We need more support, say social entrepreneurs

14/03/08 16:00

The government has been accused of not taking social entrepreneurialism seriously enough.

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, (DBERR) published a report this week on strategies to encourage the growth of small and medium-sized companies.

However, the Social Enterprise Coalition believes not enough thought has been dedicated to helping social enterprises.

Jonathan Bland, chief executive of the Coalition, said:

“If this government is serious about its commitment to enterprise, its commitment to help the most vulnerable in our society and its commitment to the environment, then it needs to take a serious approach to supporting social enterprises - which deliver all three at once. And we do not feel that this strategy delivers what social enterprises need.”

Bland said there were no commitments to social entrepreneurs other than promises that had already been made.

He added: “We welcome the recognition of social enterprise within the enterprise framework, but we are disappointed that there is not a greater commitment for the Regional Development Agencies to support the development of this new way of doing business.

“We want to see actions that really make a difference to the entrepreneurs who are trying to establish social enterprises to create jobs and anchor wealth locally. We also want the government to take a real look at tax breaks and incentives for social enterprises.”