UK: get better value from social enterprises

Buying from social enterprises can help organisations get value-for-money according to the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition (SSEC). The Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition is holding a series of events at the beginning of 2007 to promote social enterprise to public and private sector purchasers. The Getting Better Value events will take place in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness and will feature high profile speakers including John McClelland CBE, Lynn Garvie, Head of Procurement for the Scottish Parliament and Gary Butler, Purchasing Manager of Northern Constabulary. Prominent social entrepreneurs will also be on hand to talk about their businesses and their experience of contracting. There are an estimated 3,000 social enterprises in Scotland, and many businesses in the increasingly professional sector supply to both public and private sector clients. The Scottish Executive?s Social Enterprise Strategy, which will be launched in 2007, promises to open up new markets to social enterprises and help them compete for contracts on a level playing field. SSEC Chief Executive Antonia Swinson said: ?Social enterprises work right across the economy, including key service areas such as recycling, transport and childcare. They provide high-quality products that provide value for purchasing organisations as well as for communities across Scotland. ?The sector wants to grow through trade, not handouts, but it needs to be given a chance to win contracts on a level playing field. In particular contracts need to recognise the added value of social enterprise.? www.ssec.org.uk