LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
Social Enterprise Mark Launch Booklet
Overview Social Impact Ireland are delighted to have partnered with Social Enterprise Mark CIC, an international accreditation body to pioneer the Social Enterprise Mark in Ireland. The Social Enterprise Mark defines what it means to be a genuine social enterprise. Featured within are the six ambassadors who will be taking their Social Enterprise through Irelands first ever SE Mark process over the coming months.
THE SOCIAL IMPACT IRELAND TEAM
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
Social Enterprise Mark CIC Social Enterprise Mark CIC is an award-winning international social enterprise accreditation body, which has over ten years’ experience of providing clear standards for the social enterprise sector, defining what it means to be a genuine social enterprise. Through a portfolio of externally assessed accreditations, they provide a pathway to support social enterprises of all sizes and at all stages of their journey to work towards recognised standards of good practice and excellence. As well as welcoming applications from social enterprises across the world, Social Enterprise Mark CIC works to champion the standard for social enterprise by working with international partners to promote and strengthen the social enterprise business model at a global level.
Lucy Findlay, Managing Director at Social Enterprise Mark CIC says: “We are really excited to be working with Social Impact Ireland to pioneer the Social Enterprise Mark in Ireland. The current worldwide health and economic crisis has shown that there is more of an appetite than ever for the formation of businesses that can evidence social impact as their raison d’etre. The Social Enterprise Mark proves those credentials in a world where actions must speak louder than words.”
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
Social Impact Ireland Social Impact Ireland aims to separate and elevate social enterprise, by fully supporting individuals and enterprises to reach their full potential, impacting communities across all regions. We believe in the power and the potential of each individual to make a real difference that will benefit their community and beyond, and make a positive Social Impact. Pauline Gannon, Director of Impact at Social Impact Ireland says “We are incredibly privileged to work with Social Enterprise Mark CIC to bring their worldwide recognised Social Enterprise Mark to Ireland. A momentous moment in the history of the social enterprise sector here in Ireland and a turning point for all involved in the sector. Bringing recognition and credibility to those who work with impact at the heart of what they do.�
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
The Social Enterprise Mark The Social Enterprise Mark defines what it means to be a genuine social enterprise. It is an internationally available accreditation, which acts as an independent, externally assessed guarantee that a business is operating as a social enterprise, with the central aim of using income / profits to maximise social benefit, taking precedent over generating dividends for owners / shareholders. It provides assurance that a company is living up to it’s claims as a business committed to creating positive social/environmental change.
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
As the National Centre for the Circular Economy, the Rediscovery Centre promotes green living and sustainability in Ireland. Its aim is to bring together people with different sets of skills and expertise in a common desire of sustainability. The Centre operates all its activities within a social enterprise model, but we often refer to having a social enterprise cluster under the Rediscovery Centre umbrella. In particular our four reuse social enterprises; Rediscover Fashion, Rediscover Furniture, Rediscover Paint and Rediscover Cycling. All these social enterprises use waste materials to create new products and demonstrate reuse and low carbon living. These products can be purchased in our Ecostore located at the Centre where people can visit to purchase these products. The Ecostore sells products created by our own social enterprises and over 40 independent Irish designers, some of whom are also social enterprises. The Centre also offers interactive and experimental workshops for primary, secondary and third level students which cover broad environmental and STEM topics. The Centre supports and is passionate about waste prevention and climate action and advocates for a more resilient and equitable society. WHAT WILL HAVING A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MARK MEAN FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE?
The Social Enterprise Mark for our business will mean ‘confirmation’ to our customers and stakeholders that they are right to invest in us.
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
Cork Craft & Design is a social enterprise, membership organisation representing over 100 SMEs in craft and design in County Cork. Our aim is to support and celebrate craft and design makers and their creativity. To encourage & empower businesses to be more resilient and expand while building and sustaining a vibrant community and economy to shape the future of craft and design in Cork. We also engage audiences to participate with the sector through Cork Craft Month and several other events programmed throughout the year.
WHAT WILL HAVING A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MARK MEAN FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE?
Make Cork city and county a recognised centre of excellence for making, engaging, collecting, buying and learning about craft. A vehicle to ensure we continue to preserve, encourage and nurture the special skills of the people working in the craft sector across Ireland today.
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
FoodShare Kerry is an initiative of North, East and West Kerry Development and St Vincent De Paul, creating with the aim of reducing both food waste and food poverty. We currently operate as the only food bank in Kerry, delivering both FEAD (Food from the European Unions Fund for the Most Deprived) and surplus food from local businesses and suppliers, grade and sort it in our warehouse and deliver it to over 30 Community groups based all over our county, who then distribute it to families living in food poverty. We have partnered with organsiations such as Soup Kitchens, homeless shelters and family resource centres to ensure we are targeting those most affected by food poverty. We also prepare and deliver individual food hampers for families working with St Vincent De Paul. In this way we are bridging the gap between food waste and food poverty, reducing the landfill mass in our county and supporting the most vulnerable and most in need in our communities. WHAT WILL HAVING A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MARK MEAN FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE?
We hope that having a Social Enterprise Mark will provide the separation we need from being perceived as a charity model, and instead, establish us as a viable and sustainable business, generating income to further our social impact.
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
Siul Eile is a walking movement which builds walking programs using the under utilised environment of each individual community. Programs are designed to help communities live quality healthy lives, socialise together and combat isolation by connecting/reconnecting participants with each other and their community. WHAT WILL HAVING A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MARK MEAN FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE?
It will instantly showcase that we are an authentic social enterprise, which in turn will elevate the status of the enterprise, which will give us a greater element of trust when dealing with government agencies, businesses etc.
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
SlĂĄnĂş Stroke Rehab provides intensive rehabilitation therapy and coaching to stroke survivors in Ireland. It specialises in 'upper limb rehabilitation', focussing on improving function in the person's stroke-affected hand and arm. The service is for people who are highly motivated to engage exclusively in intensive retraining of their upper limb so that they can return to using it in their day to day lives. The service consists of a range of different programmes designed to meet the varied needs of stroke survivors. Each client follows a personalised training plan and is coached and supported by specialist neurological therapists. WHAT WILL HAVING A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MARK MEAN FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE?
It will help us to explain our 'purpose' to people - that we are 100% impact-driven and committed to our stroke clients and their families. It may be that the concept of a social impact business is not widely understood in Ireland and this standardised, recognised certification will help us when communicating about our service. It's especially important for us as we are offering a unique service in Ireland (specialist, intensive upper limb stroke rehabilitation) and the message needs to be understood that it is both high-quality and socially driven.
LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
Share this journey with us Keep up to date with the journey of the five ambassadors and the SE Mark in Ireland. www.socialimpactireland.ie
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LAUNCH BOOKLET
NOVEMBER 2020
Social Enterprise Mark Launch Booklet