Social Enterprise and environmental sustainability: challenges and opportunities

There are many examples of social enterprises creating positive environmental impacts. While they are not all motivated by environmental concerns, the social enterprise model may enable business success to be combined with sustainability.

Held in Cardiff on 16 April, the event brought researchers, policy makers and practitioners together to discuss the opportunities and challenges for social enterprises to help create environmental sustainability.

The event discussed the role of both policy and research in promoting environmentally focused social enterprise, asking how the social enterprise movement, government policy and researchers can help strengthen potential of social enterprise to create a more sustainable world.

Presentations from the day included:

"Can Social Enterprise Save the World? Experience from a Decade ofResearch"
Ken Peattie (BRASS)

"Beyond Green Niches? Growth Strategies of Environmentally-motivatedSocial Enterprises."
Ian Vickers (TSRC/ Middlesex University)

Practitioner case study: "Social Enterprise and Community Energy"
Dan McCallum (Awel Aman Tawe)

"Taking Their Own Practices Seriously: Social Enterprise and Environmental Management Systems."
Graham Smith (TSRC/ University of Westminster)

The event was jointly organised by the Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) and the Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society (BRASS).

Speakers also included Defra, local social enterprises and researchers.

A publication based on presentations at this event will be available here soon.