PHOTO-CALL 28 August at 11.30 AM, at LIFT BRIDGE, EDINBURGH QUAY EH3 9QG
Social enterprise community makes waves in Edinburgh as new website launches www.buythegoodstuff.co.uk
ONE of Edinburgh’s well-known social enterprises, Re-union Canal Boats, plays host, today, to the new Monster branding ‘Buy the Good Stuff’ to encourage the public to buy more from social enterprise businesses in their area.
‘Buy the Good Stuff’ is a call to action to the general public to consider how they shop around the city and can really make a difference by purchasing from social enterprises.
Over 150 social enterprises are trading in Edinburgh, from cafes and retail, to creative industries and leisure generating income and reinvesting their profits into the community for social or environmental benefits.
Edinburgh is the first place in Scotland to run such a marketing campaign which goes city wide this September.
Adverts for ‘Buy the Good Stuff’ will be appearing all over town including on the side of five Lothian Buses.
Linsay Chalmers, network coordinator, Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network, commented: “We want to let people know that you can buy fantastic products and services from social enterprises and do your bit to make the world a better place at the same time.
“Social enterprises get excellent ratings from customers and, as our strapline says, they plough monster profits back into the community too.”
Pat Bowie, manager of Re-union Ltd, added: “We’re really pleased to be involved in the launch of Scotland’s first social enterprise brand. ‘Buy the Good Stuff’ will make it easier for people to find social enterprises and is something that all Edinburgh social enterprises can get behind.”
Councillor Frank Ross, Edinburgh’s Economy Convener, commented: “Social enterprise is a key and influential part of our city economy and has the potential for significant growth.
“We have many highly successful businesses running throughout the city and we want to encourage consumers to consider their purchasing options.
“We recognise through this new campaign, that we can really build on the fact that these businesses offer a very attractive competitive product or service with community at their heart.”
Lorna Baird, social enterprise adviser with Business Gateway, said: “Here at Business Gateway we support a wide range of businesses including those that generate profit for social good – better known as social enterprises.
“We are delighted to be supporting the ‘Buy the Good Stuff’ campaign as it will not only put social enterprises on the map but also help raise awareness of the incredible work they do in Edinburgh and beyond.”
Find out more about Buy the Good Stuff at www.buythegoodstuff.co.uk and @SocEntEdinburgh
Notes to editors:
‘Buy the Good Stuff’ is the marketing campaign funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and Business Gateway and delivered by Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network on behalf of its members. The development of the new brand has been made possible through funding support provided by the City of Edinburgh Council and Business Gateway.
Taking the campaign to the next stage in the coming weeks, the first social enterprise festival, Social in the Square is taking place on 12 – 13 September 2014 in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.
Social in the Square is Scotland’s first festival of social enterprise. It is being organised by Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network in partnership with Social Enterprise Scotland and is sponsored by Awards for All, Dunedin Canmore Housing Association, Link Housing Association, the Business Gateway, the City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Markets
Find out more at www.socialinthesquare.com Follow us on Twitter @SocialinSquare or Facebook at www.facebook.com/socialinthesquare
What is social enterprise?
Social enterprise is a way of doing business that benefits the community, society or the environment. Social enterprises must reinvest all of their profits into their social or environmental aims and many also achieve their aims through the way that they run their business, for example by employing people who might otherwise find it difficult to find a job.
Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network uses the criteria for social enterprise set out in the Social Enterprise Code (www.se-code.net).
The most common legal models for social enterprises are: Companies Ltd by Guarantee, Companies Ltd by Guarantee with Charitable Status, Charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs) and Co-operatives.
For further press information contact:
Fiona Stewart
Interwoven PR
Email: fiona@interwovenpr.com
Mobile: 07940560453
For Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network information, contact:
Linsay Chalmers
Network coordinator
E-mail: linsay@edinburghsocialenterprise.co.uk
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Contact: Fiona Stewart
Phone: 07940560453
Email: fiona@booktrawler.com
Website: http://www.edinburghsocialenterprise.co.uk/
