An open to letter to Scottish Government on the Programme for Government 2024-25
Posted: 10 September 2024, in Sector News
To the First Minister and the Scottish Government,
As CEO of Social Enterprise Scotland, I write to express our disappointment that the Programme for Government 2024-25 does not include any mention of social enterprise. This omission is especially disheartening given the vital role our sector plays in delivering the ambitions of community wealth building and contributing to Scotland’s sustainable economic recovery rooted in wellbeing which is at the heart of the government’s ambitions, articulated in that document.
Social enterprises, by their nature, are embedded in communities across Scotland, playing a crucial role in tackling inequality, generating local wealth, and fostering social and environmental well-being. We align closely with the principles of community wealth building, focusing on local procurement, providing quality jobs, and reinvesting profits into communities. By overlooking social enterprises, the Programme for Government fails to recognise the natural synergies between our work and your commitment to fairer and more resilient local economies.
The Government’s priorities—growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency, eradicating poverty, and ensuring high-quality public services—are areas where social enterprises are already making an impact. Our sector offers innovative, place-based solutions that create jobs, reduce inequalities, and contribute to a just transition to net zero. However, to fully realise the potential of community wealth building, social enterprises must be included as a key partner in national strategies and the internationally renowned social enterprise ecosystem must be strengthened.
We urge the Scottish Government to rectify this oversight by explicitly recognising the social enterprise sector in your policy and economic frameworks. A more inclusive Programme for Government would empower our sector to further contribute to building local wealth, driving inclusive growth, and advancing the fair and sustainable economy Scotland envisions.
As a sector, we are ready and eager to collaborate more closely with the Government to ensure our shared goals of community empowerment, economic fairness, and sustainability are met.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Martin