As a Social Enterprise, we recognise the social and community benefits of driving employment equality and we lobby and seek influence for continuous improvement in employment opportunities for the mature worker. We know the value and important role that this experienced and skilled age group can offer the work place
The Buy Social Corporate Challenge will see a group of high profile businesses aim to spend £1 billion with social enterprises by 2020. The initiative is a first for the social enterprise sector.
Led by Social Enterprise UK in partnership with the Cabinet Office and Business in the Community, a number of forward-thinking corporates are set to open up their supply chains to the UK’s 70,000 social enterprises. The founding partners are Interserve, Johnson & Johnson, PwC, RBS Group, Santander, Wates, and Zurich. The ambition is to enlist far more businesses, from a diverse range of industries, to take part.
The Corporate Challenge launches on 18 April 2016 at a reception at Number 11 Downing Street with Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson.
CORPORATE CHALLENGE PARTNERS RECEIVE A PACKAGE OF SUPPORT
Partners are supported to buy and source from social enterprises – this includes:
- A review of your supply chain and benchmarking existing social enterprise spend.
- Training for procurement teams.
- Brokerage support.
- Advice and support on how to measuring the impact of your spend with social enterprises, and how to use this in sustainability reporting/bid writing.
WHY BRING SOCIAL ENTERPRISES INTO YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN?
Procuring from social enterprises gives private sector organisations the opportunity to be a force for good in the communities in which they operate. They can help businesses to meet their supplier diversity aims and often bring with them innovation and creativity.
Also, more businesses are buying goods and services from social enterprises as a result of wanting to demonstrate their commitment to social value and to comply with the Social Value Act.
Bringing social enterprises into your supply chain can deliver a range of benefits for your business. It can help you meet your corporate social responsibility objectives, such as reducing your carbon footprint, tackling unemployment or supporting people with mental health issues. It can help you ensure the money you already spend on goods and services stays in your local community, or that it goes to a cause your staff are passionate about.
PRIME CANDIDATE – SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
We are ‘Champions for Older Workers’, typically the over 50’s, we provide recruitment and employment transition services to support candidates back in to employment.
We have been described as the experts in providing over 50’s recruitment and employment services, and companies and employers looking for a wide variety of experience and skills to achieve a multi-generational workforce, use our services to find the best resource.
We are also the custodians of the ‘Champions Charter’, an accreditation gained by organisations who commit to age diversity and equal opportunities for all employees.
Prime Candidate is registered on the ‘The Buy Social Directory’, connecting private and public sector buyers with social enterprises offering products and services like ours. Social enterprises are businesses that trade for social and environmental purposes, and we welcome your business.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SIGNING UP TO THE CORPORATE CHALLENGE
For an informal conversation to explore whether the Corporate Challenge might be of interest to your business, contact Charlie Wigglesworth at Social Enterprise UK. Email charlie.wigglesworth@socialenterprise.org.uk or telephone 020 3589 4952.
Read more about Social Enterprise UK’s award-winning Buy Social campaign.