Thought Leadership

29 November 2022 Social Enterprise UK has launched a new podcast exploring the ways in which social value can be used to help businesses, the public sector and Government to develop a fairer, greener society.   Social value is a way of maximising the positive social, economic and environmental impact of organisations. The Social Value Act, introduced in 2012, made it obligatory for public bodies to consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the areas they operate in. The aim of the Social Value Podcast is to help leaders in the public and private sector, to understand how using a “social value” approach will enable better decisions. The podcast is a part of the Social Value 2032 programme, a partnership between Social Enterprise UK, Jacobs, PwC, Shaw Trust, Siemens and Suez Recycling and Recovery UK. The programme aims to extend the use of social value across the public and private sectors and highlight how procurement can drive improvement and greater sustainability in businesses and markets in the UK, transform public services and accelerate the drive to Net Zero. On the first episode of The Social Value Podcast, Michelle Levi, Social Impact Lead for Europe at Jacobs, discusses the importance of building an organisational culture that supports and champions social value. You can listen to The Social Value Podcast at https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/socialvaluepodcast/ Episodes are also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Find out more about Social Value 2032 here.

November 2022 A must-visit London event for those curious to discover work by the worldʼs most exciting makers, Cockpitʼs Winter Open Studios return this year, revealing the extraordinary work made behind closed doors at Cockpit Bloomsbury from 25 to 27 and Cockpit Deptford from 2 to 4 December. United by their unrivalled skill and imagination, Cockpit makers span every kind of craft practice, from finely made functional homeware to exceptional one-of-a-kind art objects. With prices to suit all budgets and many one-off, new and exclusive pieces launching, there is no better place to buy handmade this Christmas. The Winter Open Studios offer a rare chance to purchase directly from the private workshops of more than 160 of the countryʼs best emerging makers and globally renowned craftspeople working in textiles, glass, weaving, jewellery, ceramics and much more. Works are created sustainably and hyper-locally, on site and by hand. While investing in storied pieces that are designed to last, visitors can experience the visceral nature of physical making up close. They can explore what it means, and how it feels, to make and own things with intrinsic meaning and exceptional quality. A number of makers will show new work at Cockpitʼs Winter Open Studios, including a group of timeless yet contemporary new jewellery designs by Zia Huang, whose imaginative breadth of work spans everything from abstract minimalism to organic geometric forms. Jeweller Hannah Bedford will show Rain, a new collection that has evolved from a series of observations of droplets in nature. Also debuting a new jewellery collection, Ciara Bowles will unveil Kaleidoscope, an exciting group of jewels that juxtapose and harmonise colour combinations using reclaimed gemstones. Shamanic spirit artist and jeweller Chloe Valorso, an MA graduate in Jewellery and Metal at the Royal Academy of Arts, will introduce a new collection of Spirit Amulets and new editions to her much-loved Smiley rings. Exclusively for Open Studios sculptor Lucille Lewin will launch a series of new pieces, including small porcelain works, brass boxes and petri dishes. As part of her ongoing research and development of glaze, ceramicist Tessa Eastman will reveal pieces glazed with metallic surfaces alongside five miniature versions of her popular Baby Cloud Bundle sculptures. Textile artist Ellen Mae Williams will show work created during her recent residency on the Greek island of Skopelos, seen in the UK for the first time at the Winter Open Studios, while weaver Eva Dennis launches new wall hangings crafted from vintage fabrics and recycled yarn as well as earrings and brooches. Those looking for a hands-on experience are invited to join print artist Paige Denham for a Christmas stocking screen printing workshop, alongside a number of other interactive opportunities at Cockpit Bloomsbury ad Cockpit Deptford. Annie Warburton, CEO, said: “As days grow shorter and nights darker, at this time of year we turn towards the light of human connection. Most of the year, a makerʼs studio is private space and rightly so, but Cockpit Open Studios is the moment that we open to welcome guests to connect with our makers and show the extraordinary work being made on site. In the dopamine rush of Black Friday deals, itʼs easy to be seduced into bargain buying. Craft offers something different, more soulful, more enriching, more nourishing. A visit to Cockpit is anything but ʻjust shoppingʼ. Itʼs a moment to take time, have conversations and to linger over choosing a gift made with heart, soul, care and imagination. A gift that will bring lasting pleasure. “ Public admission Cockpit Bloomsbury: 25-27 November, Cockpit Yard, Northington Street, London WC1N 2NP Cockpit Deptford: 2-4 December, 18-22 Creekside, London SE8 3DZ Opening times: Friday 2 ‒ 8pm, Saturday & Sunday 12 ‒ 5pm General admission tickets are £6, concessions are £4 Tickets for Cockpit Bloomsbury Winter Open Studios Tickets for Cockpit Deptford Winter Open Studios About Cockpit Cockpit is home to some of the most exciting makers in the world. Spanning every kind of craft, Cockpitʼs makers are united by their extraordinary skill and imagination. Our Mission A voice for making in all its forms, Cockpit stands for the transformative power of craft to shape a better world. Cockpit gives makers tools to build their businesses so they can focus on what they do best: making. From studio space to business advice, Cockpit is where careers in craft are made. At the heart of the craft community, Cockpit is an ardent champion of social justice. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Cockpit bridges that gap, opening pathways for new talent to succeed. Our Story Cockpitʼs name comes from our first studio site at Cockpit Yard, Bloomsbury. Originally an eighteenth-century cockfighting arena, the yard was taken over by a cabinet maker in 1745. It has been a site for craft and making ever since. Cockpit as we know it today began in 1986 when Camden Recycling created five starter units in Cockpit Yard for young, unemployed makers. In the early 2000s, Cockpit opened its second location in Deptford and launched its pioneering business support programme. From there, Cockpitʼs reputation grew to become the destination for makers starting up in practice. Highly sought-after, a place at Cockpit is a mark of quality. The organisation has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in contemporary craft. It is a place to discover the stars of the future. A registered charity and award-winning social enterprise, Cockpit is now home to 150 of the worldʼs finest makers. Cockpit is recognised as a UK top 100 social enterprise on the NatWest SE100 index 2021 and is proud to be a London Living Wage employer. Cockpitstudios.org | @cockpit_studios

Impact is hard baked into the DNA of social enterprises: it’s what makes us who we are and drives what we do. And in 2022, Stitch, powered by Connection Crew, has been thinking hard about this: how to push further for greater social and environmental impact and nudge this change up and down supply chains. Powered by the award-winning team at Connection Crew, Stitch is designing and delivering production solutions that minimise environmental impact and maximise social outcomes. Taking off in 2022, Stitch’s exhibition stands alone have: Achieved 93% of materials being reused or recycledDelivered 785 hours of direct social value employment for people with experience of homelessnessRe-used over 12,500 kilos of materials, saving these from being single-use or going to landfill And it’s not just exhibition stands. Stitch is working on innovative projects for clients across industries. In 2022, Wates partnered with Connection Crew following a successful installation project delivered by Stitch. This has catalysed further work to design and install welfare areas for staff, in turn helping improving their Considerate Construction score and evidencing their commitment to working with social enterprises (and hitting ESG goals at the same time.) “[They] have proven themselves to be adaptable and professional. Having identified transferrable skills, they have built welfare areas and also completed a successful pilot in modular install. Their drive, passion and capability are as fantastic as the impact they are having on the lives of homeless people.” Su Pickerill, Head of Social Value, Wates Group Services Stitch has also recently won CBRE’s Going Above and Beyond award for service delivery, recognising their work to deliver film services that hit CBRE’s needs: “Stitch have delivered a brilliant service and we're really proud to be partnering with them. Their commitments to making a positive impact through their work is inspiring, and we've loved being part of this. For these reasons and more, this is why we wanted to recognise their work as winners of our Above and Beyond award for service this year.” Gemma Lindley, Supplier Engagement Director, CBRE We’ve now worked with clients in industries including pharmaceuticals, construction, real estate and more: delivering circular-enabled production solutions that are environmentally-sound and socially powerful. What next In 2023, the ambitions of Stitch are to do even more: develop, find and use more circular-enabled materials and processes; create new pathways and opportunities for our ex-homeless crew; and support change in processes for our clients and suppliers. Every project inches Stich’s ability to innovate new, better and more ambitious methods to deliver projects that help fulfil ESG commitments. Check Stitch out here or get in touch to find out how we can work together to deliver your needs: info@stitchlive.co.uk

We are delighted to launch our 2022 Christmas Gift Guide, featuring products from Social Enterprise UK members! It’s got your Christmas shopping covered from chocolates to socks and babygrows to growing herbs. The guide is full of presents with purpose and across six categories you’ll find gifts for children, stocking fillers, food and drink, items for your home and garden, clothing and accessories. It includes gifts which empower workers and support communities, products handmade by people learning new skills to change their lives, and discarded items given new beautiful forms. When you buy from a social enterprise you are buying gifts that gift back from businesses that are built to make a difference. We hope you enjoy browsing through the guide and buying social this Christmas! Click here to check out our Christmas Gift Guide

17 November 2022 Responding to the Autumn Statement, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: The Chancellor spoke of the resilience and inventiveness of the British people, these are qualities that the social enterprise community has in abundance, but these purpose-led businesses will need the support of Government to survive this recession and inflationary pressures. Social enterprises work in every sector of the economy including public services and so while the Chancellor was right to protect health and education budgets, SEUK is concerned by the absence of a clear plan to protect other vital services. It is vital that these purpose-led businesses, which create social and environmental value as well as jobs and GDP to the UK are able to keep the lights on and keep trading through this crisis. SEUK will continue to lobby the Government for more support for social enterprises on energy bills and to be a voice for social enterprise throughout this crisis.

Social Enterprise UK have launched a brand-new Social Enterprise Directory. Featuring our members, the Directory is a unique way for social enterprises to connect with potential customers. Organisations and consumers who want to purchase with purpose can use the Directory to find social enterprises they could work with or buy from. All members that are social enterprises can be listed on the Directory. Members can update their profile either through the Directory itself or by contacting our membership team on membership@socialenterprise.org.uk.   The Directory is the place to visit if you want to explore the social enterprise movement- you can search by product type, social/environmental mission or by location.  CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE DIRECTORY

Social Enterprise UK has today launched the Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre – which aims to be a world-class source of evidence and insights on social enterprise. For more than a decade, our data and evidence has been the foundation of much of the research on social enterprise in the UK. Information collected by us on social enterprise activity drives understanding, awareness and progress. It informs public policy, from the creation of Better Society Capital (formerly Big Society Capital) and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, to the Social Value Act and the development of public service mutuals, as well as the recent Adebowale Commission on Social Investment. The new Knowledge Centre brings together evidence compiled by us with wider sources of data, to make the UK’s most comprehensive source of information about social enterprise. It houses qualitative and quantitative information and will produce evidence for a range of audiences exploring key thematic areas of interest for social enterprises and their support ecosystem. Working in partnership with social investors, foundations, government, support organisations, academia and social enterprises, the Knowledge Centre will produce a wide range of reports and insight to promote understanding and inform positive change. Click here to visit the knowledge centre The Knowledge Centre is the home of our State of Social Enterprise Reports – our flagship piece of research looking in depth at the UK social enterprise community. Published every two years the report highlights key trends in the social enterprise sector. It also houses our quarterly Barometer reports which give a snapshot of social enterprise performance as well as how specific economic and political developments are affecting social enterprises. The Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre is supported by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment. Social Investment Business and Better Society Capital.

Thousands of social enterprises may not survive the winter amid rising energy and operating costs and concerns over accessing contracts and funding, according to the findings of Social Enterprise UK’s latest Social Enterprise Barometer Report. Across the 222 respondents, the report highlighted signs of strain over the last quarter, with cashflow and reserves positions worsened, turnover and growth expectations down, and a decline in staff numbers. 3% of respondents said they expected to close in the next few months, which if applied to the 131,000 social enterprises the government estimates there to be in the UK, would mean around 4,000 social enterprises could be at risk of closure this winter[1] Many social enterprises are uncertain about their growth expectations, with nearly a third (30%) saying that growth is dependent on pending funding applications, income or contracts. In response to the cost-of-living crisis, nearly two-thirds of respondents (61%) said they are seeking new grant funding, half are reducing spend on non-essential inputs and services, more than a third (36%) said they have had to increase prices, and a third (30%) are reducing their profit margin. The main concerns identified by social enterprises within the next three-six months are accessing funding and finance (57%), costs related to staff (40%) and energy prices (35%). Over a third of respondents (35%) are concerned about reduced demand for their products/services and just over a quarter are concerned about capacity to meet increased demand (27%). Respondents were also asked what forms of support would help in the current economic climate. Among the top suggestions, a third of respondents said they would like support with cashflow and cuts to national insurance contributions, a quarter of respondents wanted better terms and conditions on public sector contracts, and around a fifth of respondents wanted support with energy bill payments and cuts in business rates. Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of SEUK, said: “It’s clear from this report that the combined crises surrounding energy, inflation and recession have many social enterprises concerned for their future. “Our past research has shown that social enterprises prove more resilient to economic challenges than other businesses, so the degree of strain social enterprises are experiencing demonstrates the scale of the difficulties they are facing. “Most social enterprises work with people directly affected by the rising cost of living and they themselves need government support to brace the barrage of economic and financial instability. “Social Enterprise UK will closely monitor Government support announcements as it must enable social enterprises as they tackle the issues facing our communities and our planet. It is a matter of urgency.” The Social Enterprise Barometer report can be accessed through SEUK’s new Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre. Launched on 9th November, the Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre seeks to be the UK’s most comprehensive source of evidence on social enterprise. [1] Based on the new government estimate of 131,000 social enterprises in the UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1101560/Social_Enterprise_Market_Trends_2019_-_Middlesex_University.pdf