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A new social enterprise developed by Social Enterprise UK, Telos, aims to help global corporations drive positive impact through core business activity.   Telos will combine the pioneering Buy Social Europe procurement programme with advocacy and advisory work to help maximise the social, economic and environmental impact of corporate supply chains internationally.  Building on the success of our Buy Social Corporate Challenge in the UK and a two-year international pilot, Buy Social Europe aims to see €5 billion of procurement spend going to social economy businesses across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region by 2030. This will involve engaging at least 50 global companies to bring social economy businesses into their supply chains.   AstraZeneca, CBRE, Johnson & Johnson, SAP, Siemens and Zurich Insurance Group are already signed up to work with Telos on the Buy Social Europe initiative. The Telos team has also supported government bodies to embed social, economic and environmental metrics across more than €20bn of tenders.  Charlie Wigglesworth, managing director of Telos and deputy chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “With social enterprises increasingly operating in a global economy, sharing our expertise more widely is vital to support the growth of the worldwide movement. We’re committed to working in partnership with social economy organisations across EMEA to ensure this opportunity is realised.  “Global corporations must ensure their core business creates value, not just for the economy but also the society and environment they’re working in, which we can now help them deliver through Telos and Buy Social Europe. Supply chains represent a significant opportunity for big businesses to work with social economy enterprises and unlock greater value through everyday procurement spending.”  Social Enterprise UK’s chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE added: “Telos realises the SEUK board’s long-term ambition to help drive the success of the social enterprise movement globally. The work of Telos will be extremely complementary to SEUK’s core mission of creating an environment in which social enterprise can thrive – not just in the UK, but around the world.”  Telos invites forward-thinking companies to join the Buy Social Europe initiative and unlock the potential for positive social and environmental impact within their supply chains.  Visit telosglobal.org to find out more. 

The shortlist has been announced for the UK Social Enterprise Awards - the country's biggest celebration of social enterprises, which recognises the best in the sector across 15 categories. The ceremony, organised by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK), will take place at the iconic Roundhouse in London on the evening of 30 November Commenting on this year's shortlist, Peter Holbrook Chief Executive of SEUK said: “Our Awards are the ultimate showcase of the impact and excellence of social enterprises. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​Those who made the shortlist are a beacon of innovation, optimism and resilience in turbulent times. “‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​These are trailblazers and standard-setters for better business, making profit but not putting it before people and planet – and they do all this under the same immense pressures as other businesses, with the long-term impacts of Covid and a national cost of living crisis. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​Social enterprises celebrated at our Awards are the brightest stars in a brilliant sector, giving us all inspiration and motivation to do business better.” ‌ ​To get you tickets to the Awards click here. Tickets get you a three-course meal, top quality entertainment and a night of networking with the best in the business​ ‌​‍‌The Shortlist UK Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by Keegan & Pennykid The overall award for a social enterprise that has a clear vision, excellence in impact, and that has demonstrated and promoted social enterprise beyond the sector. Bath Spa University Beam Câr-y-Môr CDS CIC Change Please CIC Community Shop Fair for You CIC Hey Girls CIC Isle of Skye Ferry CIC Radius Housing  One to Watch Sponsored by PwC The One to Watch Award is for a start-up social enterprise. Key to winning this award is an ability to clearly articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it. Àban  Bloody Good Employers Limited ChangeXtra Indirock Ltd Rural Inclusion CIC Standing Tall The Bike Lock The Black Pounds Project CIC Prove It: Social Impact Sponsored by Linklaters For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. Chime Social Enterprise Cockpit Hey Girls CIC Noise Solution CIC Via Wings Your Own Place CIC Buy Social Market Builder Sponsored by Wates For a social enterprise, public sector body or private sector organisation that has demonstrably made efforts within its own organisation and remit to create more opportunities to buy from social enterprises. Circular Communities Scotland Reuse Consortium Foodbuy UK&I Siemens Plc Sodexo West Midlands Combined Authority Zurich Insurance Group AG Social Investment Deal of the Year Sponsored by Big Society Capital For an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. auticon Cornerstone Place InnovateHer Resonance Public Services Social Enterprise For a social enterprise for whom the majority of their income comes from the public sector and which delivers public services (for central or local government, NHS, criminal justice or other statutory body). Beam Chime Social Enterprise City Health Care Partnership CIC Forward Carers CIC Shaw Trust Smile Together Dental CIC Consumer Facing Social Enterprise Sponsored by eBay for Change For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. ​Breadwinners Change Please CIC Community Shop Greenwich Leisure Ltd Tap Social Movement Ltd The Long Table Stroud CIC Education, Training and Jobs Sponsored by Fidelity International For a social enterprise in the education, training or employment sectors that can demonstrate excellence in vision and strategic direction, and clearly evidence their social, environmental and community impact. Cockpit Connection Crew CIC Mental Health First Aid England The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) Upturn Enterprise Ltd Women's Work Lab Environmental Social Enterprise Sponsored by Landmarc For a social enterprise in the green and environmental sector with a clear evidenced environmental impact. Community Wood Recycling Finance Earth JUST ONE Tree Kitty's Launderette Merry-go-round Urban Growth Learning Gardens Useful Simple Trust Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Sponsored by Nestle Social justice is fundamental to the social enterprise movement. This category is open to all social enterprises who are addressing issues around diversity, inclusion and equity. Arkbound Foundation Evenbreak Impact Brixton CIC Mental Health First Aid England Nuneaton Signs Ltd Outside Lives Resilience Learning Partnership Social Ark Social Enterprise Women's Champion For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Kerrine Bryan - Butterfly Books Ltd Janet Schofield – Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) Avye Couloute - Girls into Coding Norma Gregory - Nottingham News Centre CIC Eleanor Shaw – People Speak Up Lisa Stepanovic - Social Ark Rachel Mostyn & Camilla Rigby - Women's Work Lab International Impact Sponsored by Zurich Insurance Group For a social enterprise working internationally, and which are having a big impact in their field. This award is open to UK-based organisations only with existing international operations. Finance Earth IDEMS International CIC Jade Autism Stand4 Socks Waste to Wonder Community Based Social Enterprise Sponsored by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation This award is for a social enterprise that trades for the benefit of their community, making a real local impact. Bath Spa University Galeri Caernarfon Cyf Kitty's Launderette Leigh Building Preservation Trust Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise Smile Together Dental CIC With Music In Mind  Social Enterprise Innovation of the Year Sponsored by AXA A new award is recognising a social enterprise that has brought something truly innovative to market in the past year. Bikeworks CIC BrisDoc Healthcare Services Creating Enterprise Fair for You CIC Here Real Ideas Organisation Tech for Good Sponsored by Mitie For a social enterprise that uses technology to achieve social impact. Care City CIC Green Heart Collective Ltd Hope 4 The Community CIC (H4C) Mobilityways Nimbus Disability Red Chair Highland Ltd We are pleased to be working with Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland and Social Enterprise Scotland to deliver the Awards. ‌​A‌wards Sponsors ​

A new Social Enterprise Barometer report published today (18 August) shows cautious recovery across the sector last quarter, with small but positive shifts despite national economic challenges. The July 2023 survey of 142 social enterprises found continued resilience and cautious recovery, although many are still uncertain about their futures. While the research suggests that inflation and economic uncertainty aren’t causing acute risk of closure for social enterprises, there are ongoing signs of strain across the sector. More than a third of social enterprises surveyed this summer expect to grow staff and turnover in the next three to six months, with similar numbers anticipating a profit or surplus in this period. The positive trend of rising staff numbers from recent surveys continues, but some note challenges in recruitment and retention. Regional disparities in outlook have narrowed since last quarter, although growth expectations do vary across the country, suggesting persistent inequalities. Cashflow positions have improved but reserve positions have weakened, which could become a concern in future if they begin to diminish. As the national economy enters a period of stagnation, with inflation consistently above Bank of England targets and interest at the highest levels in over a decade, it’s critical that social enterprise voices are heard so that appropriate interventions can be made if the economic outlook deteriorates. Our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre publishes quarterly Barometer reports as a snapshot of sector conditions and expectations, exploring how specific economic and political developments are affecting social enterprise performance. We use this research to influence policymakers in the best interests of the sector, to drive relevant investment and to promote social enterprise more broadly, as well as to inform our product and service delivery so that we can better support our members. Click here to read the full report

We’ve been running our Buy Social Corporate Challenge since 2016, supporting big companies across business sectors to bring social enterprises into their supply chains. Our latest annual report shows the Challenge had the most successful year ever, as our 30 corporate partners spent £99 million with social enterprise suppliers. In total, more than £350million has been spent with social enterprises in the seven years of the programme. The premise of the Challenge is simple: working with corporates to use their core business spend to create positive social and environmental impact. And that impact speaks for itself; supplying Challenge partners has enabled social enterprises to reinvest nearly £32m in their missions. Around 3,400 social enterprise jobs have been created thanks to contracts won through the Challenge, with 860 social enterprises supplying Challenge partners last year alone. The number of social enterprises involved in the Challenge rose 43 per cent in the last year, showing the rising interest in social procurement.   Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “The world of procurement is changing. Companies big and small need to consider how they impact people and planet, and make sure they actively work in a way that benefits communities and helps tackle environmental concerns. With nearly £100 million spent on businesses doing just that in the last year, this evidence shows the global cross-sector appetite for unlocking social value in everyday organisational spend is incredibly strong.” Click here to read the Buy Social Corporate Challenge Year 7 Impact Report The Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners are Amey, AstraZeneca, AXA, Barclays, CBRE, Co-op, Compass/Foodbuy, Deloitte, Equans, John Sisk & Son Ltd, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Landmarc Support Services, Lendlease, Linklaters, LV=, Mitie, Motorola Solutions, Nationwide, Nestle, NFU Mutual, PwC, Robertson Group, SAP, Siemens, Sodexo, The Crown Estate, Wates Group, Willmott Dixon, and Zurich Insurance Group. Social Procurement Connect We aren’t currently recruiting partners for the Corporate Challenge, but our Social Procurement Connect service can support organisations of any size and sector to bring social enterprises into their supply chains. Find out more about Social Procurement Connect and get involved here.

This month the Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) team attended Construction News magazine’s CN Meetup event at JW Marriot Grosvenor House in London. The event brought together professionals from across the construction industry to discuss key issues and trends affecting the sector. We were there to show the benefits of working with social enterprise suppliers and how businesses can unlock social value in their everyday spending. Our business relationship executive Francesca Maines spoke at a roundtable about embedding social value and sustainability in procurement processes, supporting the construction sector to engage more with social enterprises. We were also joined by SEUK members including Tarem Services and Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company. SEUK has a strong track record of working with big businesses in the construction sector. Our work has helped embed social procurement, where buying organisations actively choose to work with social enterprise suppliers, into their practices. Our flagship Buy Social Corporate Challenge has seen more than £255 million spent by 30 corporate partners with social enterprises, and our new Social Procurement Connect service helps to bring social enterprises into cross-sector supply chains. We were also instrumental in passing the Social Value Act in 2012, which has helped transform the procurement and commissioning landscape – placing an obligation on public bodies to consider how the services they procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the areas they operate in. The Act is also increasingly changing how the private sector operates, especially for businesses that work on public sector contracts. Commenting on the event and the benefits of working with social enterprises, Francesca said: “Working with social enterprise suppliers allows businesses to use their everyday procurement spend to create positive social and environmental impact. It’s using money that would be spent anyway to transform lives and protect the planet. We have seen construction companies use their procurement function to create jobs for marginalised groups, increase supplier diversity and embed sustainable practices into their work. What’s more, social enterprises deliver on quality while being competitive on price. It was great to meet an engaged audience of construction professionals, have meaningful conversations around social value and spread the word about social enterprise.” Other speakers at the table discussion included Syreeta Bayne from Muse, Heather Bryant from Galliford Try, Robbie Blackhurst from Procure Partnerships Framework and Liz Lee from Advance Social Value To find out more about bringing social enterprises into your supply chains visit our Social Procurement Page.

We pass on our very best wishes to His Majesty King Charles III and all those celebrating the coronation this weekend. The King has a long association with social enterprise, founding Duchy Originals as a social enterprise which donates 100% of profits to supporting young disadvantaged people right across the UK. Through the Prince’s Trust, he has enabled thousands of aspiring social entrepreneurs to get their ideas off the ground and create positive change in their communities and beyond. We thank him for his dedication to supporting the next generation of social entrepreneurs and his commitment to responsible business practices and the protection of our natural world.  

More than a million businesses in the UK could be supported to formally transition to social enterprises, based on their current engagement with social issues, according to new research. Social Enterprise UK’s (SEUK) newly-launched ‘Transitions’ report reveals that as many as a fifth of SMEs in the UK aspire to make a positive social impact – but are not currently operating formally as social enterprises. This means more than a million organisations have the scope to transition to social enterprise status, and contribute more to the economy and society in doing so. As a result of its findings, SEUK is encouraging businesses in the UK to consider their status and learn more about how they could benefit from transitioning to a new model. Operating as a social enterprise allows a business to lock in its social and environmental purpose, ensure profits benefit that purpose, and enjoy wide-ranging benefits for staff, customers and clients by reaching new markets and developing new products and services. Social enterprises also regularly enjoy enhanced reputations, customer loyalty and employee engagement, whilst having wider access to funders and financers motivated by social impact. Peter Holbrook, CEO at SEUK, said: “Whilst we acknowledge the fantastic work of existing social enterprises in benefiting our economy and society, our research identifies that a huge number of other businesses are not maximising the opportunities available to them from social enterprise models and solutions. “No social enterprise is the same, either, so there are a variety of options for companies wishing to transition – for example, a small tech firm may be best suited to a co-operative model, employee ownership may fit a bigger retail business or a trust model could work well for a business running a heritage asset. “Therefore, we encourage businesses to find out more and understand if transitioning to a new model is viable for them, so they can reach their potential and make an even greater difference to the world as a social enterprise.” Read the full report here

Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) are proud to be a delivery partner on the newly launched VCSE Contract Readiness Programme.  Delivered in partnership with the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) and Voice4Change England, and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – the VCSE Contract Readiness Programme’s objective is to enable social enterprises and charities to compete alongside other organisations for public sector contracts. The programme is divided into two pathways – one for voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) and one targeted at public sector commissioners, with an initial focus on commissioners at central government departments. How to get involved - VCSE pathway This programme is a great opportunity for social enterprises and charities wanting to win government contracts to find out more about how to successfully apply for these opportunities.  There are a number of ways for SEUK members to take part in the programme from introductory webinars to more in-depth short and long courses designed to help organisations implement the practical steps to become procurement ready. Our friends at SSE are primarily managing the VCSE pathway and more information can be found on the SSE website. Click here to find out more about the VCSE pathway and eligibility criteria. Organisations can sign up to 'Government Contracts Revealed', the first public webinar in the programme which will introduce social enterprises and charities to public sector procurement. This will be suitable for those with little or no experience of tendering. Click here to sign up The first available public webinar is on 25 April with further dates in June. The Public Services Hub The Public Services Hub is an online platform, developed by SEUK as part of the programme, which hosts resources and opportunities to help advance the role of social enterprises and charities in public sector commissioning.  From government guidance to details on how to find contracts – the Public Services Hub is a great first port of call for social enterprises and charities interested in working with government and the broader public sector.  The Public Services Hub also holds resources for commissioners to help them better understand the benefits of partnering with VCSE service providers. Click here to visit the Public Services Hub  We will be sending out updated information about the programme as more elements of it become live.