Social Enterprise

Social Enterprises are businesses that seek to address social and environmental issues through reinvesting all their profits from trading.

This more-than-profit approach is gaining momentum and is already used by co-operatives, credit unions, development trusts and housing associations.

CVS Falkirk promotes social enterprise as a model of doing business. We work with existing social enterprises, and encourage individuals and organisations to be more socially enterprising, through a range of services, including (but not limited to):

Start up guidance
Business idea development
Business planning
Identifying funders
Partnership working
Legal and compliance issues
Measuring social impact
Tendering and procurement

National Signposting

We help with links to national social enterprise support bodies and funders, and constantly horizon-scan for new developments that we can highlight to social enterprises.

Local Opportunities

We have a variety of local support options for social enterprises in Falkirk, who are familiar with the social enterprise model and can offer guidance on different subjects.

To find out more about the ways CVS Falkirk work with social enterprises, please contact us.

The Voluntary Code of Practice for Social Enterprise in Scotland

“The Code”, as it is known, was developed by the Scottish social enterprise community in response to the UK-wide debate around a definition of what a social enterprise is. Many in the Scottish social enterprise community felt that the debate was blurring the lines between genuine social enterprises and private businesses delivering social benefits for private profit. The Code highlights a set of shared values and behaviours, and provides the foundation for a self-regulatory community of mutual understanding.

Scotland’s Social Enterprise Strategy

Scotland’s Social Enterprise Strategy 2016-2026 is a 10 year national social enterprise strategy, which sets out the Scottish Government’s shared ambitions for social enterprise in Scotland, jointly developed with the sector. It provides a framework for action over the next decade.

The strategy will build on the supportive ecosystem, developed over the previous decade, and will cement Scotland’s reputation as world-leading and the best place to start and grow a social enterprise.

The strategy focuses on 3 main priorities:

Stimulating social enterprise
Developing stronger organisations
Realising market opportunities

To access the full Strategy, please visit the Scottish Government website.

Social Enterprise in Scotland Census

2015 Census

The first social enterprise in Scotland census carried out in 2015 outlines the scale and impact of the social enterprise sector in Scotland. The census was funded by the Big Lottery, Co-operative Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Nesta, Social Investment Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and The Scottish Government, and it reveals a growing, vibrant and diverse sector.

2015 Key Sector Highlights

(Please click on the above image to enlarge.)

The full Social Enterprise in Scotland Census 2015 report can be accessed on the Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEIS) website.

2017 Census

The second Social Enterprise Census was completed in autumn 2017, and can be downloaded in various formats from the CEIS or Social Enterprise Scotland website. The highlights can be viewed below.

2017 Key Sector Highlights