UK’s first Social Saturday

The UK’s first Social Saturday will take place on 13th September 2014.

Social Saturday is a UK campaign designed to boost the number of consumers buying from Britain’s 70,000 plus social enterprises, businesses with a social mission that reinvest their profits for good. Well known examples include The Big Issue, Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant chain, Café Direct  and Divine Chocolate.

Social enterprises are starting up all over Britain – 1 in 7 of all business start-ups are now social enterprises. In villages, towns and cities up and down the country there are increasing numbers of shops, cafes, cinemas and nurseries that are run for the benefit of local communities. Social enterprises tackle social and environmental problems, and use the profits they generate to grow their businesses to do more good.

Social Saturday aims to reach thousands of people to raise awareness of social enterprises and to encourage people to spend their money with them. 

Social Saturday is being led by the national campaigning body, Social Enterprise UK, and is supported by the Cabinet Office and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The day has cross party political support. 

Social Enterprise UK is the national body for social enterprise. Social enterprises are businesses that are changing the world. When they profit, society profits. Together with their members, Social Enterprise UK is the voice for social enterprise in the UK. 

Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK, said:

“When you buy a product or a service from a social enterprise, you directly make a positive difference to the world you live in. Through Social Saturday we want to help people find social enterprises to help them improve their local communities and the lives of people who are less fortunate and need a helping hand.”