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About Social enterprise

What is it?

Social enterprises are businesses trading for social or environmental purposes.  Unlike traditional businesses, social enterprises use their profit to further a social or environmental mission rather than to enrich a select group of shareholders.  Many commercial businesses would consider themselves to have social objectives; social enterprises are distinct because they place these objectives at the heart of eveything they do. 

As businesses with a social mission, social enterprises can help build a just, fair and sustainable world and directly contribute to the growth of a values-based economy built on trust, accountability and fair trade.

 
Some examples

There are an estimated 62,000 such businesses across the UK. The Big Issue, Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Restaurant and Divine Chocolate are some of the best-known.

 
The Social Enterprise Coalition (the Coalition)

The Coalition is the national body for social enterprise and promotes the sector to decision-makers, enabling knowledge exchange between social enterprises and support networks.

It aims to be the collaborative and credible voice of social enterprise in the UK and aspires to be the independent authority on social enterprise, seeking out fresh opportunities and partnerships to find solutions to social, environmental and economic problems.

The Coalition wants social enterprise to be widely recognised and accepted as a successful business model and seeks to use the insight of members to develop a prosperous and thriving sector and inspire and enable communities to harness the power of social enterprise.