The Social Enterprise Mark logo: there are hopes that it will be as successful as the Fairtrade logo
The new Social Enterprise Mark and its spiralling logo have been unveiled at Voice10, the annual conference for social enterprise.
The Mark, which comes with the tag line of 'Trading for People and Planet', is an identifier to promote social enterprise to consumers of products and services delivered by social businesses. It is not, however, a quality mark.
The launch in Cardiff was attended by third sector minister Angela Smith and featured a performance from Wales-based social enterprise NoFit State Circus, dry ice and fireworks.
Lucy Findlay, CEO of south west social enterprise body Rise and a member of the Mark's steering group, said: 'We want the Social Enterprise Mark to do for social enterprise what the Fairtrade mark has done for fair trade.'
She added: 'Too many people don't know about us. We must make it easier to identify what makes us different to consumers, government and investors.'
The launch and logo come after months of planning, building on an identifier launched in 2007 by Rise, the voice of social enterprise in the south west, which was partially funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
It was rolled out nationally following petitions from social entrepreneurs, including new Social Enterprise Coalition CEO Peter Holbrook when he was boss of Sunlight Development Trust. Around £1m investment was also needed.
Today's launch also comes two months after it was due to be made public. It was delayed to maximise its impact, according to the Mark's steering group.
Speaking at the launch, third sector minister Angela Smith, said: 'The Mark has the potential to be a real catalyst to put social enterprises where they belong - clearly defined and at the heart of the UK economy and society.
'I have seen some amazing and innovative examples of social enterprises, and the more people that know about them and the more people that get involved in the sector, the better!'
Holbrook added that the Mark, which he called 'visually powerful', was needed to aid social enterprise growth in the UK.
'Social enterprises are businesses doing really extraordinary things in new and innovative ways but they have until now been hard to recognise, partly because they work in practically every industry imaginable and range from community enterprises to international companies,' he said.
'The time is right for the introduction of a visually powerful Mark which indicates, at a glance, the integrity of an organisation and around which we can drive awareness and understanding.'
The Mark will be administered by a joint venture set up by the Social Enterprise Coalition and Rise. Findlay added that the Mark's use would spread the message of social enterprises, which have 'the potential to revolutionise attitudes to consumerism.'
Find out more on the Mark's own website at www.socialenterprisemark.org.uk
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Comments
Social Enterprise Mark: The Ten Percent Challenge
I congratulate Lucy Findlay, RISE SW and the SE Mark team for a stunning national launch last night in Cardiff at Voice10 that I managed to watch live online. Having followed the journey of SE Mark from its early development in 2006 and recommended the Mark to several social enterprises here in Cornwall I am watching with great interest as the impact of the Mark is rolled out nationally over the coming months.
The Social Enterprise Mark has to date been awarded to around 60 social enterprises, mostly in the South West region under the pilot programme. There is estimated to be 5500 social enterprises in the South West region so at present the Mark represents around 1% of the market.
The goal will be for the SE Mark to reach a tipping point both regionally and nationally in order to create momentum and critical mass that brings the reward of public recognition. New Social Enterprise Coalition boss, Peter Holbrook recognises this too in his stated aim of awarding the Mark to 'several thousand social enterprises’ within the next few years.
I would suggest that to achieve any prospect of parity with the highly successful FairTrade brand, the Mark must reach at least 10% of the social enterprise sector – around 6000 social enterprises. This is a daunting prospect for the most optimistic of sales teams so it calls for the sector to support the Mark in every way.
Above all the Mark is about credibility, a badge of approval given to those clearly deserving social enterprises. It’s a celebration of the social enterprise brand – the best of its services and products. Meanwhile we await details of the national roll-out programme and transition to the newly formed company that will take the Social Enterprise Mark forward into the future.
Bob Northey Director, Social Traders
Interesting similarities
Noting today that the SE Mark states criteria of > 50% of profit for social purpose and > 50% trading revenue.
It was how we'd described a 'profit for purpose' model in our founding paper, advocating an inclusive form of capitalism to better serve the disenfranchised.
http://www.p-ced.com/1/about/history/
Noting that Angela Smith, has in the past described the term social enterprise as sounding a bit Tory. Perhaps People-Centered economics would be more suitable. Some have said that it sounds too communist.
Jeff Mowatt
People-Centered Economic Development
p-ced.com
people-centered.net