Terry Waite awards Emmaus Bristol with the Social Enterprise Mark

Emmaus Bristol is the first organisation that helps homeless people to be accredited with the ‘Social Enterprise Mark’. President of the organisation, Terry Waite CBE presented the award to Emmaus Bristol.

Emmaus Bristol joins other proven ethical businesses in Bristol: the Watershed Arts Trust, the Pierian Centre CIC, Bristol Wood Recycling Project, Bristol Community Transport and the SOFA Project.

Emmaus Bristol is part of the International Emmaus Movement which provides home, work and support for destitute and homeless people in a supportive community. Those who join the community are known as Companions as friendship and mutual support play a vital role in getting people back on their feet.

Richard Pendlebury MBE, Emmaus Bristol Director, said: “We’re very proud to have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark. Here at Emmaus Bristol we strive for excellence and this is another measure of achievement for us. We think more organisations supporting homeless people could operate in the same way, so that people are the ultimate beneficiaries of the service. Social enterprise is a better way of doing business and the Social Enterprise Mark enables us to show people that we are truly socially motivated."

‘Social enterprise’ is a different way to do business, and is becoming more important to customers, especially following growing mistrust in privately-run banks and businesses. Recent research revealed that consumers are crying out for the Social Enterprise Mark: 7 out of 10 people (in a survey conducted by ICM Research*) said they would prefer to buy from firms who put their profits back into the community rather than into the pockets of shareholders and that they would rather buy from a company that makes decisions based on concern for society and the environment.

Julie Harris, Chair of RISE, commented:
"With more and more opportunities opening up every day for organisations to benefit from the growing trend in ethical consumerism, the Social Enterprise Mark has an important role to play in helping people understand when a business is genuinely socially-motivated. By the end of this year, the Social Enterprise Mark will be available across the country and we hope it will be the next 'Fair Trade'-type success story in helping people buy in a more responsible way."

Julie is also a national Social Enterprise Ambassador and Chief Executive of a social enterprise providing IT solutions COSMIC. Julie is one of the founders of the Social Enterprise Mark and COSMIC was one of the first organisations to achieve the Mark.

*The full research report is available at www.socialenterprisemark.co.uk