New Social Enterprise Extravaganza Back for a Second Year
Date: Tuesday 17 July 2012
Embargo: Immediate
Contact: Duncan Thorp 0131 243 2654 / 07501 221 581 duncan.thorp@socialenterprise.scot
New social enterprise extravaganza back for a second year
Social Enterprise Scotland has announced that the Social Enterprise Exchange is back for a second year, at the SECC in Glasgow on Thursday 21 March 2013.
The Social Enterprise Exchange combines a business to business trade fair, learning event, policy conference and vital networking opportunities for social enterprises.
Delegates at the 2012 gathering included social enterprises from across the UK, visitors from 27 countries, government, local authorities, support agencies and media.
Fraser Kelly, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise Scotland, said:
“The Social Enterprise Exchange is the event highlight of the year. This new gathering in March 2013 will build on the many successes of the first Social Enterprise Exchange and on the strong record of the previous S2S events.
“We aim to make the opportunities to network, learn and do good business even better than before – and we look forward to working with sponsors and supporters to build Scotland’s growing social enterprise movement.”
If you missed the last one, have a look the official video from the day here on You Tube.
Social Enterprise Scotland is an independent, Scottish, member-led organisation, built and controlled by social enterprises across the country.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. What is social enterprise? Social enterprises are independent businesses that exist specifically for social and/or environmental purposes. Social enterprises operate in all markets, selling goods and services to individual consumers, local authorities, central government and private businesses. Social enterprises exist to make a profit just like any private sector business. However, profits or surpluses they make are always reinvested into their social and environmental purposes, they have an ‘asset lock’. Without making a profit, social enterprises cannot meet their social and environmental objectives – they must trade to be sustainable. The term “social enterprise” should not be confused with, for example, private sector businesses that operate in an ethical way, charities that do not trade or trade very little or public sector arms-length companies.
2. What examples are there? Hebridean Chocolates (Stornoway), The Big Issue, Kibble (Paisley), The Engine Shed (Edinburgh), The Wise Group (Glasgow), Aberdeen Foyer, Bookdonors (Scottish Borders), Buchan Dial-a-Community Bus, Centre of Health and Wellbeing, Link Group Ltd (Edinburgh), Impact Arts, Skye Permaculture Ltd, Institute of Local Television, Media Co-op and North Glasgow Housing Association.
3. What is Social Enterprise Scotland? Social Enterprise Scotland is The Voice of Social Enterprise – bringing together social enterprises and their supporters into a strong campaigning force. We are your gateway to Scotland’s social enterprise community. Social Enterprise Scotland is an independent, Scottish, membership-led organisation, built and controlled by social enterprises. Membership is open to anyone. We are based in Edinburgh city centre with a staff team of five (four full-time and one part-time) plus one part-time office volunteer. We are a registered Company Limited by Guarantee: SC294227. We were originally incorporated in 2005 as the ‘Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition’ and rebranded at the end of 2011 as ‘Social Enterprise Scotland’. We work in partnership with many other organisations in and outwith the broad social enterprise movement, in particular with Social Firms Scotland, Senscot and The Scottish Government.