CAN awarded prestigious Social Enterprise Mark

CAN - the award-winning organisation that helps charities and social enterprises scale up  and maximise their impact  - has been awarded the prestigious Social Enterprise Mark. The award has been given to CAN and CAN Mezzanine, its own social enterprise providing office space  for third sector organisations.

Over the past 12 years CAN has supported the Third Sector by providing space, business support and investment. CAN Mezzanine runs three office buildings in London which are home to over 120 Third Sector organisations. These range from start-ups, (such as new victim support charity Who Cares?) to established social enterprises such as Green-works and TimeBank, and membership bodies including the Charity Finance Directors' Group (CFDG), Social Enterprise London and the Social Enterprise Coalition - the latest organisation to join the CAN Mezzanine community. CAN provides investment-readiness services, SROI (social return on investment) reporting and business support through its leading corporate partners, alongside its investment fund Breakthrough with Permira, the private equity firm (www.breakthroughfund.org.uk)  

The Social Enterprise Mark, launched on 1st February 2010, is the brand for social enterprises that identifies businesses which meet defined criteria for social enterprise. Consumers will recognise that businesses displaying the Mark are trading to benefit people and planet. CAN joins other ethical businesses that have been recognised by being awarded the Mark such as The Big Issue, the Eden Project, Turning Point, Lighthouse Furniture Project and several community transport enterprises.

Andrew Croft, CAN Chief Executive, says:

"The Social Enterprise Mark is welcome recognition of the work that CAN does in providing the Third Sector with space, investment and business support. We are delighted to receive it and will be encouraging others to apply. It is vital social enterprises that are sustainable, that asset lock their income and can demonstrate that they trade for social purpose, can differentiate themselves in such a powerful and visible way. Traction for the Social Enterprise Mark is a vital way for the general public, procurers and investors to understand the difference."

 

Lucy Findlay, MD of the Social Enterprise Mark Company says:

"As the distinctive and exciting brand for social enterprise, the Mark identifies businesses which meet defined criteria, enabling consumers to recognise those that are trading to benefit people and planet. It also helps those businesses promote their business ethics and values. We hope that the Social Enterprise Mark will do for social enterprise what the Fair Trade Mark did for fair trade."

For more information about CAN and the benefits of living in CAN Mezzanine visit:
http://www.can-online.org.uk/

 

Ends

 

More information & photographs can be requested from:  

Anne Nicholls, CAN Press Office

Tel: 020 7250 8046. Mobile: 07973 491 439.

Email: a.nicholls@can-online.org.uk

or

Kate Markey, Deputy Chief Executive

Tel: 020 7250 8040. Mobile: 07739 195503

Email: k.markey@can-online.org.uk

 

Notes to Editors

  • CAN (formerly Community Action Network) is recognised as one of the UK's leading organisations for supporting third sector organisations. It runs CAN Invest, CAN Engage and CAN Mezzanine (its own social enterprise) which has three office buildings in London - two in London SE1 (1 London Bridge and 32-36 Loman Street, Southwark) and one in London N1 (49-51 East Road, off Old Street). It also runs CAN Advise providing pro bono property advice for third sector organisations.
  • The Social Enterprise Mark Company has been set up as a Community Interest Company (CIC) Limited by shares. It is a joint venture between the Social Enterprise Coalition and RISE. Visit www.socialenterprisemark.org.uk to find out more.
  • The Social Enterprise Coalition is the UK's national body for social enterprise. As the voice for the sector, the Coalition provides a platform for showcasing the benefits of social enterprise while supporting and representing the work of its varied members, influencing national policy and promoting best practice. www.socialenterprise.org.uk.
  • RISE is the voice for South West social enterprise and aims to establish a favourable environment for social enterprises to develop and flourish. RISE is supported by the South West RDA. www.rise-sw.co.uk.
  • The Social Enterprise Mark is supported by the Office of the Third Sector, the National Lottery through the BIG Lottery Fund and Capacity Builders. The most widely adopted definition of social enterprise, used by organisations such as the Social Enterprise Coalition and RISE, is from the Government's Department for Trade and Industry: "Social enterprises are businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners. (Social Enterprise: a strategy for success, 2001.)
  • Government data estimates that there are 62,000 social enterprises across the UK, contributing £24 billion to the economy and employing around 800,000 people. Recent research found that social enterprises are twice as confident of growth compared to typical small to medium enterprises (SMEs), with 48% of social enterprises saying they are positive about the future as opposed to just 24% of SMEs (The Social Enterprise Coalition's State of Social Enterprise Survey 2009). Social enterprises are working to make a difference across the UK and beyond, but not enough people know what they are or how they work. The Social Enterprise Mark aims to raise awareness of what social enterprises do in order to get more people to buy from, engage with, start up and work for social enterprises.