Improve understanding of social enterprise and its impact on people, planet and profit. Ensure that current opportunities can be fully exploited whilst improving the quality of need-driven research to measure triple bottom line impacts.

Rationale

The purpose of this priority is to set the context for improving the impact of social enterprise in Brighton and Hove. An initial study was conducted in 2007 and began to show the potential of the sector, however there is little information on trends over time or on how the social enterprise sector is developing. Moreover, some parts of the social enterprise sector are not adequately reflected in the existing research. In particular, co-operatives, housing associations and organisations seeking to develop as social enterprises from within the public sector have proved difficult to reach. Further analysis and improved research that engages with a wider range of social enterprises is therefore needed.

A second important priority is to ensure that once collected, information on the potential and actual impact of social enterprise is understood and exploited by a range of partners city-wide.

A key outcome of this priority will be that any agency or organisation that may benefit from working with social enterprises, for either commercial or social reasons, will be able to do so quickly and easily and be able to evaluate this activity in social, economic and environmental terms.

Key issues

• Improve the measurement of social, economic and environmental impacts.
• Extending the coverage of the 2007 mapping exercise to include and engage the whole social enterprise sector.
• Ensuring that indicators and opportunities are reflected and used in city plans and development strategies.

Activities

• Review the 2007 mapping exercise to ensure that simple, meaningful social, economic and environmental indicators are included without creating an onerous burden on social enterprises completing the survey.

• Repeat the mapping exercise on an annual basis, ensuring wider coverage in the social enterprise and potential social enterprise sector.

• Identify and involve key stakeholders in public sector bodies, particularly the City Council and NHS Primary Care Trust in the above exercise.

Potential partners

• Brighton and Hove Business Community Partnership
• University of Brighton, particularly with regards to research expertise and possible links with the SIMPLE programme.
• Brighton and Hove City Council (several departments, including Economic Development and Voluntary Sector Unit)
• Brighton and Hove NHS Primary Care Trust.

Indicators

• Mapping data and reports
• Academic papers
• Data reflected in city plans and strategies
• Potential social impacts are realised (for example work placements are used)

Potential outcomes

The outcomes of ongoing research will improve the knowledge of both opportunities for social enterprise activity and their subsequent impacts; many of which are not yet known. Social entrepreneurship and the dynamic of social enterprise activity will also invite new practices and impacts that can be captured in this research. This will lead to a deeper understanding of the benefits within these business models.

A tangible example based on the 2007 mapping exercise suggests that the average social enterprise offers 4 work placements per year. (Many offer just one placement or fewer. Some offer many more). If 200 Social enterprises are engaged in the strategy by 2013 (see strategic Priority 3), this could offer 800 annual job placements to contribute to improving employment and skills levels in the city within five years.

Other outcomes will be progressively identified as the research takes place.