social economy

In developing a social enterprise, you are embarking on an exciting journey.

This guide, produced by EQUAL, should help you along the way.

Starting a social enterprise can be challenging, rewarding, stimulating and scary.There are already a range of business planning guides and templates out there but very few can tell you how to set up a social enterprise. EQUAL use their own experience, and the experience of others, in running businesses with equal financial, social and environmental aims to map out a route for you.

This plan is the next chapter in the Government’s continuing support for social enterprises. The plan sets out the role of government in supporting social enterprises, and outlines actions that the Government will take in the next phase of its support.

A Special Report by the Bank of England, published May 2003.

This guide is essentially a series of stories from around the UK about the amazing things that social enterprises are doing, why they have chosen the social enterprise route to do them, and how they are negotiating a range of challenges to successfully deliver their business, social and environmental goals.

Published by the Social Enterprise Commission (SEC).

Guidance document for people interested in setting up a Community Interest Company. Published October 2009 by the Regulator of Community Interest Companies.

Social Firms UK Annual Report 2008.

Outcomes of the Social Partner Program (SPP) - December 2007.

A report from Co-operatives Europe evaluating its representativeness and the role of its member organizations in the social dialogue in the different EU countries. This fed into its strategic objectives for 2007-2010.

An action plan for third sector involvement. Published December 2006.

The plan builds on the work already done to establish an equal and effective partnership with the third sector. It identifies the challenges in improving third sector organisations’ everyday interactions with the state and provides the solutions to meet them.