An introduction to the values and value of social firms, how they fit within a model of social inclusion and economic development. A valuable resource for anyone tasked with strategic development that includes raising employment and employability rates, social inclusion of the most job-disadvantaged and the development of a fair social model.

1. Social Firms
in
Economic Development
g
A business model for social inclusion

2. Third Sector (Civil Society Organisations)
Social Enterprises
Social Firms
Employment Social Firms Employability Social Firms
Introduction to Social Firms
Social Firms are a subset of social enterprises that focus on employment and employability
They seek to employ, train and support the most job-disadvantaged
This focus on the most intractable barriers to work distinguishes social firms from the wider social enterprise sector

3. Definition of a Social Firm
Employability Social FirmsEmployment Social Firms
25% employees have
experienced job-disadvantage:
• Physical disability
• Learning disability
• Ill mental health
• Homelessness
• Offending
• Substance mis-use
50% of income is trading
from the business operation
They offer a personalised and
supportive environment
They have a focussed goal to
get the most job-disadvantaged
into work
They offer work placements,
training, coaching and/or
mentoring
Often Social Firms are both

4. Social Firms Values
Enterprise
Social Firms are
businesses that
combine
a market orientation
and
a social mission.
They are not “projects
that trade”.
Employment
Social Firms are
committed to
the social and
economic integration
of
severely job-
disadvantaged people
through employment.
Empowerment
The Social Firm
environment provides
all
with
support, opportunity
and meaningful work,
and
for employees, pay the
market wage.

5. What kind of businesses are
Social Firms
Limited only by market and imagination.

6. Social Firms are Vital
Social Firms are very firmly focussed on job creation for sections of the community
that rarely, even in times of plenty, get access to jobs and training.
73%
48%
33%
24%
15% 14%
11%
6%
Employment Rates for Job-disadvantaged Groups
All Labour
Force
All
Disability
Visual
Impairment
Autism Homeless Ill Mental
Health
Ex
Offender
Learning
Disability

7. Social Firms: Good for Social Inclusion
Social firms' provision of employment opportunities for people with mental ill health: a UK survey.
Gilbert E, Marwaha S et al. 2013
Social Firms as a means of vocational recovery for people with mental illness: a UK survey. Gilbert E,
Marwaha S, et al 2013
Social firms: building cross-sectoral partnerships to create employment opportunity and supportive
workplaces for people with mental illness. Paluch T, Fossey E, Harvey C.. 2012
Social firms: sustainable employment for people with mental illness. Williams A, Fossey E, Harvey C.
Social firms: a means for building employment skills and community integration. Lysaght R, Jakobsen K,
Granhaug B. 2012
How do social firms contribute to recovery from mental illness? A qualitative study. Svanberg J, Gumley
A, Wilson A. 2010
An update on affirmative businesses or social firms for people with mental illness. Warner R, Mandiberg
J.2006
Social firms have a vital role in enabling job-disadvantaged people to experience the
self- esteem, independence and other positive rewards that employment brings.
Academic research tends to focus on therapeutic benefits for people with ill mental health.

8. Social Firms: Good for the Economy
It is becoming more and more important not just for individuals, but for the economy
that more social firms are set up, and that they win contracts
Savings in
Welfare
£40,000,000
Savings in
Healthcare
£20,000,000
Savings in
Social Services
£1,000,000
Based on fiscal value of employment set out in David Freud’s independent report to the Department for Work and Pensions “Reducing Dependency,
Increasing Opportunity: options for the future of welfare to work”; social return on investment (SROI) methodologies; and a series of SROI studies of
social firms employing people with mental health problems.

9. Introduction to Social Firms England
Membership
Our members are employment and
employability social firms, charities, public
authorities, educational establishments,
specialists and supporters.
Together we work for the growth and
development of the social firm sector.
Promotion
We promote the goods and services that social
firms produce, through our trade website
www.justbuy.org.uk.
We also encourage the private and public
sector to include social firms in supply chains.
Support
Social Firms England is the go-to expert for
specialist business support and resource
material to develop social firms.
We provide consultancy and information to
social firms, public authorities, housing
associations, and others to support job
creation.
Lobbying
We promote and support the social firms
model at strategy and policy level.
We work at local and national level to ensure
that the contribution of social firms to the
economy is understood and valued.
Social Firms England replaced Social Firms UK in April 2015. Social Firms UK was founded in 1999

10. InWork consists of a Toolbox and a Best Practice
collection.
The Toolbox provides potential social entrepreneurs
and local authorities with an overview of
opportunities and methods for developing
meaningful and sustainable work programmes for
marginalised and vulnerable groups
The Best Practice Collection gives examples and
ideas for the development and the implementation
of sustainable social inclusion programmes.
Resources and Information
InfoMine – Online Support Tool InWork – Best Practice Resource
InfoMine guides the social entrepreneur through a
series of questions to determine what they need.
Then it provides a detailed report with tailored
information, links and resources to help set up, run
and grow a successful social firm. It’s that simple.
Other resources and courses are available.
We have a range of case studies, and other material to support the development of social firms.

11. Strategic Support for Social Inclusion
We offer the above as examples of our services.
We are always happy to discuss a bespoke package that meets local needs
The Social Firm Model
• Introduction & training
• Local Examples
• Best Practice Examples
• Successes & Challenges
• Social Firm Recognition
• Benefits and Drawbacks
• Products and services
• Bespoke visits to local
social firms
Strategy Development
• Strategic alignment
• Feasibility and Direction
• Social Firm Strategy
Development
• Planning & Monitoring
• Strategic Partnership
Development
• Identifying resources
• Identifying local partners
• Sustainability Check
The Next Steps
• Working with local
partners
• Identifying markets
• Growing existing social
firms
• Proposal Development
• Proposal Feasibility
• Setting up new social
firms
• Influencing supply chains
Within the ESI Funds programme 2014-2020, LEPs address social exclusion and combat poverty.
Social Firms England works alongside local partners, and offers proven successful methods to get results.

12. Create Social Inclusion
The many social firms that exist are not just evidence
of the ability of those previously written off by society
to actually make their contribution to it.
They also are evidence of the failure of the wider
business world to create employment where it is most
needed.
Social firms fill the gap.
Social firms: create social inclusion

13. Michele@socialfirmsengland.co.uk
@socialfirmseng
01737 231 360
www.socialfirmsengland
www.justbuy.org.uk
www.socialfirmsinfomine.org.uk
www.inworkproject.eu
For Further Information
Michele Rigby
CEO