Social enterprise identity launched

Consumers in South West England can now identify goods and services from social enterprises - businesses that trade to fulfil their social purpose.

RISE, the voice for South West social enterprise, launched the new fairtrade-style identity known as The Social Enterprise Mark, at the Eden Project, last Thursday.

Devon Doctors, Cosmic, Eden Project and The Co-operative Group South West are already signed up to use the Mark.

Tim Smit, Chief Executive of the Eden Project said:
"I really welcome the Social Enterprise Mark as a first step to better business. We should celebrate the start of something so beneficial for consumers and social enterprise suppliers."

The Social Enterprise Mark will be piloted in the South West over the next three years. It is hoped to roll it out nationally in the future, with support from the Social Enterprise Coalition, the movement's national body.

Lucy Findlay, RISE Chief Executive said:

"We are thrilled at the wide support the Social Enterprise Mark is gaining. I'm really pleased that there is such a lot of interest from social enterprises who are keen to use the Mark, as well as consumers who see it as a means to purchase more goods and services from social enterprises".

Jonathan Bland, Chief Executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition said:"We welcome the launch of the Social Enterprise Mark and are very interested to explore the possibility of rolling it out nationally. This great pilot project could do a lot to position social enterprise squarely in the minds of consumers. As a movement we need to do everything we can to raise awareness of the amazing work carried out social enterprises in the South West and across the whole country."

The Co-operative Group and Triodos Bank are sponsors of the new Social Enterprise Mark.

The Social Enterprise Mark is being funded by Big Lottery's BASIS programme to the tune of £468,121, following last week's BIG Lottery announcement. To stay up-to-date with the latest developments, sign up to the RISE newsletter at http://www.rise-sw.co.uk/.

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Notes to editors:

• The Social Enterprise Mark is a fairtrade-style identity that social enterprises can apply to use. Customers can be sure that companies carrying the mark are using their profits to tackle a social or environmental need and are governed in a way that benefits their communities.
• Social enterprises are dynamic businesses with social and environmental aims. Well known examples include The Big Issue, Café Direct and Jamie Oliver's Fifteen, but there are many other social enterprises operating in a wide range of industries from farmers markets and recycling companies to transport and childcare providers.
• According to figures from the Government's Annual Small Business Survey 2005 and existing data for the social enterprise sector, there are at least 55,000 social enterprises in the UK with a combined turnover of £27billion per year.
• Social Enterprise Mark is funded by the National Lottery through BIG Lottery's Building and Sustaining Infrastructure (BASIS) programme. A total of 38 organisations across England are sharing £15.4 million in awards that will increase the effectiveness of the third sector.
• For further information from RISE please contact Anne Mountjoy. e: annemountjoy@rise-sw.co.uk; t: 01392 456532; m: 07812 029 228
• For further information from Eden Project please contact David Rowe, Head of Press and PR, drowe@edenproject.com, 01726 811901
• For further information from the Social Enterprise Coalition please contact Katy Duke. e: pressoffice@socialenterprise.org.uk; t: 020 7793 2318; m: 07974 217 681
• 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 Regional Development Agency. http://www.rise-sw.co.uk/
• COSMIC is an IT company based in East Devon with services operating across the South West and the whole of the UK. As a leading social enterprise, COSMIC is involved in many projects which provide social benefit in communities across the South West - see http://www.cosmic.org.uk/
• The Social Enterprise Coalition is the UK's national body for social enterprise. Acting as the voice for the sector, it supports and represents the work of its members, influences national policy and promotes best practice. http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/