City firm shortlisted for prestigious award

Social Print & Copy CIC (SP&C), Scotland’s leading supplier of copier and print solutions to the Third Sector, has been short-listed in the Tech for Good category at the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2023.

The awards highlight excellence and outstanding achievements by social enterprises – businesses that reinvest their profits for social and environmental good – which demonstrate they’re improving and building a better economy and fairer society.

A brand-new category this year, the prestigious ‘tech’ award recognises a social enterprise using technology to achieve its social impact, either through developing a new product or service, or enhancing its service delivery.

Scotland’s first social enterprise within the print and copier sector when it formed in 2019, Edinburgh-based SP&C helps businesses transition from paper-based technologies to more digital-focused alternatives with print fulfilment, digital scanning and document workflow thanks to key partnerships with the likes of Canon and Epson.

The company, whose expansion into Glasgow three months ago is set to create up to 30 jobs in the Castlemilk area, has also launched Envirobox, a solution that enables the ethical disposal of used print cartridges that can be reused or ethically destroyed into reusable plastic chips while providing CSR reporting on the sustainable values in the repurposing of the old units.

Additionally, the last 12 months have seen SP&C reinforce its status as a trusted training platform thanks to its ‘no barriers’ approach to work.

Its two-year apprenticeship course for people aged 16-24 is helping deliver a positive community impact by providing routes into employment for young people previously struggling to unlock such opportunities.

Welcoming his company’s nomination, SP&C chief executive Ian Gray said: “We are delighted to be recognised by the panel for our growth and enterprise.

“The delivery of our digital/environmental transformation services creates an ‘on the job’ training platform for our young people leading to full-time employment while supporting our Third Sector partners.”

There are nine categories open to social enterprises operating in Scotland or individuals who work/volunteer in Scotland. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at The Scottish Parliament on Thursday, 26 October hosted by Beatrice Wishart, Scottish Liberal Democrat and Shetland MSP.

Kim Wallace, Director of Membership and Policy at Social Enterprise Scotland, said: “We are looking forward to celebrating the innovation and impact of Scotland’s social enterprises this autumn at our in-person Social Enterprise awards ceremony. From the Highlands and Islands to the central belt and south of Scotland, Scotland’s social enterprises are building a stronger, fairer, and more just society from the ground up. These awards are a fantastic opportunity for social enterprises around Scotland to showcase and gain much deserved recognition for the incredible work they do.”