What is a 'Social Enterprise'?

Traditionally, the reason to set up in business is to make money.

The most successful businesses are regarded as those that grow to become listed on the Stock Market, making millions for their founders and other investors. This view uses money as a measure of success.

Social enterprises (such as R-ECO) are different. These are businesses that have broader measures of success.

We are established not for the purpose of making lots of money, but for the purpose of having a positive impact on the well-being of our workers, our members and the communities in which we operate.

Measures of success for a social enterprise can be good quality employment, improvements in the local community such as alleviating fuel poverty, better local services and a more sustainable, resilient local economy, in addition to a healthy bank balance.

You can learn more about social enterprises here.