Makers’ engagement with Cockpit Arts’ Business Incubation equals greater success Social Enterprise Mark holder Cockpit Arts has recently published its Cockpit Effect Report on the growth and development of craft businesses based at their two business incubation centres in London. Having celebrated their 30th Anniversary year in 2016 and reflected on the evolution of the business, […]
The impending Fairtrade Fortnight (27th February – 12th March) led me to reminisce that the Fairtrade movement inspired the roots of our own accreditation system, back in the late 2000’s. Fairtrade is a global movement to secure fair prices, working conditions and terms of trade for farmers, producers and workers across the world. By guaranteeing a […]
We are excited to be involved in a new EU co-funded project, which aims to improve the sustainability, social impact and scalability of social enterprises, to enable them to achieve their societal mission in a financially viable manner. Social UP is an EU co-funded project under the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, with the […]
On the 7th anniversary of the launch of the Social Enterprise Mark, I am reminded of how far we have come as a sector in that time, but also of how far we have to go in being truly recognised as competitive, sustainable businesses in the mainstream business world. Since our inception back in 2010, […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Southville Community Development Association (SCDA) and Triodos Bank have launched a bond offer to help raise £280,000 towards the cost of the Chessel Centre, a new £1.19m community hub and nursery in Bedminster, Bristol. The centre, which will open in the autumn, will comprise a 54-place nursery, a meeting room for use […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Big Issue Invest has today launched Impact Loans England, a new £5 million lending scheme aimed at enabling social enterprises to access loan funding of between £20,000 and £150,000. The programme is funded by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, with finance being provided by its partners Big Lottery Fund […]
Theresa May’s recent announcement of a ‘Shared Society’, after all the fuss about the Big Society when it was launched, has been greeted with a healthy degree of scepticism, but it is worth having a look at the finer detail and trains of thought that lie within the speech. Much of it is ‘motherhood and […]
By Steve Hawkins, CEO of Pluss Pluss has over 45 years experience of working with some of the most disadvantaged people in society. However, the fact is that today, we are working with many less severely disadvantaged people than we have done in the past. This is absolutely not because the need has gone away, but […]
As a global champion of social enterprise standards and the body responsible for the only internationally available social enterprise accreditation, we are delighted to have recently expanded our international network of accredited social enterprises, representing a five-fold increase within 2 years. Network of Asia and Pacific Producers Limited (NAPP), part of the the global Fairtrade organisation, […]
Channel 4 has announced that it will advertise all of its future vacancies on Evenbreak; a specialist job site run by and for disabled people. Channel 4 hopes the initiative will attract even more applications from disabled people in a bid to further diversify its workforce and help disabled people break into the media industry. The […]
cial Enterprise Mark holder RIO – the Real Ideas Organisation – a social enterprise based in the south west has won the Inspiring Youth Enterprise award at the UK Social Enterprise Awards. These annual awards recognise excellence and outstanding achievements by social enterprises – businesses that reinvest their profits for good, benefitting people and planet. […]
By Simon Ayers, CEO of TrustMark As TrustMark nears a close on its 10th Anniversary year, we nostalgically look back on how we got to this point. This year we’ve been campaigning heavily to promote reputable tradespeople, and shone light into the daily activities of our ten TrustMark Ambassadors, all of whom excel in customer service, […]
Work will start next week on a new community centre in Bedminster, Bristol, which will house a 54 place nursery, offices for the management charity and a new community centre. The site on Chessel Street was purchased by Social Enterprise Mark holder Southville Community Development Association (SCDA), the team behind the successful Southville Centre, 18 […]
Now in its 7th year, the leading market intelligence resource for social ventures, the NatWest SE100 Index, has announced the shortlist for its 2016/17 Social Business Awards. Revealed at the annual Good Deals social investment conference on 13th November, a total of 26 organisations have been shortlisted, celebrating the most inspiring and effective social enterprise leaders, and […]
Students, staff and visitors at Social Enterprise Mark holder Plymouth University will now be able to enjoy local artisan bread and baked goods on campus thanks to a landmark deal between Column Bakehouse and University Commercial Services Plymouth Ltd (UCSP). The deal will see the award winning Column Bakehouse – Plymouth’s first and only social […]
I write this on a day when Donald Trump has been announced as President Elect of the USA. There are many questions being asked and much soul searching for answers to them. Amongst others – are we in a post truth era or an era that wants to kick over the traces of corporate and […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Real People HR has been shortlisted for Consultancy of the Year at the Personnel Today Awards 2016. These annual awards celebrate talent in Human Resources, and the Consultancy of the Year category celebrates the important contribution made by external experts to the success of HR in organisations. Helen Giles, Managing Director of Real People, said: […]
We were delighted to see so many Social Enterprise Mark holders shortlisted for the upcoming 2016 UK Social Enterprise Awards, including long-standing Mark holder Connection Crew, which is shortlisted for the prestigious Social Enterprise of the Year accolade. Congratulations and best of luck to all the following organisations: Beacon Centre – One to Watch Award Big […]
On Thursday 24th November 2016, Social Enterprise Mark CIC will moving into office space at the HQ Business Centre, managed by Social Enterprise Mark holder Millfields Trust. Millfields Trust provides a platform to enable small and medium sized business to grow and develop. The Trust was set up to enable local people to contribute and manage […]
Public sector commissioners are coming under unprecedented financial and political pressure to make huge savings, particularly in the health service. Unfortunately, this type of pressure only leads to short-termism rather than more strategic, long term decision making. The tight timetable for the submission of STPs (Sustainability and Transformation Plans) by government also added to these […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Beacon Centre for the Blind has launched a pioneering competition to improve the lives of those living with sight loss and or other sensory loss. Inventors across the West Midlands are being urged to sign up for the Beacon Visionary+ Challenge which has a prize fund worth £20,000. It aims to find innovative products […]
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) last week announced West Midlands-based Social Enterprise Mark holder Roots HR CIC as a Trusted Supplier for HR services, including the provision of free HR advice for NCVO members. Roots HR has offered high quality people management and employment law advice, tailored to the not-for-profit sector, as part of […]
Ingeus and Social Enterprise Mark holder Pluss have announced a joint initiative to help people with disabilities and long-term health conditions into sustainable work. The collaboration brings together Ingeus’ proven expertise in supporting jobseekers, including those with complex health conditions, with Pluss’ award-winning approach to helping people with disabilities back into work. As experts in work, […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Unlimited Potential has been shortlisted by the Living Wage Foundation for the Living Wage Champion Awards 2016, which recognise Living Wage employers that have made great contributions to communities and industries by implementing and celebrating the Living Wage. The Living Wage Foundation offers a recognition mark for employers that commit to paying […]
CEO of Cosmic and Social Enterprise Mark Ambassador Julie Hawker has recently been presented with a new role, that of Society of Leadership Fellow of St. George’s House, Windsor Castle. Julie joins a very impressive host of fellows and Cosmic are extremely proud to be represented in this way. St. Georges House was founded in 1966 […]
Social Enterprise Gold Mark holder University of Salford has been recognised for its efforts in engaging students in enterprise activity, at a prestigious awards ceremony. The Enterprise team in Student Experience and Support won the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) Award for Entrepreneurship, in recognition of the services that the enterprise team offer to students, both […]
UK consumers, especially the younger generation, would pay more for products/services with a clear social purpose, according to a recent report from communications agency WE. The report, based on a a study of 2,000 UK consumers by YouGov, showed a growing consumer appetite for organisations that demonstrate a social purpose and how they are having a positive impact […]
As I mentioned in a previous blog post, we are experiencing an increasing interest in social enterprise accreditation at an international level. Since 2015, almost ¼ of all visits to our website have been from outside the UK, and we have recently awarded the fourth international Social Enterprise Mark to AUARA EMPRESA SOCIAL, a Spanish […]
As the champion of social enterprise standards and the body responsible for the only internationally available social enterprise accreditation, we are delighted to have announce that we have recently expanded our global network of accredited social enterprises. AUARA EMPRESA SOCIAL, a new Spanish social enterprise, committed to using profits from the sale of bottled water for investment in social projects […]
By Social Enterprise Mark holder Pluss If you haven’t seen it yet, you will soon. And when you do, it’ll blow you away. It’s the ‘Superhumans’ trailer for Channel 4’s coverage of the 2016 Paralympics that comes hard on the heels of this summer’s Rio Olympic Games. Set to the Sammy Davis Jr. track ‘Yes I […]
Two universities that have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark have scored highly in the 2016 National Student Survey (NSS). University of St Mark and St John in Plymouth (Marjon) has shot up the league tables, showing the highest percentage point increase of any university this year, rising up the rankings to be rated joint 35th out of […]
Please click here to access the survey in a new window Create your own user feedback survey
I was recently interested to hear about an innovative new movement focused on collaboration between practitioners, businesses, and communities, to improve and support health and social care services. World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) is a platform for everyone in the community to come together and share knowledge to deliver solutions for the benefit of all. […]
We recently submitted a response to a public consultation from the Cabinet Office, which is seeking opinions on proposed new policy directions for the allocation of Big Lottery Funds in England, Isle of Man and UK-wide funding programmes. Big Lottery Fund (BLF) receives 40% of the £1.8 billion ‘good causes’ money generated through the National […]
Social ventures across the UK encouraged to offer experience and insight to maximise impact A landmark Social Impact Survey, designed to uncover awareness and attitudes to impact measurement and maximise social performance among frontline social ventures, launches today across the UK. The Buzzacott Social Impact Survey is the first ever in-depth survey of UK charities […]
WANTED: Bosses on a mission! Hunt is on for UK’s most inspiring social enterprise leaders – as entries open for NatWest SE100 Social Business Awards 2016/17 A talent search with a difference got underway today to find the UK’s best social enterprise bosses. Thousands of charities, social enterprises and responsible businesses are being encouraged to nominate their most […]
We are pleased to announce that Social Enterprise Mark CIC has been confirmed as a new partner of the Forerunner Prize, which was launched in May by Social Enterprise Mark holder Iridescent Ideas. The Forerunner Prize is aimed at budding social entrepreneurs looking to do exciting things with technology. The winner will receive a a £5,000 prize […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Pluss was recently named the winner of the Disability and Health Employment Award at the annual ERSA Employability Awards. The Employability Awards, now in their fourth year, showcase and champion best practice from across the employment support sector, celebrating the hard work and achievements of those involved in supporting people into work. The Disability and Health Employment Award recognises a […]
By Gareth Presch, Founder of World Health Innovation Summit We now have the tools and the will to inspire, innovate and share knowledge to support our health services. World Health Innovation Summit provides that space for innovation and knowledge exchange to take place so all sectors of society benefit. Problem: Our health services are under immense […]
Those of us who run social enterprises and charities collect and use lots of data for all kinds of purposes. Many would argue there’s too much. Business experts tell us we could be sitting on a goldmine if only we could harness this amazing resource. Yet the reality is that many are stumbling around in […]
During my 15 odd years working in the social enterprise sector, I have been asked countless times to explain what a social enterprise is. Like many others in the sector I am sure, I tend to wheel out the same well-known examples, such as Big Issue and Age UK, to illustrate the concept of social […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Charity Bank is holding a free 45-minute webinar on 14th May 2016, designed for trustees and senior managers of charities and social enterprises considering loan finance,or for those who simply want to learn more. The webinar will cover: evaluating if loans are right for your organisation the pros and cons of loan finance […]
We are excited to unveil a new look for Social Enterprise Mark CIC and our accreditation Marks – the Social Enterprise Mark and the Social Enterprise Gold Mark. Our objective in creating these new designs was to more clearly demonstrate/communicate the status of those displaying the Marks as proven and accredited social enterprises, guaranteed to be […]
Social Enterprise Mark holders Cosmic and Pluss have worked closely together for several years, through project work, development of a new Pluss website and, most recently, the creation of a new video to showcase the outcomes for clients that Pluss have supported into finding employment. The objective was to produce a video that created real emotions, which was achieved using […]
Dorset based charity Help & Care was named as the winner of the Social Enterprise Mark CIC ‘Making a Mark’ competition at a celebration at our recent conference in Salford. They were presented with a special award, created for us by Rowan, an arts centre and charity for learning disabled people. The Making a Mark competition […]
In July, Social Enterprise Mark holder Chocolate Films launches a large scale media and film-making programme in the heart of Woolwich for disadvantaged residents of the borough. They are are offering people who have complex issues such as substance misuse and mental health issues, as well as those experiencing difficulties finding housing, childcare and employment, a range of training and skills opportunities […]
At a special award reception at our annual conference on 8th June 2016, we announced the winner of our Making a Mark competition, celebrating the vast and diverse social benefits created by Social Enterprise Mark holders. The competition highlighted examples of how accredited social enterprises are creating considerable social impact within their local communities and in wider society. Following […]
As the only international accreditation body for social enterprise, we have witnessed the growing interest in social enterprise from around the world. Almost a quarter of our website hits come from overseas and we now have 3 international Social Enterprise Mark holders. We have also recently completed a piece of work for the British Council […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Westway Trust are giving young people aged 16 – 24 the power and the money (up to £400) to bring a creative project to life. The Trust is now recruiting for a second group of #CultureMakers, providing: Mentoring and training from creative professionals Inspiration through a range of creative activities chosen by you […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Pluss has been successful with five stage one applications for the ‘Building Better Opportunities’ programme across South West England and West Yorkshire. ‘Building Better Opportunities’ is a project jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund. It focuses on promoting social inclusion, and driving local jobs and growth. Pluss will […]
Social Enterprise Network (SEN) recently welcomed Rob Wilson MP, the Minister for Civil Society, to address its new Social Economy Panel in Liverpool, on Thursday 12th May. Leading figures in the local social economy, including representatives from the Heseltine Institute, Social Enterprise Mark holder Fusion21 and others, met with Rob Wilson MP, to discuss the growing social […]
…The step change needed to halve the disability employment gap By Steve Hawkins, CEO of Pluss First the good news, then the maths. The good news is the government’s unequivocal commitment to halving the disability employment gap. Now the maths. The disability employment gap currently stands at around 43 percentage points. To halve the gap means […]
Last night saw the launch of the NatWest SE100 Social Business Club, the new business support club offering insight, inspiration, expertise and peer learning for social enterprises on the NatWest SE100 Index. The Club was launched at an evening event hosted by NatWest to announce this year’s Cabinet Office Social Investment Awards, which highlight the […]
The public and press have short memories. Today and over the last few weeks there has been flurry of scandal and comment about corporate greed. Even the right wing press are shouting about how BHS has been asset stripped, leaving a huge pensions hole. From offshore accounts and tax evasion, to BP paying a huge […]
By Richard Cobbett, Assessment and Compliance Manager Last month I had the great privilege of visiting Beijing, China, where I had been invited by the British Council to talk about the development of the Social Enterprise Mark certification process. As well as the Council, I met with several key academics, including Professors Yuan Ruijun, Zhang Yanlong, Meng […]
By Cara Aitchison, Vice Chancellor of University of St Mark & St John Our students and graduates are increasingly reporting that they seek employment and lifestyles that enable them to contribute to the social, cultural and environmental well-being of their communities, society and the world around them, rather than simply thinking of their degree as […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Cosmic recently announced the launch of their new Digital Leadership training programme. Cosmic has launched this new programme in response to research carried out both locally and nationally looking at Digital Leadership in business. The evidence suggests that in many cases there is little or no real understanding of what Digital Leadership actually is […]
On 7th April 2016 The Big Issue celebrated 200 million sales in Britain. In almost 25 years since its founding, the iconic magazine has changed the publishing landscape and the lives of thousands and thousands of people, working on the simple ‘A hand up, not a hand out’ mantra. The Big Issue is not a […]
By Gareth Hart, Co-founder of Iridescent Ideas “So you’re a social enterprise, eh? What does that mean then?” How many times have you been asked that question? How many times have you answered it but still aren’t convinced that they questioner has ‘got it’ or believes it? The debate about the definition of social enterprise may […]
I recently stumbled upon an American blog which talks about whether competitions are good for social enterprises. They are indeed all the rage – from social enterprise ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitches, to ‘Social Enterprise of the Year’ awards. However, are they really what social enterprise is about, and do they really tell us about whether […]
To mark National Apprenticeship Week, we are supporting the #PasstheTorch campaign. Social Enterprise Mark CIC took on our first Apprentice in December. Lara Wylie, who joined the team as Customer Relations Assistant, is enrolled on a Level 2 Business and Administration Apprenticeship through City College Plymouth. On completion of the Level 2 qualification, Lara intends to enrol on […]
100 Change Makers will be out at air pollution hotspots across six central London boroughs on the 9th and 16th March to ask drivers to turn off their engines when parked in a bid to drive down air pollution. The initiative, which harnesses the power of local residents and workers to drive change, is being […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Cascade has recently published their Spring training programme. Workshops include: Personal Effectiveness: Emotional Intelligence & Communicating with Impact Attracting, Recruiting & Managing Volunteers Writing a Winning Bid Tendering for Services: preparing & presenting your call for bids Please click here to download the full programme. Full day workshops cost £149 and […]
If you have applied for, or received funding from grant-making trusts and foundations, Foundational Thinking invite you to complete their short survey, based on emerging themes from a literature review of the practice of grant-making trusts and foundation. Foundational Thinking is a Flip Finance project set up to explore the ways in which grant-making trusts and foundations can better […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Co-wheels car club has launched a new scheme to enable low emission travel in and around the Lake District. Hybrid cars with roof racks can now be booked online and picked up directly from train stations in Cumbria, so it’s easy to take a bike up on the train and explore […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Global Action Plan won the Community and Education Award at the recent Waterwise Water Efficiency Awards for its Water Explorer Project. Water Explorer is a free programme for schools to learn about water and the environment, supported by the HSBC Water Programme. The programme empowers future generations through fun, interactive water saving Missions and provides the platform for […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder The Selby Trust in Tottenham was announced as runner-up in the Building Sustainable Communities category at the City of London Sustainable City Awards. These awards are given to organisations which have demonstrated excellence in sustainable development. Moussa Amine Sylla, Green Hub Coordinator at the Selby Centre, said: “I always believed that the planet […]
Part 2 By Richard Cobbett, Assessment and Compliance Manager Last month, I started to consider how social enterprises should be distinguishing themselves when compared to other business models looking to validate ethical business credentials, through how they measure and report on their social impact (including environmental). To recap, there are three broad ways through which a business […]
New figures released this week by the NatWest SE100 index highlight impressive growth from the UK’s social enterprise sector this year, with an average growth in turnover of 80%. Now in its sixth year, this unique index tracks the growth and performance of the UK’s social enterprises. In 2015, the Index collected data from 1, 244 […]
The Living Wage Foundation is pleased to announce that Social Enterprise Mark CIC is now accredited as a Living Wage employer. The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Social Enterprise Mark CIC, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors, receive a minimum hourly wage of £8.25. This is significantly higher than […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Help & Care has recently launched a new timetable for its free carer workshops for carers. There are over 50,000 people caring for loved ones in Dorset alone. That’s one in 15 people looking after someone close to them with very little extra support. Many of these people can feel very isolated […]
Two Salford services dedicated to giving people the tools to make improvements to their health and wellbeing have been selected to take part in a national programme funded by NHS England. Being Well Salford and Social Enterprise Mark holder Unlimited Potential (in partnership with Inspiring Communities Together) have been chosen as two of the five […]
The Institute for Creative & Cultural Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London is holding a social enterprise lecture series, showcasing Social Entrepreneurship across sectors, and from around the world. The series started on Tuesday 12th January, with a lecture from Dave Boyle, Director of The Community Shares Company, on ‘Community Shares, or, Social Investment by the rest of us‘. […]
Part 1 By Richard Cobbett, Assessment and Compliance Manager “Social enterprise”, “Social business”, “Social Entrepreneurism”, “Corporate Social Responsibility” (CSR). How many people must be left scratching their heads when trying to determine the difference between these labels? The fact that such business models can all measure and report on their ethical business outputs in similar ways explains much of this […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Ideal for All has been shortlisted for the prestigious “People’s Choice Award” in the Sandwell & West Birmingham CCG 2016 Equality Awards. Ideal for All (IFA) empowers and enables disabled and disadvantaged people and their families, carers, support workers and communities to be active citizens and to fully participate in society. IFA includes […]
By Kate Pierpoint, Deputy Chief Executive of Manor House Development Trust As we continue to face social and economic challenges, the need for value for money and maximised social impact continues to increase. The Social Value Act of 2012 has seen an acceleration of this trend. More recently, the demand for both financial and social return […]
…and is part of a record breaking social enterprise investment Social Enterprise Mark holder The Phone Co-op has won the Best Consumer Facing Social Enterprise Award at the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2015. The Phone Co-op is a consumer co-operative that exists to serve its members, and inspire others with an alternative, better model for business and […]
By Steve Hawkins, CEO of Pluss So now we know that a new Work and Health Programme will replace the two current DWP employment programmes when they end in 2017. Just a month after the Work & Pensions Committee recommended that DWP should ‘maintain, and ideally expand, a separate employment programme for disabled people’, the Government […]
Julie Hawker, CEO of Social Enterprise Mark holder Cosmic and a Social Enterprise Mark Ambassador, was awarded the honour of Women’s Social Enterprise Champion of the Year at the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2015, held on London’s South Bank on 26th November. These national awards recognise excellence and outstanding achievements by social enterprises – businesses that reinvest […]
From January 2016, UK communities will be able to work together to measure air pollution on their streets. This crowdfunded initiative is being set up by Social Enterprise Mark holder Mapping for Change, based at University College London. Community groups of all ages and abilities will collect air quality information using simple but reliable equipment. […]
Following the recent departure of a couple of our founding members, Social Enterprise Mark CIC is currently seeking people to join the independent Certification Panel, which oversees the assessment of applications for the Social Enterprise Mark. The Panel’s role is to advise on the interpretation of the Mark criteria, evidence requirements, and other factors that contribute […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Big Issue Invest has revealed the social businesses who have successfully secured investment through its Corporate Social Venturing (CSV) Programme. CSV is an innovative business support and investment initiative that facilitates growth and development among organisations that are using business solutions to remedy some of society’s biggest challenges throughout the country. This year, […]
Following on from my post in September, looking at how the Social Enterprise Mark differs from other accreditation/certification schemes, it occurred to me that a key differentiator for us is the international aspect. The Social Enterprise Mark is the only internationally available social enterprise accreditation, enabling credible social enterprises to prove that they are making a difference. […]
Many thanks to all Social Enterprise Mark holders and other stakeholders that participated in our online survey and follow up telephone interviews earlier this year, conducted on our behalf by Gareth Hart at Iridescent Ideas. We have now analysed the responses and are pleased to publish our Stakeholder Impact Summary Report, summarising the impact that Social Enterprise Mark […]
By Steve Hawkins, CEO of Pluss The Parliamentary Work and Pensions Committee have just published their report on the Work Programme after interviewing a series of expert witnesses and taking a mountain of evidence. Their report is clear-sighted, far-reaching, and unanimous. The report makes clear that a mainstream, one size fits all Work Programme is not working […]
Rachel Wang, co-founder and Director of Social Enterprise Mark holder Chocolate Films was recently awarded the honour of the Entrepreneur of the Year award at the Black British Business Awards 2015. The awards celebrate exceptional performance and outstanding achievements of black people in businesses operating in the UK. Rachel was inspired to create her production company Chocolate […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder Gateway Family Services CIC is celebrating after winning two prestigious awards this week. On Tuesday they won a Three Year Health and Wellbeing award from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). This meant they were put forward for the prestigious Health Ministers Award… and yesterday, they won that too! The RSPH Three Year Health and […]
By Isabelle De Grave, Charity Bank (originally posted on Charity Bank blog on 1st October 2015) The most important week for the Good Money campaign is fast approaching. Here’s what it’s all about. Good Money Week, 18th – 24th October 2015, is an opportunity to ensure those you trust with your money are looking after […]
The Institute for Creative & Cultural Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London is holding a social enterprise lecture series, showcasing Social Entrepreneurship across sectors, and from around the world. The series started on Tuesday 13th October, with a lecture from John O’Shea on ‘The Power of Social Entrepreneurs’. The series continues throughout October and November, with the […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder TheGivingMachine was once just an idea between 4 friends; it started as a social enterprise and then became a registered charity last year. Now it has reached a momentous milestone – £1,000,000 has been unlocked for good causes by people shopping on-line via TheGivingMachine, without it costing them a single penny more. […]
Social Enterprise Mark holders BITA Pathways and FRC Group, and Gold Mark holder John Taylor Hospice have been shortlisted for the NatWest SE100 Awards 2015. The winners will win a share of over £32, 000 in prize money that will be awarded at the NatWest SE100 Annual Awards on 19th October 2015, at the Good Deals social investment conference […]
During September, I was invited by the Taiwanese government to speak at 2 conferences over 2 days in 2 cities – the capital Taipei and another big city in the centre of the island – Taichung. It was a bit of a whistle stop tour, but ably enhanced by a steep emersion into Taiwanese life from […]
There is often confusion between the various ‘badges’, ‘identifiers’ and ‘certifications’ available to organisations looking to prove their social and ethical credentials, and we are often met with questions about the relationship between the Social Enterprise Mark and other certification schemes. Following the official UK launch event of B Corps last night, which I attended, we thought this may […]
By Steve Hawkins, CEO of Pluss Credit to the Government for being so clear. They want to halve the disability employment gap. That’s the difference between the percentage of people with disabilities who are in work and that of the working age population as a whole. Pretty much everyone agrees this would be a good thing […]
Social Enterprise Mark holder TheGivingMachine received the award for Most Trusted Social Enterprise at the very first UK Trust Awards. The award was presented to Richard Morris, CEO and Founder of TheGivingMachine, by Roger James Hamilton and Michelle Clarke, Global Partnership Manager at The Entrepreneurs Institute. Expressing his gratitude to those who voted, Richard said: “I’m delighted […]
By Isabelle De Grave, Charity Bank We can choose to buy from, work for, and even set up companies that have a sense of purpose beyond profit. But how do we spot them? In the digital age, the demand for information, often just a click or a ‘google’ away, is immense. At the same time […]
The Soap Co. – a new luxury soap brand, directly creating employment for blind or otherwise disabled or disadvantaged people, has been launched today by Social Enterprise Mark Holder Clarity EFBP. Promising to be good and do good, with a strong focus on design and ethics, the new brand will also be available directly to consumers […]
…from one dependency to another You can’t have failed to notice the high profile fall of Kid’s Company over the last few months. It reminded me of some of the dangers that can lie in reliance on government contracts for the delivery of public services, which has been repeated as a mantra for the social enterprise […]
The Heart of the South West LEP is currently conducting a survey of social enterprises across the region, and we encourage all regional Mark Holders to get involved. In order to build a current and accurate picture of social enterprise in the region, the survey is being conducted to establish a baseline of the size, […]
The Plymouth-based University of St Mark & St John has been commended by Plymouth City Council Leader Tudor Evans, in recognition of its commitment to social enterprise. It has become one of only four universities in the UK to have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark. This makes Plymouth, which was the UK’s first social […]
