Last week, we attended the Social Value Conference hosted by Social Enterprise NI, where industry leaders shared insights on how social enterprises can grow, collaborate, and make a greater impact. Did you know that – according to research carried out by Social Enterprise UK – in the last financial year, social enterprises made £1.2 billion in profit and re-invested £1 billion to drive progress on their vital social and environmental missions.
Social enterprises are also major employers, creating jobs for around 2.3 million people, with 84% paying the real Living Wage. They are continuing to break down employment barriers around gender, race and class through workforce diversity; 22% of social enterprises operate in the most deprived areas of the UK, compared to 14% of wider businesses, while 58% have leadership teams that are at least half female and 43% have at least one leader from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
This event reinforced the idea that businesses with a strong social purpose are not just doing good, they’re driving real economic change. The event reinforced one key message: profit with purpose matters.
Social Enterprise NI CEO Colin JessKey Takeaways from the Conference
The Role of Social Enterprises in the Economy
Paul Grocott, Deputy Secretary for Economic Profit at the Department for Economy, highlighted how social enterprises play a crucial role in building a stronger economy, contributing millions annually to the UK and employing over 2 million people. Their ability to reinvest profits into meaningful causes makes them a unique and valuable part of the business landscape.
Scaling for Impact
Adele McIvor (Workspace) and James McConville (Accelerating Change Together) discussed how social enterprises can scale their operations while staying true to their mission.
The former is a profit for purpose social enterprise, founded in Draperstown, Mid Ulster in 1985, by 170 members from the local community. The organisation emerged as a direct response to local decline, deprivation, and rising unemployment.
The latter helps companies, individuals and communities design and realise impact architecture, resilient urbanism, future visions & strategies and impact at scale
Social Value Partnerships in Action
A panel featuring Stepping Stones NI, EE, Compass Advocacy Network, Orchardville, and The Foundation Strategy showcased successful collaborations between businesses and social enterprises. These partnerships demonstrate that businesses benefit when they integrate social value into their models.
Stepping Stones NI started as a small initiative and has grown into a multi-service organisation, providing employment and training opportunities for people with learning disabilities while expanding its commercial activities to ensure long-term sustainability.
Panel DiscussionTurning Contracts into Legacies
Heidi Fisher from Make An Impact CIC spoke about how public sector contracts aren’t just transactions—they’re opportunities to create lasting social change. This is an important reminder for organisations like Mediation NI to highlight the long-term impact of their services when approaching potential partners.
Social Enterprises Making a Difference
The conference also featured a Dragon’s Den-style competition where social enterprises pitched for funding. One standout pitch came from Wild Women of the Woods NI, a non-profit dedicated to supporting women’s well-being through nature-based retreats and activities. Their passionate presentation highlighted the transformative impact of outdoor therapy on mental health, sharing real-life testimonials from women whose lives had been changed by their programs. While PIPs Suicide Prevention Ireland ultimately won the funding, the enthusiasm for all the pitches showed the vital role these enterprises play in the community. The event highlighted the great work being done by Wee Chicks Childcare, Wild Women of the Woods NI, and Healing Hearts Through the Arts. Seeing these inspiring initiatives reinforced the importance of supporting organisations that deliver real social value.
Moving Forward
The Social Value Conference reinforced that businesses and social enterprises thrive when they work together. Mediation NI has a clear role to play in helping businesses meet their social value obligations. Now it’s about making that message louder and clearer.
SENI TeamStay tuned for updates as we put these plans into action. In the meantime, sign up for our newsletter to stay informed, or reach out to explore how we can collaborate on creating lasting social value. If you’re interested in how Mediation NI can help your business create lasting social value, get in touch today.
