The document discusses the varied diversity and inclusion levels in organizations, noting that they are generally younger and more innovative but face challenges like reliance on grant funding and increased competition for resources. It highlights issues such as turnover stability and underperformance in key social sectors, with a call for better support from authorities. There is an ongoing tension between paid and volunteer roles as these organizations seek to achieve systemic change amid financial constraints.

1. #SELnetworking

3. • We’re both more and less diverse, but less inclusive?
• More likely to have women, BAME, and people with disabilities in leadership
than SMEs and FTSE;
• x3 more likely to only involve our staff in decision making than the community
we seek to support.
• We’re young, (small), and ambitious
• Half under 5 years old;
• more likely to be in communities of high deprivation than charities;
• increasingly having a national reach over local;
• Majority are ‘micro’.

4. • We can be profitable (but at whose cost?)
• Those in areas of deprivation and rural areas most likely to be profitable than
not.
• We’re innovative (but rely on the generosity of others to be so)
• 2/3 doing new things;
• Most will be doing future growth through diversification;
• Biggest barrier to growth is being able to access grant funding.

5. • But are we presenting a confused picture to the wider
world?
• Some sole traders present themselves as social enterprises;
• 10% of all of us are CICs, but many aren’t sure what type of CIC they are;
• ¼ make ongoing losses;
• Those led by women, BAME, disabled, see lower turnovers than not;
• Turnovers remain largely unchanged over the last 4 years;
• Very little of our trade is with other social enterprises;
• We’re doing less in priority areas of employment, housing, and social care – at
a time when there’s growing and pressing need in these
- For most of us, our main customers are the general public

6. Starters for 10?
• Although we’ve weathered Covid better that private businesses, older social
enterprises have been harder hit than younger ones – how do we plan in such an
uncertain context?
• We’re recognised as having the potential to not just relieve needs, but create
systemic change to root causes (such as health) – should we? (can we really?)
• Many of us have a mix of paid and volunteer roles – there’s a recognised tension
in that mix as organisations start to grow in size…
• It’s argued that for us to realise our potential we need more support/recognition
from local and public authorities – at a time when their budgets are being
progressively cut…