Social Enterprise

About the Social Enterprise Unit

The role of the Social Enterprise Unit (SEnU) is to:

• act as a focal point and co-ordinator for policy making affecting social enterprise;
• promote and champion social enterprise;
• take action needed to address barriers to growth of social enterprises; and
• identify and spread good practice.

The Unit was launched on 9 October 2001 by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, at a seminar hosted by the then Minister with responsibility for social enterprise, Douglas Alexander MP, and attended by key stakeholders in the sector. Stephen Timms MP is now the Minister responsible for social enterprise.

Following the seminar, eight working groups were set up, composed of stakeholders and government officials, to look at the main issues facing social entrepreneurs and to make recommendations as to how the environment for starting and sustaining a successful social enterprise could be improved.

The working groups reported their recommendations in February 2002. The Government’s strategy for social enterprise was developed from these recommendations, and was launched on 23 July 2002 by the Secretary of State Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP. Its full title is Social Enterprise: a strategy for success.