Meet the Social Enterprise Mark Holder: Roots HR CIC

Roots HR CIC is the UK’s specialist consultancy for human resources for the social sector. We enable organisations to continually improve performance and sustainability through better people management, whilst ensuring an understanding of and compliance with employment legislation.

We provide high quality and affordable services to social sector organisations. We are the only HR consultancy in the UK to use our trading surpluses to provide pro bono (free) HR services and learning and development to leaders and managers working in social sector.

When did your business become a social enterprise and why?

Roots HR has been a social enterprise since its inception in 2009; this was a key mission of our Founder and Social Enterprise Mark Ambassador, Jan Golding.

What social needs are you trying to address and what types of social outcome are you striving to deliver?

Our vision is to improve outcomes for beneficiaries of social sector organisations through better people management.

We provide affordable, accessible and high-quality HR services to enable small to medium social sector organisations best respond to external and internal forces whenever required.

Through the provision of our fee earning work, we can fund our pro-bono services.

Individuals learn from both taking advice/attending training and from the experience of implementing this in practice. Meaning that within these social sector organisations managers are better able to manage people, people management feels inclusive, fair and “normal” to the workforce and people management risks are minimised and key talent is retained within the sector.

Ultimately this means that the social sector organisations can retain more of their income for service delivery to their beneficiaries.

What is your main reason for having our accreditation? What were your expectations?

Roots HR have held the Social Enterprise Mark continuously for 11 years. To us it is a visible mark that demonstrates our integrity and credibility as a social enterprise, showing we operate primarily to create benefits for people and planet.

What does accreditation mean to you? What does it say about your business?

Holding the Social Enterprise Mark demonstrates that Roots HR continually meets sector-agreed criteria and that we are operating as a genuine social enterprise, committed to creating positive social change.

It means that we can clearly demonstrate best practice in areas fundamental to being a social enterprise such as stakeholder engagement, social impact and ethics. The accreditation facilitates us in achieving our vision, mission, social purpose and values.

What benefits has there been as a result of being accredited? 

The accreditation process requires us to undertake a rigorous external assessment which is supplemented by annual checks against criteria. This process ensures that as an organisation we take stock and can reflect on our vision, mission and on the social impact we have created.

As a team we take immense pride in seeing all that we have achieved!

Are there any specific achievements/accomplishments that are linked to holding the accreditation?

As a social enterprise operating solely in the social sector, the accreditation is clear proof to our clients, stakeholders and the wider social sector of our social enterprise credentials; which can help differentiate us from our competition.

What would you say to another social enterprise considering accreditation?

As a Mark holder for over 11 years and with our Founder operating as a Social Enterprise Mark Ambassador, we would wholeheartedly encourage other social enterprises to go through the accreditation process!

Through this journey you will be able to prove your credibility; demonstrate best practice as a social enterprise and clearly articulate your social impact.

Any other comments/feedback?

The team at Social Enterprise Mark CIC are incredibly helpful and at Roots HR we consider them as our partners in helping us to achieve our social purpose.

Find out more about Roots HR CIC by visiting their listing on our Mark Holder Directory.

What next

If you would like to find out more about becoming an accredited social enterprise please complete our Eligibility Quiz to find out more.