Today, “Social Enterprise Day”, feels like the right moment to recognise the people who’ve committed themselves to building organisations in seemingly the most difficult way possible. It’s also “People and Planet First Week” this week. The Circle officially became People and Planet First Verified back in September this year. For all of us working in social enterprise it often feels like it shouldn’t be this hard, but then we remember the people we support and the difference it makes when we put purpose first.
If you work in a social enterprise, if you’re leading one, working in one, delivering services through one, supporting one or volunteering for one, then take a minute today to give yourself and each other a reassuring nod or pat on the back. You’re doing a damn good job under some of the most difficult economic circumstances the sector has seen, certainly in my living memory.
A couple of weeks ago, I attended the 2025 Social Enterprise Scotland Awards, having had the privilege of being part of the judging panel. The applications I read were all worthy winners. Great businesses, going over and above to do more. Always more, more and more. Always punching above their weight to make a difference. Those organisations were full of people who’d chosen the harder path because they believed it was the right one for people and planet alike.
On the night it would be easy to forget that the room was filled with these people. From the outside looking in, you’d only see the glitz and glamour (not to mention an absolute riot of fun!). But beyond that it was a room full of folk who balance the “social” bit every day with the “enterprise” bit. A traditional business model that prioritises profit above all else will always look simpler on a spreadsheet, at least in the short term. You can cut corners, reduce quality, cut the wage bill, compromise on your values, and suddenly those numbers look much healthier. In social enterprise there we face the daily struggle of fundamentally doing good and making money at the same time. Those two elements are always in conversation with each other and oftentimes unfortunately in direct conflict. You’re trying to maximise impact while staying financially viable. You’re trying to pay your staff fairly while keeping services affordable. You’re trying to grow your reach while staying true to your values. It’s a genuine tension, and it’s what makes people who work in social enterprise so impressive.
Scottish Government talks about Community Wealth Building. It talks about creating a Wellbeing Economy. And those are the right conversations to be having as they’re recognition that business can operate “differently”. But something that we’ve been saying at The Circle for a while now is something that gives us cause for concern. The current economic reality often feels hostile towards the social enterprise model. We’re operating in an environment where the rhetoric loves to celebrate what we do, but the systems and support don’t always enable the reality. That’s part of the challenge we face as a sector. The political aspiration exists, but we need it backed up with genuine action and support, beyond just words and policy promises that come after another 5 year review, a 10 year review, a 30 year vision, etc. We need it NOW.
Today, I’m at Social Investment Scotland’s 25th anniversary event at the Scottish Parliament. A timely reminder that these conversations about social enterprise, about impact, about what business can be, need to keep happening in the rooms where decisions actually get made. The sector’s been around long enough now that we should expect more than rhetoric. And yet, despite all of that – and arguably even because of it – the people leading social enterprises keep going. They keep balancing those competing demands. They keep putting community and wellbeing at the centre of the organisation, even when it costs them. Even when it would definitely be easier not to.
When I started writing this, it wasn’t intended to be a “negative” piece or a rant by any means. But it was meant to be “real”. What’s also real though is this: When you walk into spaces like The Circle and see what happens when organisations committed to this model collaborate, when you see lives changed and communities strengthened, you understand why people keep choosing this path despite its obvious difficulty.
To everyone balancing the “social” bit and the “enterprise” bit – the social entrepreneurs, the team members, the board members, the supporters and the clients – THANK YOU!! You’re proving what’s possible when we decide that business should serve people and planet, even when the economic climate sometimes makes that choice all the harder.