The winners of the annual UK Social Enterprise Awards were announced last night (8 December) at London’s Guildhall, with the main award going to a Glaswegian organic food network.
The national awards are organised by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) to “shine a spotlight on the leading lights of the social enterprise movement – businesses set up to trade for a social or environmental purpose and which are taking on some of the biggest issues we face, from rising inequalities to the climate emergency”.
There are 100,000 of these businesses in the UK, contributing £60bn to the national GDP. They employ around 2 million people and can be found in nearly every part of the economy.
The winner of the Social Enterprise of the Year Award was Locavore, set up in Glasgow in 2011 to create an alternative food network. It runs three local, organic and zero waste supermarkets which source from local suppliers and delivers vegboxes to around 1,800 customers. It also grows its own organic vegetables and employs around 100 people all of whom are paid at least the real living wage.
To recognise the contribution made by the staff at social enterprises during the pandemic a new category was created this year – the Social Enterprise Team of the Year Award. This was won by P3, a social enterprise operating across the UK which offers services for social excluded and vulnerable people. The P3 team supported 28,500 people in the last year helping rehouse hundreds of people, delivering mobile phones for people in isolation, handing out thousands of food parcels and incredibly helping over 3,000 people exit the streets and access emergency accommodation at the height of the pandemic.
Another new category is the award for a Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice. This was won by Commons Law, a criminal law firm which helps people with complex needs in the criminal justice system. It also works to challenge injustices in the legal system, recently taking the implementation of the ‘hostile environment’ to court.
Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK, said: “In what has been an incredibly challenging year social enterprises have given us a real sense of hope. They’ve shown us what it means to put people and communities first, showing real resilience and strength without compromising on their values, integrity and impact.
“From taking on the injustices in the food system and using technology to support people experiencing homelessness to being on the frontline of supporting communities through the pandemic – this year’s winners represent not just the best of business but the future of business.”
Winners were presented with bespoke trophies made by the social enterprise, Designs in Mind, which employs people with mental health issues. Social enterprises also supplied all the goods and services on the night, including the catering, rigging, drinks, flower displays and goody bags.
