Deadline: 1-Jul-22
Nominations are now open for the UK Social Enterprise Awards to chance to showcase the incredible contributions made by businesses that have been making a real difference in tackling social and environmental problems both in the UK and around the world.
Award Categories
- Category 1: UK Social Enterprise of the Year
- This award is open to a social enterprise that has been operating for more than 2 years that can evidence the criteria but that has also demonstrated and promoted social enterprise beyond the sector.
- Category 2: One to Watch
- This award is open to a social enterprise that has been operating for less than 2 years as of April 2022 that can clearly demonstrate the criteria but also articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it showing growth in their model.
- Category 3: Prove It: Social Impact
- This award is designed for any social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. This award is not comparing the scale of different enterprises’ impact, but their measurement and reporting process.
- Category 4: ‘Buy Social’ – Market Builder
- This award is open to any social enterprise, public sector body or private sector organisations that has demonstrably made efforts within its own organisation and remit to create more opportunities to buy from social enterprises. This could be a local authority implementing a council-wide Social Value Act strategy, a company changing its procurement processes, or a social enterprise seeking to support the movement through buying social.
- Category 5: Social Investment Deal of the Year
- This is the award to enter if you have been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped a social enterprise to grow, or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. Both the investee and investor will be recognised.
- Category 6: Health & Social Care Social Enterprise
- This is open to social enterprises that have been operating for more than 2 years in the health and social care sectors that can demonstrate excellence.
- Category 7: Consumer Facing Social Enterprise
- This is open to a social enterprise that produces or delivers a retail product or service to the general public.
- Category 8: Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise
- This is open to social enterprises that have been operating for more than 2 years in the education, training or employment sectors that can demonstrate excellence.
- Category 9: Environmental Social Enterprise
- This is open to social enterprises that have been operating for more than 2 years in the green and environmental sectors that can demonstrate excellence.
- Category 10: Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice
- Social justice is fundamental to the social enterprise movement. Over the last year, events like the Black Lives Matter movement brought renewed energy into the discourse around diversity, inclusion, equity and justice. This category is open to all social enterprises who are addressing these issues.
- Category 11: Women in Social Enterprise
- This award recognises a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise,or organisation that supports social enterprises.
- Category 12: International Impact
- This is open to social enterprises that have been operating for more than 2 years which are working internationally and having a big impact in their field. This award is open to UK-based organisations only with existing international operations.
- Category 13: Place Based Social Enterprise
- Social enterprises are powerful actors in shaping local places. Be it operating in remote rural communities or supporting in inner cities, this category is open to social enterprises that have been operating for more than 2 years
- Category 14: Social Enterprise Team of the Year
- This category acknowledges those teams which, over the course of an extremely challenging year, have demonstrated the strength, passion and resilience which is so characteristic of the social enterprise sector. Organisations should be able to evidence how these employees, working together, have gone and beyond their role, either to support the organisation or the wider community.
- Category 15: Tech for Good: Technology Social Enterprise
- This is open to social enterprises that have been operating for more than 2 years that uses technology.
Eligibility Criteria
- All Award categories are open to organisations from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
- If you wish to make an Award application for any category other than;
- Category 4 ‘Buy Social’ – Market Builder
- Category 5 Social Investment Deal of the Year
- Category 11 Women in Social Enterprise
- your organisation must be a UK based business that defines itself as a Social Enterprise using the following criteria:
- The business has a clear social or environmental mission that is set out in its governing documents.
- It is an independent business and earns more than half of its income through trading.
- It is controlled or owned in the interests of the social mission.
- It invests or gives away at least half your profits or surpluses towards your social purpose.
- It is transparent about how it operates and the impact it has.
- Please do not enter any category other than 4, 5 and 11 if you do not meet the criteria.
- Non-social enterprises, for example, investors, corporates, public sector bodies and charities may put applications forward in the following categories:
- Category 4 ‘Buy Social’ – Market Builder
- Category 5 Social Investment Deal of the Year
- Category 11 Women in Social Enterprise
- Social Enterprises may also enter category 4 & 5. Category 11 must be entered by a woman in the sector, or someone nominating this individual.
For more information, visit https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/social-enterprise-awards/uk-social-enterprise-awards-2022/