What is a social enterprise?

A social enterprise is an organisation that uses business practice to achieve a social or environmental goal. Social enterprises are distinguishable from private companies that exist in order to generate profit and use the production of goods or services as a means to achieve this. They are also distinguishable from charities and voluntary organisations that relay to a much greater degree on receiving grants and charitable donations. Social enterprises usually generate a minimum of 50% of their income through trade.

The Social Enterprise Research Unit (SERU)

The Social Enterprise Research Unit (SERU) is based within the Sustainable Development Research Centre at Forres. SERU takes forward SDRC’s research in social enterprise.

SERU undertakes research that examines the connections between socially enterprising behaviour and sustainable development. The Unit explores the commonalities and points of divergence between ethically managed ‘mainstream’ businesses and social enterprises. It also undertakes research into the relationship between social enterprise and the public sector in terms of, for example, sustainable procurement.

SERU led the research activity within SDRC’s role as research partner to the BEST Procurement Programme (and EQUAL-funded development partnership led by Social Enterprise East Midlands). Whilst the BEST Procurement partners worked on a range of market interventions with public procurers and social enterprise suppliers in the East Midlands, SERU conducted qualitative research that focused on the organisational changes taking place within the social enterprises.

Following on from involvement in the BEST Procurement Programme, SERU intends to continue and extend research into topics relating to social enterprise and look more widely at the role of socially enterprising behaviour in the creation of economically, environmentally and socially sustainable communities.