C

• Capacity building

  The development of skills and knowledge in local communities, often to allow local people to contribute to social and economic regeneration

• Central business district

  The parts of London where employment is most concentrated. Historically this is the City of London and Westminster and the areas that border them in Lambeth, Wandsworth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Islington, Camden and Brent.

• Cluster

  The tendency of firms to improve their commercial performance through direct and indirect forms of collaboration, or sharing of resources, customers, inputs, often resulting in locational advantages from close proximity with each other. One of the best known examples of a social enterprise cluster is Mezzanine 2 which is located at 1 London Bridge.

• Co-operative

  An organisation owned and controlled by its members which is incorporated under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Another popular form for social enterprises.

• Common bond

  Credit unions all have a common bond. They determine who is able to join them. There are four types. A community or residential bond refers to anyone who lives in a certain geographical area. A live or work bond refers to people who work and live within a certain geographical area. An employment or industrial bond refers to all employees in a company or group of companies. An associational bond refers to membership of a trade union, trade association or other group.

• Community business

  A trading organisation which is set up, owned and controlled by the local community and which aims to create self supporting employment for local people and also act as a focus for local development. The terms community business is often used by social enterprises that focus on local markets and services.

• Community care plans

  Publicly available plans for each local authority that outline or update local community care provision or strategy.

• Community development finance institutions (CDFIs)

  These organisations lend and invest in deprived areas and markets that cannot access mainstream finance, including social enterprises. The London Rebuilding Society is a London based CDFI.

• Community development venture capital fund

  A venture capital fund, run for profit, that is targeted at communities that lack investment.

• Community enterprise

  Organisations trading for social purpose with a community base.

• Community Interest Company (CIC)

  A legal form for social enterprises, due to become available in 2005. CICs will report to an independent regulator on how they are delivering for the community and how they are involving their stakeholders in their activities.

• Community load fund

  A community loan fund is a CDFI that provides loans.

• Company limited by guarantee

  A company registered with Companies House with members rather than shareholders; members guarantee a nominal sum for paying liabilities and can also pay a regular membership subscription. Charities, Development Trusts, Social Firms and Community Businesses frequently use this form of incorporation.

• Company limited by shares

  A company registered with Companies House which is controlled by its shareholders. This form is often used for trading subsidiaries of charities.

• Competitive contracting

  Arrangements for procuring services that involve tendering by more than one potential provider. Tenders are assessed against best value criteria that assess quality and cost.

• Compulsory purchase order

  A statutory power given to local authorities and the London Development Agency where agreement cannot be reached with a land owner to require the sale of land and/or buildings in order to enable the achievement of wider policy objectives.

• Corporate social responsibility (CSR)

  A wide ranging set of concepts that relate to businesses conducting their activities responsibly. Factors include environmental impacts, employee and customer health and safety issues, participation in local communities (being a good neighbour), good corporate governance, other social issues and ethical and fair trading. CSR proponents argue that these issues are core to the long term sustainability of all businesses and apply equally to both small locally based businesses and large multi-national listed companies.

• Corporation of London

  The local government body for the City of London (the "Square Mile").

• Credit union

  A financial co-operative, which is owned and controlled by its members. As well as being a good savings option, with successful credit unions paying an annual dividend of up to 8%, the money saved can be used to make low interest loans to other credit union members. Only people who come within the common bond of the credit union can join it and make use of its services. The credit union is directed and controlled by a volunteer Board of Directors.