Social Enterprise Scotland Annual Awards

The winners of Social Enterprise Scotland’s annual awards were announced at The Scottish Parliament last week.

Homes for Good, a letting agency which offers an ethical service for tenants and first class property management for landlords won Social Enterprise of the Year.

This year’s Social Enterprise Champion is Claire Carpenter, managing director and founder of The Melting Pot, an innovative community which provides office space and venue hire across Edinburgh.

The organisers of the awards decided that One to Watch is Glasgow-based enterprise, Freedom Bakery. The baking initiative is based at Low Moss prison and trains a small number of people in custody in the practice of artisan baking.

Fraser Kelly, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise Scotland, said:

“Social enterprise is about creating a fairer, more sustainable economy and a society that benefits everyone. The Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2016 provide a unique opportunity for social enterprises to gain the public recognition they so rightly deserve. We’re always impressed by the very high standard and variety of applications. Congratulations to our winners and a big thank you to everyone who entered or was shortlisted.”

Other winners include the Edinburgh Student Arts Festival (ESAF) which gained the Inspiring Youth Enterprise Award. ESAF’s goal is to increase public access to the art world by putting on an annual festival, supporting grass-roots artists and holding pop-up events over a year-round programme.

Social Investment Scotland, Scotland’s biggest funder of charities and communities claims the Market Builder Award and the Social Enterprise Academy adds the Social Impact Award to its accolades.

The Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, Angela Constance MSP, said:

“It has been an important year for Social Enterprise and Social Innovation in Scotland. Last year we learned about the strength and breadth of the sector, from the first Social Enterprise Census, which reported that more than 200 new social enterprises start-up each year, joining more than 5,000 already operating across the length and breadth of Scotland, contributing £1.68bn to the economy and delivering on our shared ambition of tackling inequalities.

In this Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, I am proud of what all social enterprises have achieved in our joint task of reducing inequalities and demonstrating what inclusive growth looks like on the ground, and would like to add my congratulations to the well-deserved winners of the Social Enterprise Awards and Social Innovation Competition who showcase the very best of social enterprise in Scotland.”