Petition calls for national Social Enterprise Mark

Kent social enterprise, The Sunlight Trust, has developed an online petition to lobby for the national roll out of the Social Enterprise Mark and are encouraging others to sign-up. The Social Enterprise Mark is a label that tells customers that a product or service comes from a social enterprise.

The Social Enterprise Mark is the only label of its kind that is open to all types of social enterprises that successfully meet the qualification criteria. It means the growing number of social enterprises can gain widespread recognition amongst customers and enable them to take advantage of business opportunities presented by the growing ethical consumerism trend.

As The Sunlight Trust doesn't operate in South West England, they are not currently eligible to apply for the Mark. However, Peter Holbrook social enterprise ambassador and chief executive of The Sunlight Development Trust has decided that he cannot wait until 2010 -- when RISE plan to make the Mark available to social enterprises nationwide:

"We need to distinguish ourselves from those who may be trading in the ethical market but who are in it to make private profit and from the corporate social responsibility and ‘greenwash' of big business, in order to finally explain that business can be done in a fundamentally different way - for good.  I encourage social enterprises from all over the country to sign the petition!"

Sign the petition.

RISE is the voice for social enterprise in South West England and is funded by the South West Regional Development Agency. RISE manages the Social Enterprise Mark and have a steady stream of South West applicants flowing in. Current holders include: Zebra Collective, Mid-Devon Community Recycling, Devon Doctors, Cosmic, the Eden Project, and the Co-operative Group South West.  The Social Enterprise Mark is funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund and is sponsored by the Co-operative Group South West and Triodos Bank.

RISE Director of Enterprise and Projects, Paula Howley said:
"The Social Enterprise Mark has high levels of interest in South West England, as well as a large number of enquiries from organisations across the country. We now need to evidence the demand and the petition will enable us to prove it."