More than 1,000,000 companies within the UK may very well be supported to formally transition to social enterprises, based mostly on their present engagement with social points, in keeping with new analysis.
Social Enterprise UK’s (SEUK) newly-launched ‘Transitions’ report reveals that as many as a fifth of SMEs within the UK aspire to make a optimistic social influence – however should not presently working formally as social enterprises. This means greater than 1,000,000 organisations have the scope to transition to social enterprise standing, and contribute extra to the financial system and society in doing so.
As a results of its findings, SEUK is encouraging companies within the UK to think about their standing and study extra about how they may profit from transitioning to a brand new mannequin.
Operating as a social enterprise permits a enterprise to lock in its social and environmental objective, guarantee earnings profit that objective, and luxuriate in wide-ranging advantages for employees, clients and purchasers by reaching new markets and creating new services and products.
Social enterprises additionally repeatedly get pleasure from enhanced reputations, buyer loyalty and worker engagement, while having wider entry to funders and financers motivated by social influence.
Social enterprises are companies which commerce for a social or environmental objective, prioritising the advantages to individuals and planet and use nearly all of any revenue to additional their mission. Social enterprises contribute to decreasing financial inequality, enhancing social justice and to environmental sustainability.
There are presently greater than 100,000 social enterprises within the UK, contributing £60 billion to the financial system and using round two million individuals.
Peter Holbrook, CEO at SEUK, mentioned: “Whilst we acknowledge the improbable work of present social enterprises in benefiting our financial system and society, our analysis identifies that a large variety of different companies should not maximising the alternatives out there to them from social enterprise fashions and options.
“No social enterprise is identical, both, so there are a number of choices for corporations wishing to transition – for instance, a small tech agency could also be greatest suited to a co-operative mannequin, worker possession could match an even bigger retail enterprise or a belief mannequin might work effectively for a enterprise operating a heritage asset.
“Therefore, we encourage companies to search out out extra and perceive if transitioning to a brand new mannequin is viable for them, to allow them to attain their potential and make a fair higher distinction to the world as a social enterprise.”