Eight North East social enterprises now holders of the Social Enterprise Mark
The North East Social Enterprise Partnership is pleased to announce that there are now eight North East based Social Enterprise Mark holders.
The most recent additions to North East Mark holders are Tees Active, a charitable leisure management organization that aims to raise levels of physical activity within local communities and NESEP member The Ideas Mine, an action research consultancy and community interest company which specializes on working with national and local government and the Third Sector. The Ideas Mine has produced on topics such as ‘Culture at the Heart of Regeneration – A North East Perspective’ and ‘CJS (Criminal Justice System) and Social Enterprise’.
Another recent addition to North East Social Enterprise Mark holders is Northern Doctors Urgent Care, a not-for-profit organization that provides out of hours care to patients across Northumberland, Newcastle and North and South Tyneside. Northern Doctors Urgent Care was awarded the Mark in September of this year.
A total of three North East social enterprises and NESEP members were awarded the Mark in August this year. Commonwheels, the community interest company and car club that aims to make it easier for people to live a greener lifestyle by reducing the number of cars on the road, became the 160th social enterprise to be awarded the Mark. SES, the business support service for social and community enterprise, became the 233rd organisation to hold the Social Enterprise Mark, while Gateshead based Equality North East, which provides information and training to remove barriers to employment and address inequality, became the 238th Mark holder.
NESEP member Community Campus '87 became a Social Enterprise Mark holder in April this year. The social enterprise was established in 1987 and works to address issues of homelessness in Teesside, providing housing and support services, personal development and training opportunities and construction training and building services.
The first North East social enterprise to be awarded the Mark was Acumen, the Peterlee based charity and group of social enterprises that engages with communities to put individuals back on the path to employment, and has to date helped thousands of people find employment and access training.
The Social Enterprise Mark is awarded to organisations that can demonstrate certain criteria including having social and/or environmental aims, its own constitution and governing body, that at least 50% of company profits are spent on socially beneficial purposes and that at least 50% of its income is generated from trading.
To date, at total of 305 social enterprises across the nation have been awarded the Mark. The Social Enterprise Mark is a fantastic way to demonstrate to consumers that your organization is working to benefit local communities and the environment. To find out more visit the Social Enterprise Mark website.