Social enterprises
Social enterprises are businesses driven by a social or environmental purpose.
As with all businesses, they compete to deliver goods and services. There are a number of useful documents about social enterprises in the related documents section of this page.
The difference between social and private enterprise hinges on ownership and the distribution of profits. A social enterprise will reinvest in its own business for the benefit of the community it serves.
Social Enterprises can be set in any area of business or service provision. They operate in almost every industry in the UK, from health and social care to renewable energy, from retail to recycling, from housing to education. Well known examples of social enterprises include The Big Issue, Jamie Oliver's restaurant Fifteen and the fair-trade chocolate company Divine Chocolate.
The government defines social enterprises as "businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners."
There are many different business models that a social enterprise can use from co-operatives to community interest companies (CIC's).
Social enterprises in Derbyshire
We are currently helping to support the development of social enterprises across the county and we are working with a range of stakeholders to ensure there is an understanding of what a social enterprise is and how individuals can set one up or become one.
Socially ethical businesses are important to the ongoing development of personalisation as they offer wider choices for those wishing to use their direct payment to purchase their own services.
We have investigated social enterprise development in Derbyshire with our strategic partner Age UK Derby and Derbyshire. The aim has been to find out how best to support the development of a range of socially ethical enterprises that could help those wishing to take up the opportunity of a direct payment.
A plain English document is available to help those thinking of starting up a socially ethical business.
Other information
Social Enterprise East Midlands
Social Enterprise East Midlands (opens in a new window) work with a wide variety of partners to raise awareness of social enterprise as an inclusive and sustainable business model. They encourage investment in social enterprises, ensure access to appropriate support and develop markets for social enterprise services.
Castle Cavendish
Dorking Road
Nottingham
NG7 5PN
email: info@seem.uk.net
Tel: 0115 871 4760
Social Enterprise Coalition
The Social Enterprise Coalition (opens in a new window) represents a wide range of social enterprises, regional and national support networks and other related organisations.
49 - 51 East Road
London
N1 6AH
email: info@socialenterprise.org.uk
Tel: 020 7793 2323
SETAS
Social Enterprise Training and Support (opens in a new window) (SETAS) is a one-stop marketplace for social enterprise training and support.
Related documents
The following documents are in Portable Document Format (PDF). You can download the PDF software for free from the Adobe website (opens in a new window)
- Enterprising Services Project Guide to Social Enterprise - Oct 2010 (510KB)
- Appendix 1 Starting a community group in Sheffield (VAS) (2184KB)
- Appendix 2 Doing it Well a basic guide to management committee roles and responsibilies (4727KB)
- Appendix 3 Sample of a basic consitition. (86KB)
- Appendix 4 Charitable Associations Model constitution (158KB)
- Appendix 5 Select a structure (co-operatives UK) (52KB)
- Appendix 6 Links CVS Information Sheet (Business Plans) (96KB)
- Appendix 7 A Business Planning Guide to Developing a Social Enterprise (3660KB)
- Appendix 8 Step by step A guide for setting up a social enterprise (425KB)
- Appendix 9 PQASSO a brief guide for voluntary and community organisations (548KB)
- Appendix 10 Example - Market Research Survey (50KB)
- Appendix 11 Example Idea Sheet (24KB)
- Appendix 12 Jargon buster planning triangle (1432KB)
- Appendix 13 Adult Care Service Plan 2010- 2014 (1772KB)
- Appendix 14 Derbyshire Contracts Advice Network (DCAN) leaflet (123KB)
- Appendix 15 Fact Sheet - Local fundraising (Derbyshire Dales CVS) (46KB)
- Appendix 16 Finance for non finanical managers (Business Link) (217KB)
- Appendix 17 Developing and maximising the use of a community building (HP CVS - Knowledge Bank) (1149KB)
- Appendix 18 Measuring effectiveness (NACVS.NAVCA) (1377KB)
- Appendix 19 Measuring social impact the foundation of SROI (New Economics Foundation) (285KB)
- Appendix 20 Social Enterprise Resources (NAVCA) (152KB)