our new social media channels...which sounds a bit pretentious really so welcome to our modern day newsletter!In fact we've been blogging and twittering for a while now on one of our national pojects and the results and feedback has been so positive that we decided we should look at using it in Cornwall to improve the way we communicate with our partners and customers.
So who are we, what do we do and what makes us different.
ReZolve is a Social Enterprise, set up in the late 90's to look at sustainable waste management. We've come a long way in that time and now we are company that employs over 30 staff, diverts 1'000's of tonnes from landfill every year through reuse and recycling both locally and nationally, has helped over 100 long term unemployed in to jobs over the last 2 years, trades for well over 50% of our income and competes for the majority of the rest and supports over 180 environmental businesses in Cornwall to grow and develop.
We're Carbon Negative - that means our operations divert more carbon than we produce as an organisation. We are Matrix accredited - that means the quality of advice and guidance we give is up to standard. We are FRNe Accredited - that means our furniture reuse operations are audited annually and pass tests that are similar to ISO 9000.
Finally, we have the Social Enterprise Mark, logo above, one of only a handful of organisations in Cornwall to have achieved this, alongside Eden, Fifteen, Real Baby Milk, Pentreath, CoaST, CEP, Zoo Training, Bosence Farm, Blisland Community Association and the National Lobster Hatchery.
So what is a Social Enterprise...there's so much talk of it in the press, in the public sector and everyone wants a piece of it! Here's a quick animation that explains it...nice and simple....the way I work!
So what is a Social Enterprise...there's so much talk of it in the press, in the public sector and everyone wants a piece of it! Here's a quick animation that explains it...nice and simple....the way I work!
To obtain the SE Mark you need to demonstrate the following:
• Your company has social and/or environmental aims?
• Your company has its own constitution and governing body?
• At least 50% of the company profits are spent on socially beneficial purposes?
• The company earns at least 50% of its income from trading?
• Your company can demonstrate that social/environmental aims are being achieved?
• If your company ceased trading, remaining assets would be distributed for social/environmental purposes?
The Social Enterprise Coalition uses the following definition:
• Your company has social and/or environmental aims?
• Your company has its own constitution and governing body?
• At least 50% of the company profits are spent on socially beneficial purposes?
• The company earns at least 50% of its income from trading?
• Your company can demonstrate that social/environmental aims are being achieved?
• If your company ceased trading, remaining assets would be distributed for social/environmental purposes?
The Social Enterprise Coalition uses the following definition:
"Social enterprises are businesses trading for social and environmental purposes. Many commercial businesses would consider themselves to have social objectives, but social enterprises are distinctive because their social and/or environmental purpose is absolutely central to what they do - their profits are reinvested to sustain and further their mission for positive change." See http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/pages/frequently-asked-questions.html for more useful explanations.
That just about sums it up for me...and that is what ReZolve is all about. We develop projects with social and environmental purposes and reinvest any profits in to furthering our overall objectives, which are about improving our environment and helping those who are disadvantaged. I guess the biggest myth in all of this is about trading and profit. Many commentators think that Social Enterprises shouldn't make a profit...or shouldn't pay staff....and that couldn't be further from he truth.
Gone are the days of public subsidies, large grants for core funding and plain brown envelops to keep you going! The future is going to be about competing with the private sector, gearing up to deliver contracts for the public sector and finding innovative ways to trade to supplement income streams. Certain activities will always need an element of grant funding and rightly so, but a Social Enterprise has commercial spirit at its core, and to survive, that needs to be the case. Not at the expense of social or environmental objectives, but aligned in a 'triple bottom line approach'. So in terms of profit...I say the more the merrier...but nobody is going to get fat on it....it just means we can reinvest for the benefit of Cornwall and to ensure that we can still be here in 2013 when the EU tap is turned off, delivering services that make a difference. Those that do not embrace a more business like culture will not survive.
This week is Global Entrepreneurship Week, and Social Enterprise Day is tomorrow, 18th November. So please join us in celebrating everything that is good about Social Enterprise and the part it can play in Big Society, Big Cornwall, Big Everything....so join us by following our blog, tweets and everything else trendy!
No comments:
Post a Comment