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Testimonials
Tim Smit, Eden Project: "The Mark is the flag, the rallying cry and the sign of the legitimacy of a new way of doing business which will, in due course, come to be seen as the way most business should be done. In short, it is the Mark of a movement that gives capitalism a social heart and anyone who cares deeply about this, will wear the badge with pride"
Nigel Kershaw, The Big Issue: "The Big Issue was set up to find a business solution to the social crisis of homelessness. We are proud to be a social enterprise, proud to be part of a movement and the Social Enterprise Mark on our cover tells our readers just that."
Mark Sesnan, GLL: "We are delighted to have the Social Enterprise Mark - it is a strong endorsement of the fact that we are meeting our social goals and clearly distinguishes us from purely commercial enterprises."
Vivian Woodell, The Phone Co-op: "The achievement of the Social Enterprise Mark is very exciting for us. The Mark is such an important step in raising awareness so that more people will buy from and engage with social enterprises. We are optimistic about what the Mark can achieve and we delighted to be a part of it."
Louise Gardner of the Watershed, Bristol: "It’s crucial that our customers are aware that Watershed is socially motivated and the Social Enterprise Mark will help us communicate this. Some of our customers do not fully understand that we are driven not by profits but by social motives. Communicating this to our customers is a key element of our communications strategy, and the Social Enterprise Mark is a big part of it."
Ben Moss of Bristol Wood Recycling: "The Social Enterprise Mark will help us when we are approaching private sector clients, such as construction companies. The Social Enterprise Mark will give them confidence that we are genuinely socially motivated. We see the Mark as key in identifying ourselves as unique and legitimate in a very competitive field"
Scott Darraugh, Social adVentures: "the Mark is crucial in stopping for profit organisations "moonlighting" as social enterprises which is a real risk to the sector! The Mark is a brand to communicate with commissioners, service users, consumers and staff about the fact you actually do what it says on the tin! There are lots of small companies ltd by guarantee and soletraders that state they are social enterprises, when in fact they aren"t."
Brian Darwood, Lighthouse Furniture Project: "The Social Enterprise Mark is making a difference to us because now trainees are able to understand that they work for a business that has society and the environment at its heart."
Jane Acton, Nature Workshops: "The Mark has been a catalyst to help prove to other quality standard processes that we know what we are doing and that we have the right ethos to provide a quality service to all our users."
Do you qualify for the Mark?
- Your company has social and/or environmental aims?
- Your company has its own constitution and governing body?
- The company earns at least 50% of its income from trading (or as a new start, you pledge to reach this within 18 months)?
- At least 50% of company profits are spent on socially beneficial purposes?
- Your company can demonstrate that social/environmental aims are being achieved?
- If your company ceased trading, remaining assets would be distributed for social/environmental purposes?
Answer ‘Yes’ to these questions and your business could achieve the Social Enterprise Mark.
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