Social Enterprises: The Big Issue : Em Cotton
- Media Bloggers
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read

Social Enterprises are organisations which are set up to maximize improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being. Instead of ‘normal’ businesses aiming to make a profit for themselves, Social Enterprises reinvest or donate their profit to create a positive social change. Involving healthcare, community energy to creative agencies, restaurants to facilities management.
Social Enterprises can vary from many different enterprises which all have the same outcome but have different strategies. Social enterprises and nonprofits are similar because they both focus on social impact. Whereas they differ in their approach to funding and legal structures, social enterprises are typically for profit entitles that prioritize social causes over profit and divert much of their revenue into resolving social difficulties. Moreover, nonprofits are organisations that rely on donations and government funding to support their social mission. Social enterprises emphasise self-sufficiency, while non-profits rely on fundraising to support their activities.
Furthermore, there are many different social enterprises, for example, ‘Community-based organisation’, an organisation with a strong focus on local markets and services. Community organisations are organisations that earned-income activities, which are set up, owned and controlled by the local community, aiming for local development. Their goal is to create self-supporting jobs for local individuals. ‘Cooperative’ enterprises involve an association of people united to meet common economic and social needs through jointly owned enterprises. Cooperatives are organised by and for their members, who come together to provide a shared service from which they all benefit from. ‘Fairtrade’ is an organised social movement that aims to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading outcomes and promote sustainability. The organisation advocates for higher prices for exporters as well as higher social and environmental standards. Finally, the social enterprise ‘Credit Union’, is a finance co-operate supports individuals save and borrow money, providing access of community finance initiatives.
Social Enterprise can be magazine publishers too, just as ‘The Big Issue’ is. They’re one of the oldest and biggest social enterprises in the UK. All the profits made by the Big Issue Group are reinvested back into helping vendors, supporting them financially. The Big Issue tackles social problems, improve individual’s life chances and support communities across the country, whether they’re through social investment with Big Issue Invest, Big Issue Group’s specialist recruitment service or through Big Issue Recruit, they all have the same outcome with helping the vendors who help them with selling their papers.
The Big Issue exists to offer homeless people, or individuals at risk of homelessness, the opportunity to earn a legitimate income, thereby helping them to reintegrate into mainstream society. Their main outcome is for their vendors to ‘reintroduce’ their lives from mainly poverty, trying to create opportunities and solutions for people to earn and learn from The Big Issue. ‘The Big Issue Shop’ is an online marketplace selling products from social enterprises, with a mission to support disadvantaged individuals, protect the planet and dismantle poverty. The online shop sells anything from books & magazines, clothing, jewellery & accessories, sport & swimwear, kid’s toys & clothing, home & gift and artwork & prints. They create unique products which over 70% goes directly to those who need it the most.
The Big Issue founder John Bird stated “Making pictures frames with a social echo – you get what you want while giving somebody in need support – is as I said quintessentially what my work is about. Create a trail of good behind you.” The Big Issue have different missions, which all aim to make a difference with individuals’ lives. For instance, ‘Madlug’, a luggage company which was founded in 2015, uses funds from bags it sells to provide free bags for children in care. Another example ‘Change Please’ sells coffee but uses its profits to support homeless individuals by offering them jobs, housing, and training.
The Big Issue Group has five impact pillars that they believe are vital to dismantling poverty within the UK, these provide a foundation and focus for all work delivered across the Big Issue Group. ‘Learning and Employment’, invest in education and skills, which result in higher and more stable and secure employment, higher earnings and less exposure to low income and poverty. ‘Housing’, secure housing is an important step in creating a stable environment to move forward and rebuild people’s lives. ‘Health and Wellbeing’, poverty causes ill health, inequality in health outcomes and increase the use of health services. ‘Environment and Community’, community initiatives at a local level to improve our environment and combat inequality. ‘Financial and Digital Inclusion’, ensure they equip everyone with basic financial and digital skills, alongside to bank accounts, internet and communication, which are significantly important for enable earning and employment.
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