Scots encouraged to ‘buy social’ when choosing Christmas gifts this year.
A campaign encouraging Scots to buy social and ethical presents in the run-up to Christmas has been launched by Social Enterprise Scotland.
The #BuySocialScotland initiative calls on individuals and organisations to use their purchasing power to make a difference by choosing goods and services from social enterprises, which then reinvest profits into tackling social or environmental issues.
It aims to showcase ethical gift options from social enterprises around the country to make it easier for people to find festive presents that give back to local communities.
Social Enterprise Scotland has created a gift directory, available at buysocialscotland.com, which brings together hundreds of products, experiences, and vouchers from Scottish social enterprises.
The website breaks the gifts down by category and location, and people can also search by the social issue their purchase would support.
Social enterprises sell products and services and, while the aim is to make profit just like any private sector business, those profits or surpluses are then reinvested back into social and/or environmental causes to help make a positive impact in their communities.
Issues they support include tackling homelessness, mental health services, reducing waste, and employability.
Latest figures show there are over 6,000 active social enterprises in Scotland and the sector employs more than 88,000 people in full-time equivalent roles.
Social Enterprise Scotland is an independent, membership-led organisation and is the voice of social enterprise in Scotland.
It first launched #BuySocialScotland in 2020 and hopes to grow the campaign this year to reach more consumers.
Chris Martin, chief executive of Social Enterprise Scotland, said: “This festive season, we hope people will consider purchasing gifts from social enterprises that deliver a positive impact in our communities.
“Our #BuySocialScotland campaign makes it easier than ever to find gifts that make a difference, with a diverse range of products, vouchers and experiences listed in our gift guide.
“Social enterprises embody a more ethical and sustainable way of doing business by having a key social or environmental mission at the heart of what they do.
“They actively reinvest their profits with the aim of building a fairer society, a more inclusive economy, and a healthier planet.
“By opting to buy social this year, you will not only be offering a thoughtful gift to a friend or family member, but you will also be helping to fight some of the most pressing issues faced by our communities like homelessness, employability and mental health issues.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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