A survey found that over one-half of social enterprises had increased their annual turnover since the start of the economic downturn.
Source: George Leahy and Frank Villeneuve-Smith, State of Social Enterprise Survey 2009, Social Enterprise Coalition (020 7968 4921)
Links: Report | SEN press release | New Start report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Nov
A think-tank report said that the government should do more to encourage mutual and employee-owned models of business, in order to achieve higher levels of performance and customer satisfaction.
Source: William Davies, Reinventing the Firm, Demos, available from Central Books (020 8986 5488)
Links: Report | Summary | Demos press release
Date: 2009-Sep
A report evaluated a government-backed investment project designed to help independent, medium-sized, community-based organizations develop successful social enterprise initiatives. Social enterprises set up by funded organizations had increased their income, physical assets, reserves, and organizational capacity, and had also grown more quickly than charities of a similar size.
Source: Stephen Thake and Sanjiv Lingayah, Investing in Thriving Communities: The final external evaluation report on the Adventure Capital Fund, Centre for Social and Evaluation Research/London Metropolitan University (020 7320 1295)
Links: Report | CSER press release | ACF press release
Date: 2009-Jul
The government began consultation on the function and design of a new social investment bank (funded from the unclaimed assets of dormant bank accounts) that would be aimed at investing in and building the capacity of the third sector.
Source: Social Investment Wholesale Bank: A consultation on the functions and design, Office of the Third Sector/Cabinet Office (020 7276 6400)
Links: Consultation document | Cabinet Office press release | New Start report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Jul
A third reading was given to a private member's Bill designed to reform the law governing industrial and provident societies, including provision for tighter regulatory controls.
Source: Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Bill, Malcolm Wicks MP, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 12 June 2009, columns 1034-1065, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard
Date: 2009-Jun
A think-tank report examined the challenges and opportunities facing social enterprises. Social enterprises could offer a different approach and ethos to that of the profit-driven private sector and the 'one-size-fits-all' public sector. However, the sector was still small and faced capacity and capability constraints.
Source: Paul Hunter (ed.), Social Enterprise for Public Service: How does the third sector deliver?, Smith Institute (020 7592 3618)
Links: Report
Date: 2009-May
The government announced a package of measures designed to help social enterprises to boost the economy, create jobs, and contribute to the reform of public services.
Source: Press release 13 May 2009, Cabinet Office (020 7261 8527)
Links: Cabinet Office press release | Downing Street press release | Guardian report
Date: 2009-May
A second reading was given to a private member's Bill designed to modernize the law on co-operatives and credit unions. It sought to apply company legislation to societies, to increase their professionalism, and to strengthen protection for members.
Source: Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Bill, Malcolm Wicks MP, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 24 April 2009, columns 477-507, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | New Start
Date: 2009-Apr
A new book critically examined the notion that area-based initiatives could allow enterprise to address the complexity behind deprivation and social exclusion.
Source: Alan Southern, Enterprise and Deprivation: Small business, social exclusion and sustainable communities, Routledge (01264 343071)
Links: Summary
Date: 2009-Feb
The government announced plans to create 25,000 jobs in social enterprises by expanding their role in providing public services.
Source: Speech by Liam Byrne MP (Minister for the Cabinet Office), 11 February 2009
Links: Text of speech | CO press release | SEC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Feb