2. Module Aims
• to support the learner in identifying what makes
constitutes a Social Enterprise and how they differ from other
organisations
• to facilitate exploration of the learners’ immediate and wider
work context in order to promote professional development
Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:
• Identify the key attributes of a Social Enterprise
• Understand the diverse nature of businesses that operate as
Social Enterprise
• Contemplate the first steps needed to set up a Social
Enterprise
3. What is a Social Enterprise?
According to the Social Enterprise Coalition, Social
Enterprises are…
“…businesses trading for social and environmental
purposes. Social enterprises are distinctive because
their social and/or environmental purpose is absolutely
central to what they do - their profits are reinvested to
sustain and further their mission for positive change.”
4. What is a Social Enterprise?
“We have described and keep on describing
organisations motivated by social objectives as non-
profit organisations. We need to have another
description: ‘non-loss ’organisations, because we don’t
want to lose money and our objective is to address a
particular problem. So we are non-loss businesses with
social objectives.”
Muhammad Yunus. Founder of the Grameen Bank,
Bangladesh
5. History of Social Enterprise
The Social Enterprise
movement first emerged
1840s. In Rochdale, a workers'
co-operative was set up to
provide high quality affordable
food in response to factory
conditions that were
The Rochdale Society of Equitable
considered to be exploitative. Pioneers est 1844
In the UK, in the late 1990s, Social Enterprise started to
reappear.
6. Characteristics
Social Enterprises:-
• Operate as commercially run businesses
• Aim to make profits
• Generate the bulk of their income through sales of goods or
services
• Use good business practices and principles
• Use the majority of their profits to further social or
environmental goals
• May hold the Social Enterprise Mark
7. Key Differences
Explicit Social Private sector business primarily focus is on trading; social
Aims (Triple enterprises too have a commercial focus but will also have
Bottom Line) an explicit social and/or environmental purpose.
Funding Social enterprises often have a complex composition of
sales income, commercial contracts, service level
agreements and grant support.
Risk Social enterprises are usually governed by a Board of
volunteers, which may mean that they are more risk
averse in terms of pursuing business ventures.
Scale Start up costs may be much higher because social
enterprise usually has to operate on a scale that is large
enough to sustain its social commitment from the
beginning
8. Key Differences
Investment Social enterprises may have difficulty gaining access
to traditional forms of investment such as loan
finance.
Leadership / Leaders of social enterprises are usually driven by
Entrepreneurship the social potential of the venture and will need to
find support for the other areas of the enterprise
Stakeholders Social Enterprises usually have a wide range of
stakeholders involved in their development, which
can mean that there is a wide influence on the
development process.
Sweat Equity “sweat equity” is invested to grow and build the
enterprise ,but the purpose is not financial gain but
social
9. Who is a Social Enterprise?
The Big Issue The Eden project
Café Direct Fifteen
Divine Chocolate Cooperatives UK
Ethical Property Plc Green-works
Activity
Identify 2 local, 2 national and 2 international
Social Enterprises and identify their social
purpose
10. The Importance of Social Enterprise
Current government policy is to encourage the
development of Social Enterprise with regards to the delivery
of public services in areas such as health, transport and leisure.
Voluntary & Community Organisations are being encouraged
towards Social Enterprise where appropriate to help reduce
their dependency on grant funding
Social enterprise achieve social benefits through standard
business practice & can help create strong and sustainable
communities.
Social enterprise is becoming the employer of choice
11. Developing a Social
Enterprise
•Do you know why you are doing this?
•Are you looking to sell a product or service to a
customer?
•Have you identified who that customer is?
•Do you know what the market rate is for the
product or service?
•Have you considered how you will convince the
customer to buy from you rather than from your
competitors?
•Do you know what success will look like?
12. References
Social Enterprise Coalition - www.socialenterprise.org.uk
Social Enterprise Mark - www.socialenterprisemark.org.uk
The Big Issue - www.bigissue.com
Café Direct - www.cafedirect.co.uk
Divine Chocolate - www.divinechocolate.com
Ethical Property Plc - www.ethicalproperty.co.uk
The Eden Project - www.edenproject.com/
Fifteen - www.fifteen.net
Cooperatives UK - www.uk.coop
Green-works - www.green-works.co.uk
Welcome to this …… module. These module resources have been developed by Sarah Stevenson from the Plymouth University.
Click to add notes
Essentially, Social Enterprises are commercial businesses, designed to make profit. The difference occurs with the profit, which is reinvested to meet the social aims of the business. There are many descriptions of Social Enterprises. It is important to understand that a Social Enterprise is not a legal structure
It is a misconception that Social Enterprise is a relatively new idea. Many long-established organisations qualify as Social Enterprises. Social Enterprise has been frequently found in the financial sector, including Mutuals and Friendly Societies. The Cooperative movement can be considered to be a major player in the field of Social Enterprise after providing benefits to members for many years.
In February 2010 the Social Enterprise Mark was launched as the brand for social enterprises. It requires a business to meet six defined criteria in order to qualify to receive the Mark. Many commercial businesses would consider themselves to have social objectives. Whether these objectives are central to the organisation determines whether they are indeed a social enterprise or a business with Social Aims
There are a number of significant differences between social enterprises and private enterprises, in both the way that they are developed and the way in which they continue to develop
The social enterprise movement is very diverse. In the UK, social enterprises can include:- Community Enterprises Credit unions Trading arms of Charities Employee-owned businesses Development Trusts Social Firms CICs Commercial business with a stated Social Purpose
There are increasing commercial opportunities for social enterprise where they may become ‘partners of choice’ in order for large organisations, both public and private sector, to demonstrate their social responsibility. Products and services offered by social enterprises may be aimed at markets quite aside from the areas in which they seek to offer social benefit. The products and services themselves may not contribute to achieving the stated social aims, but the profits generated will do so. Social enterprise has on many occasions been able to deliver results in areas of market failure for both public and private sector organisations.
If you are in a position where you are looking to develop your organisation into a social enterprise or start a new enterprise, there are a number of questions that need to be answered. Other modules in this series will look at a number of other themes that have a bearing on the development of a Social Enterprise, however they are not designed to replace business start-up advice that can be accessed from a number of support organisations. The culture, aspiration, resources, size, capacity and previous experience of your organisation will influence how you develop your social enterprise.