Private firms can learn lesson of Charity trust
PRIVATE and public sector organisations have much to learn from social enterprises, according to a Middlesbrough organisation, which has been held up as a model of good practice in the so-called 'third sector'.
Community Ventures, a registered charity, which has six wholly owned trading subsidiaries, including a security arm that won the tender to run Middlesbrough town centre’s CCTV system, is the second highest earning trust working in the public sector.
Last year, it brought in £1.12m from public sector contracts, which helped fund £1m of local community project work.
Chief executive Chris Beety, said: “A lot of public services are delivered through third sector organisations.
“Social enterprises like ours are just the same as the private sector: the only difference is the profits go back into the community.
“We have a double bottom line; we make profits, but our other bottom line is the social input we make into communities.”
With corporate social responsibility racing up the business agenda, he said charities like CVL could give the lead to private sector firms.
“We have a lot of offer the private sector in terms of helping them achieve their CSR agenda.”
Yesterday, Tory leader David Cameron called on the government to create a network of social enterprise zones under a philosophy of “bottom up social responsibility”.
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