Social entrepreneurship and purposeful businesses are becoming increasingly popular. Government research shows that 9% of UK SMEs are social enterprises, and a further 22% are ‘mission-led businesses’ with particular social or environmental goals. That is over 1.5 million enterprises in total.
Many students embarking on their entrepreneurial journey now say that making a difference to the world is a key driver for them rather than just making a profit. Embedding social entrepreneurship and purposeful business in modules across the academic curriculum and in extra-curricular activities provide students with the opportunity to explore and understand how they can be constituted and function.
There has been a growing interest in this field, not just amongst students, but also from university staff, researchers and local authorities. As a result, business schools are seeing social enterprise as an increasingly important area in which to support their stakeholders, and purposeful business more broadly is attracting substantial interest.
The Small Business Charter in partnership with UnLtd is hosting a one day workshop that will explore the role of business schools in supporting social enterprise and entrepreneurship. The workshop will provide delegates a platform to share examples, discuss case studies and network with peers.
The way some business schools and universities are engaging with social enterprises, students and local authorities to develop a social entrepreneurial ecosystem and the benefits this brings to all the stakeholders involved.
Different business models and strategies to set up a social enterprise or other types of purposeful business.
Support provided to students across the academic curriculum and in extra-curricular activities.
Latest developments on related policy and practice.
Directors and Heads of enterprise and business development departments, managers, lecturers and university support staff working in the field of enterprise policy, research and practice will benefit from attending this event. This programme will also appeal to some entrepreneurs.