About us
Social Enterprise Works has been providing guidance and practical business development assistance to prospective, newly-formed and established social enterprises since 1993.
For the first eight years, we were known as Bristol Area Community Enterprise Network (BACEN). However in November 2006 we changed this to our current, more self-explanatory, name.
Over the last 13 years we’ve harnessed the potential of individuals and community groups all over Bristol. Together we’ve been able to create, develop and sustain successful social enterprises that improve the lives and environment of communities across the city. You can take a look at some of our recent work here.
Our ethos
As a social enterprise ourselves, we draw on our own values of empowerment, sustainability, accountability and equality to help us deliver the best possible service for our clients.
Each one of our services aims to empower clients and promote sustainability on a day-to-day basis.
To ensure we can offer the high level of service you deserve, we have an expert team of advisers who are assessed and accredited against the SFEDI standards for social enterprise advisors. This means you can be sure you’re always in the best hands.
Delivering services in partnership
Meeting your needs is our number one priority. As such, our team is supported by Bristol City Council. We also work with a range of partners to deliver a service that’s second to none. In the past, these include, BRAVE, CDA and BEST through the Enterprising People Consortium, and BDA, The Care Forum, Voscur and Volunteering Bristol through the Bristol ChangeUp consortium. We also receive excellent pro bono services from solicitors Burges Salmon.
Our thanks go to all our supporters and funders.
What is a social enterprise?
Put simply, a social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives. Rather than being driven to maximise profit for shareholders, a social enterprise meets its social objectives by reinvesting its surpluses in the business or in the community.At Social Enterprise Works we support the development of not for private profit trading activities owned by identifiable communities. These can be geographical communities or communities of interest.
