About Social Enterprise
Social enterprise is the future-proof business model for a changing world.
Rather than maximising profit for shareholders or owners, profits are reinvested into the community or returned to the business. Social enterprises include co-operatives and credit unions, community businesses and development trusts, social firms and housing associations.
They are as diverse as the people that run them – social enterprise is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ model and can be:
- a company limited by guarantee
- a company limited by shares
- a community interest company
- an industrial or provident society.
Many are registered charities.
In London there are 3,400 social enterprises registered as companies limited by guarantee. The vast majority are small or medium enterprises with less than 10 employees and a turnover of less than £500,000. London’s social enterprises provide 104,500 jobs with a combined turnover of £4 billion, and the London Social Enterprise Network, run by SEL, has more than 1,000 members and is the biggest of its kind in the UK.
The movement operates in all markets, tackling complex social and environmental challenges in innovative and sustainable ways, and they are quietly transforming the world.
For further information please call 020 7033 2606 or e-mail info@sel.org.uk