures announced earlier this month to extend repayment periods for the loans shows that the government can still deliver improvements to the schemes and we hope they will take this opportunity to address the issue of access to financial support.

We’re committed to ensuring fair access to government support for all businesses, including social enterprises, many of which are currently missing out on vital emergency finance. Along with our partners, we will continue to push for action until these issues are resolved.

Social Enterprise Mark CIC is aware of the situation where former social enterprise Clarity & Co. is alleged to owe £200,000 in unpaid wages. In response to recent news articles, we wanted to make a short statement to clarify our position on this matter.

Clarity & Co. previously held our Social Enterprise Mark accreditation, but their licence to hold the Mark was expired in April 2020 following the sale to Mr Marks, when it became apparent they no longer met our criteria and did not intend taking action to return to the required standard.

Organisations are permitted a short period of grace to remove all mentions of the Mark from their website and communications following such action. We have since consistently repeated our requests for our Mark to be removed and have received assurance that this is now being actioned. We note that the Clarity & Co. website is currently unavailable, so are unable to confirm this action has been taken at this time.

We are deeply troubled by the allegations surrounding Clarity & Co. and hope that the situation is resolved as quickly as possible for the staff involved. It is sad to lose one of the UK’s longest standing social enterprises, which, over the last 160 years, has provided valuable employment and training for vulnerable and disadvantaged workers.

This matter has raised the important point of how social enterprises which fall upon hard times can be supported to remain true to social enterprise principles, in the event of a transfer of ownership. It is our policy to allow any Mark holders who are identified as not meeting the standard a fair period of time to take action to address issues and return to the good practice the Social Enterprise Mark encapsulates, although failure to demonstrate what actions they have taken will result in their accreditation being revoked.

Our accreditations are designed to encourage the maintenance of social enterprise good practice and raise aspirations to achieve standards of best practice, whilst regularly scrutinising and recognising these standards are maintained.

We are committed to working with our partners, regulators, Government and other stakeholders to protect the integrity of the social enterprise sector.

As we start a new year, it’s our usual custom to share our reflections on the previous year and to look to what the year ahead may bring.

This year we have created the below short video to share our highlights from what was an incredibly challenging year for us all, as well as summarising our key priorities for 2021.

This year, we look forward to continuing to champion strong and credible standards for the social enterprise sector, both here in the UK and internationally.

If you have any questions, feedback, or would like to discuss how we can support you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Working with partners from across the social economy, we have written to the Chancellor to outline a number of proposals for the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, which will broadly decide Government spending for the next three years.

We believe the social sector will play a crucial role as the country faces a huge economic and social challenge in recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We need to level up the country to close the gap between parts of our nation. To do this, we are going to need a mixture of public investment, better public services and a strong economy. Social enterprises, co-operatives and community businesses have a strong track record in all three areas:

• Their legal structures encourage reinvestment into the areas that they work in, boosting capital in places which need it most
• They bring innovation to the public sector through empowering staff, communities and entrepreneurs
• They have a track record of creating new businesses and jobs in the toughest markets – performing better than many of their peers in the private sector

We have put forward four key proposals, which we believe can help get the UK back on its feet after the shock of Coronavirus:

• Trade to Recovery – a match trading scheme to support social enterprises through difficult COVID trading conditions
• Social Enterprise Fightback Fund – a programme to help a new wave of start ups which have emerged during the COVID crisis
• Project Restart – a fund to support the communities take over failing businesses and turn them around as social enterprises, cooperatives and community businesses
• Community Entrepreneurship Zones (CEZs) – a place-based initiative to help groups of social entrepreneurs within local communities

Click here to view the full submission.

We are delighted to announce a new partnership with UAE-based social enterprise Companies Creating Change (C3), who will act as our official representative to expand social enterprise accreditation in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region.

With a ten year track record in providing social enterprise accreditation, we have developed an international assessment process that can be applied anywhere in the world. C3 was our pilot international applicant and became the first organisation outside the UK to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark in April 2015.

The Social Enterprise Mark now has a presence in 10 different countries and we are now looking to expand our reach within the MENAT region, where there is an interest from both governments and investors in implementing a robust system for recognising genuine social enterprises.

As our representative for the MENAT region, C3 will use their local knowledge to conduct outreach programmes for potential applicants and provide support to organisations that wish to meet the requirements of the Social Enterprise Mark accreditation. From their own experience of applying for the Social Enterprise Mark, C3 can provide legal advice on how to navigate the regulatory environment of countries in the MENAT region as well as technical support with the application process to the Social Enterprise Mark.

Commenting on the partnership, Medea Nocentini, Co-Founder of C3 said: “Since it’s creation in 2012, C3 has supported more than 500 social entrepreneurs in MENAT, while engaging a community of more than 2,000 experts and investors.

C3 runs programs that accelerate social innovation and social impact: the ‘Change Journey’ starts from identifying a disruptive business solution to a pressing global challenge, to achieving business growth and measuring social and environmental impact. This mirrors the accreditation pathway that has been developed by SEMCIC, which supports social enterprises of all sizes and at all stages to achieve recognised standards of good practice and excellence.”

Lucy Findlay, Managing Director at Social Enterprise Mark CIC added: “We are delighted to be developing this partnership with C3, our longest standing international Social Enterprise Mark holder.

A female-led social enterprise, C3 has a great track record of working in UAE and the MENAT region and is familiar with the challenges and opportunities of working in this environment. They also have a clear understanding of social enterprises and the journey from pre-startup stage to financial sustainability and proven social impact, and so are well placed to support others on that journey.”

As we look to embark on an ambitious growth trajectory, we are currently recruiting two new board members to help move the business forward and reach new markets.

We are specifically looking for candidates with expertise in:

• Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategic leadership, and corporate relations; OR
• Franchising and licensing management, and international expansion

Nurole is leading the search for the appointment of these roles:

• Non-Executive Director (ESG Strategy)
• Non-Executive Director (Franchising & Licensing)

For full details and to apply, please email Grace Thomas at Nurole. The deadline for applications for both roles is 30th June.

These roles are unremunerated, but reasonable and pre-agreed domestic travel expenses will be covered. The term of appointment is three years.

Click here to view profiles of the existing board members.

We have joined other national business networks to call on the Government to adopt a more nuanced approach to protect vulnerable workers from the effects of the current crisis.

The Chancellor announced last week that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (aka furlough scheme) would be extended to October, but confirmed that employers may be asked to make more of a contribution from August.

A blanket approach to the withdrawal of this support could trigger widespread job losses for firms with higher numbers of vulnerable staff, many of whom are among the 2.5 million people who have been told by the Government to shield from Coronavirus. As businesses move towards resuming operations, these businesses will struggle to return to full capacity as their staff will need to maintain shielding to safeguard their own health.

Businesses which specialise in employing vulnerable workers, such as supported businesses, social enterprises and social firms, are at potential risk of closure unless there is flexibility in the furlough scheme to avoid the risk of redundancies for the most vulnerable people in society. If these specialised businesses are lost, their employees and thousands of future employees will struggle to re-enter employment, at a considerable long-term cost to the taxpayer.

We have written a joint letter to the Chancellor, asking the Government to consider implementing a tapering of arrangements to ensure that employment is protected wherever possible for vulnerable workers.

Lucy Findlay, Managing Director of Social Enterprise Mark CIC said:

“It has become clear that vulnerable people have been the most affected by Covid-19. We need the Chancellor to make a more nuanced approach to the end of the furlough scheme, in order to protect the most vulnerable in society from the ravages of this disease and further marginalisation and disadvantage.

“We were pleased to see the Guardian cover this story and encourage others to share this widely to put pressure on the Government to provide additional support for the most vulnerable workers.”

Sam Peplow, CEO, Yateley Industries – a registered charity and supported business providing employment and accommodation for people with disabilities, said:

“We are doing our best to get through this unprecedented crisis and government must be sensitive to the fact that not every business or employee is the same. What we don’t want to see is our most vulnerable workers being put out of work because they were overlooked.

Small changes to the Job Retention Scheme will help businesses like mine get through to the other side so that we can keep disabled people in work with all the benefits to health, wellbeing and society that come from that.”

In response to the current coronavirus outbreak, we are pleased to announce a new partnership with Ethical Angel, which will harness tech and people-power to provide free, virtual support to social enterprises during the coronavirus crisis (and beyond).

Ethical Angel, an employee engagement engine, can virtually match the skills and resources of the private sector with the operational needs of social enterprises, many of which are directly supporting vulnerable communities most affected by coronavirus.

The platform uses sophisticated technology to break down the broad needs of social enterprises into actionable projects that they then automatically match with the perfect person in their large community of business members. This means, that, without cost, social enterprises can very quickly and easily get what they need, when they need it.

“We often get asked what causes can ask for, the truth is anything that can be delivered by people-power. For example, brand guidelines, data-screening, GDPR policy templates, feedback on websites or sentiment mapping for customers. Just tell us what your need is and we will help break it down for you.” says Alexander Fahie, CEO of Ethical Angel.

Social Enterprise Mark CIC has partnered with Ethical Angel to ensure that more social enterprises are aware of the resources available to them during this challenging time.

Lucy Findlay MBE, Managing Director of Social Enterprise Mark said: “Online platforms have become even more important in helping businesses at this difficult time. We are pleased to be partnering with Ethical Angel to encourage our network of accredited social enterprises to utilise this opportunity to connect them with a whole range of corporate talent for free. This can support them to achieve their goal to make a positive difference.”

Social enterprises can find out more and register on the Ethical Angel website.

Given the current situation, we wanted to reach out to our network to remind you that we are here to help in any way we can.

First and foremost, we hope you and your families, friends and colleagues are all safe and well during this difficult time.

Acting on the latest government advice, we have now implemented remote working, but we remain very much open for business and all of our team are still available as usual via email.

You can also speak with us via our helpline – 0345 504 6536.

As we all adjust to this new way of working (and in our wider lives), we are aware this can lead to feelings of isolation. We want you to feel as much a part of our network as ever, and encourage you to engage with us during these turbulent time (and beyond).

Here are some ways you can stay connected:

Social media

You can keep up to date with news and developments via our social media channels, which we will be keeping regularly updated:

You can also join our Linked In discussion group to connect with other social enterprises. We encourage you to use this as a peer support platform, to share your concerns and issues you are facing, as well as supporting each other.

Newsletters

We will continue to send our weekly news bulletins, which contain updates from our international network of accredited social enterprises.

Don’t forget to let us know if you have any news that you would like to share… perhaps you are able to offer advice/support to other social enterprises during this time…?

Information and advice

We realise that many people will be implementing remote working for their teams, possibly for the first time. Advice and guidance on remote working can be found on the below links:

Up to date information and advice on what to do during this time can be found on the below links:

• Cosmic remote working advice toolkit 
• Roots Human Resources home working support for employers
• UnLtd remote working advice
• BBC: How to work from home, the right way

You can also stay up to date with government and NHS advice on the below links:

• UK government advice for employers
• NHS information and advice

Whilst we are doing all we can to keep our staff safe,we also want to ensure that as a network we remain connected during this difficult time, and provide support to each other where possible.

Stay safe and well, and if there is anything you need from us during this difficult time, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Today (1st February) marks ten years since the national launch of the Social Enterprise Mark.

We are so excited to reach this milestone and are proud of what we have achieved during this time – the Mark has evolved from a regional, funded project to now being the only internationally recognised standard of good practice in social enterprise.

To mark this anniversary, we have created the below timeline, which highlights the key stages in our journey over the last decade.

We are excited to introduce a new addition to our social enterprise accreditation portfolio.

The Aspiring Social Enterprise accreditation will support new and aspiring social enterprises to get started on the pathway to good practice and excellence. Through this entry-level accreditation, aspiring social enterprises can access tailored support to achieve sector-agreed standards of good practice and excellence in social enterprise, represented by the Social Enterprise Mark and Social Enterprise Gold Mark.

Applicants can prove their commitment to social enterprise principles, and will be supported on their journey to becoming a fully accredited social enterprise, with an annual review of their progress towards achieving the Social Enterprise Mark.

Earlier this year, we conducted a comprehensive survey of our Mark Holders and other key stakeholders, to help shape the future direction of Social Enterprise Mark CIC and our growing portfolio of accreditation services. Many thanks to all those who took the time to participate in the survey.

We have now analysed the responses and are excited to share this summary report, which highlights the key findings from the survey and illustrates the impact that we have on the social enterprise sector.

The report contains headline findings and statistics, including:

• Impact and influence of the Mark
• Impact and influence of Social Enterprise Mark CIC
• Benefits of accreditation
• Key business needs for social enterprises

As a customer-focussed organisation, the feedback received is invaluable in helping us to develop robust and credible standards that meet the evolving needs of the expanding social enterprise sector. We will now use the findings to inform our strategic direction and future development of our services.

If you have any comments or questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Nearly 300 people gathered in central London this week to hear who had won the top spots in this year’s NatWest SE100 Social Business Awards.

Seven awards were made to social enterprises working in many different parts of the UK, from Cornwall to Scotland.  The winners were:

• Growth – Creating Enterprise
• Impact – ECT Charity
• Trailblazing Newcomer – InHouse Records
• Storyteller – Hubbub Enterprise
• Investment – Resonance
• Leadership – Fuad Muhamad, ACH
• Resilience – P3

The Top 100 social enterprises from those who applied were also listed, in this year’s NatWest SE100 index, which represents the ‘top 100’ social enterprises from all applicants based on a variety of criteria, with points awarded based on the seven awards (growth, impact, leadership, etc). Social Enterprise Mark CIC is delighted to be included on the index.

Speaking at the event, the judges said they had been impressed with the quality of submissions. Neil McLean, CEO of the Social Enterprise Academy and one of the external judges, said: “In an era marked by the continual withdrawal of public resources and the need for greater international collaboration to tackle global issues, to learn of these initiatives being led by entrepreneurial leaders in social enterprise is inspiring and brings a much-needed optimism for the future.

It has been an absolute privilege and a pleasure to be a part of the panel judging the 2019 SE100 awards. The entries are testament to the principle that it is not just possible for both social and business causes to be served and thrive but it’s an absolute imperative that it does so.”

You can view the full SE100 index here.

At a splendid cream tea hosted at Pentillie Castle on 8^th February, more than 100 guests from the local business community gathered to celebrate the Devon & Cornwall 2019 Venus Awards finalists, who will be progressing to the next stage of these prestigious business awards.

Although in the 6^th year, the number of applications continues to grow, making the finalist selection process harder than ever. “We received more than 1,300 nominations and applications for the 15 award categories, which highlights the huge contribution that women in business are making to businesses in the Devon & Cornwall Region.” said Venus Movement founder Tara Howard.

Launched in September, the participants have now been whittled down to the Finalists stage through a combination of sponsor panel and public judging.

Lucy Findlay, Managing Director of Social Enterprise Mark CIC was delighted to be named as a finalist in the Influential Woman of the Year category, along with Dr Emily Beaumont of Social Enterprise Mark holder Plymouth Marjon University.

The Venus Awards – dubbed by Channel 4 as “The Working Women’s Oscars” – celebrate the vital contribution that women in business make to the local, regional, and national economy, and are unique in that anyone can nominate a friend, client or family member.

The Devon & Cornwall 2019 Venus Awards will culminate in a Glamorous Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on 29^th March 2019 at St Mellion International Resort.

As we enter our tenth year of providing clear and credible standards for the social enterprise sector, we are conducting a comprehensive stakeholder survey, to ensure our services address the evolving needs of the growing sector.

As a customer-focused organisation, we greatly value the input of our accredited social enterprises, partners, and other stakeholders, to inform the future development of our services.

Therefore, we would greatly appreciate you sparing some time to complete the survey, to provide feedback on your experience of the services we provide, and to have your say on the future direction of Social Enterprise Mark CIC and our accreditation services.

As a thank you for your time, we will enter you into a prize draw* for the chance to win a free introductory Social Impact Consultation with award-winning social enterprise specialist Heidi Fisher.

Please click this link to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HKQQH7Q

*The winner will be drawn at random from all complete survey responses after the survey closes on 15th March 2019.

Create your own user feedback survey

Over the last year, we have been working with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Supported Business Steering Group to develop two new quality marks for businesses that provide extra employment support for disabled people with the greatest barriers to work.

The Social Enterprise Disability Employment Mark (SEDEM) is an accreditation designed especially for supported businesses and social enterprises that have a focus on employing disabled people. It provides:

• Assurance to commissioners and funding bodies
• Assurance to disabled employees and job seekers/social enterprises
• Recognition as exemplar employers and businesses
• Access to commercial opportunities

SEDEM builds on the experience and evidence of Disability Confident, the Social Enterprise Mark and Gold Mark accreditations, as well as the customs and practices of the Supported Business Community as exemplar employers and businesses.

The Local Authority Disability Employment Mark (LADEM) has been developed following the initial testing of SEDEM with a number of local authority supported businesses, where a different evidence is required to meet the necessary criteria as they cannot be classed as ‘independent social enterprises’.

We are now entering a pilot phase of applications for both SEDEM and LADEM, from existing Supported Businesses prior to launch in March 2019. Applications from other Social Enterprises will be taken later in 2019, details of which will be available soon.

We are delighted to announce that our Managing Director Lucy Findlay has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list for ‘services to social enterprise’.

Lucy founded Social Enterprise Mark CIC in 2010 and over the last ten years has developed the Social Enterprise Mark from a regional funded project to an internationally available accreditation, which provides, for the first time, a clear standard and definition for the very broad social enterprise sector. She has played a major role in the development of the UK social enterprise sector over the past two decades and is thrilled to have received this recognition of her work.

“It’s a real honour to have this personal recognition and endorsement for my work in social enterprise” says Lucy Findlay. “I haven’t done it alone though. I would like to pay tribute to all my colleagues and friends who have stood by me and supported me over the years through both the highs and the lows of running a social enterprise.

It’s certainly an exciting start to 2019 for Social Enterprise Mark CIC.”

An MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) is awarded by Her Majesty the Queen after an individual is nominated for their outstanding achievement or service to the community. An independent Honours Committee reviews the nomination application and makes the final award decision.

Many thanks to Social Enterprise Mark/Gold Mark holders and other partners and stakeholders who took the time to participate in our recent stakeholder consultation as part of a review of the Social Enterprise Gold Mark. This also provided an opportunity to reflect upon the main Social Enterprise Mark and influence the general direction of our social enterprise accreditation services.

Special thanks to those respondents who took part in the telephone interviews, to enable us to explore different responses in greater detail.

We have now completed our analysis of the results and internally discussed our response, along with actions we plan to take. We are pleased to share this summary report, which provides an overview of the consultation findings and how we plan to act on these.

Our plan is to report on progress made with the revision of the Social Enterprise Gold Mark by the end of September 2018. We then plan to consult stakeholders on the new proposals before implementing any final changes that may be agreed in light of this additional feedback. The aim is to launch a revised Gold Mark before the end of the year.

We would welcome any additional feedback you may care to offer regarding these plans. You can get in touch with us by emailing enquire@socialenterprisemark.org.uk or by calling our helpline on 0345 504 6536.

We are now already thinking ahead to next year’s conference and welcome your input to help us make it even better than this year.

In particular, we would like to know what time of year and location would work best for you, and any potential barriers to your attendance at the conference. Please help us by completing this short survey.

Create your own user feedback survey

We are currently working with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Supported Business Steering Group to develop a new framework to enable supported businesses to prove their credentials when bidding for DWP programmes.

The Social Enterprise Disability Employment Mark (SEDEM) will build on the principles of Disability Confident, to provide assurance to DWP on the quality of employment outcomes for disabled people.

Our upcoming conference will provide a perfect opportunity to find out more about the SEDEM. Stephen Lismore from DWP and Martin Davies will be running a workshop on employing people with disabilities, which will look at the Government’s commitment to increasing the levels of disabled people in employment, and how those that facilitate the employment of disabled people could particularly benefit from the new accreditation.