Social enterprises across the UK are being invited to enter a new nationwide competition to find the best businesses with social or environmental aims.
The government backed Social Enterprise Awards is being run in partnership with the Social Enterprise Coalition, the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition and the Social Economy Network in Northern Ireland.
Regional heats will name a winner for each country and these businesses will then go through to the national vote during November’s Global Entrepreneurship Week. The overall winner will receive £5,000 and a range of business support packages.
Angela Smith, minister for the Third Sector said: “There is a strong public appetite for socially responsible business, particular in the current economic climate, and social enterprises have a key role to play in creating a more responsible economy of the future.
“Across the UK, social enterprises are providing solutions to some of our communities’ most pressing concerns.”
Jonathan Bland, chief executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition, said social firms had been placed increasingly under the spotlight as people looked for alternative approaches to solving social and environmental issues.
He added: “We are very proud to be involved in rewarding the very best of social enterprise in the UK.”
According to the Social Enterprise Coalition, there are 62,000 businesses in the UK run for social and environmental purposes. Their combined turnover is in the region of £27bn and they contribute £8.4m per year to the UK economy.
For more information on the Social Enterprise Awards visit www.socialenterpriseawards.org.uk
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2009
