A social entrepreneur’s general election manifesto 2024

With voting day for the UK general election looming, party manifestos are being dissected and debated. It’s got us wondering, what would the policies look like if social entrepreneurs had their say?

These are business leaders attuned to the problems our society faces and the solutions that can help us overcome them. The social enterprise sector can be a great partner for governments, even plugging the gap in overstretched public services. But supportive policies need to be in place to help these businesses thrive and maximise their impact. 

To understand what these policies and a country headed by impact-minded leaders might look like, we asked a handful of our social enterprise founders for their take. Here’s what they told us would make it into their social entrepreneur’s manifesto… 

Debbie, Sea Change Wine

Championing eco-conscious values, robust waste policies and optimism  

We’re a month into this election campaign. What’s been lacking in the debates and manifestos for you? 

“The environment and green energy are a priority for so many of us, yet it seems like it’s not really at the heart of political manifestos and pledges. We know that the planet needs a commitment to action from all nations if we’re to meet our climate goals and try to reverse some of the damage that’s already in evidence, yet it still doesn’t feel that the policies which would tackle these challenges are front and centre of the debate.” 

If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first policy change you’d make and why? 

“Our mission is to tackle the devastating impact of plastic pollution, especially in our ocean, so we’d like to see more robust policies on waste. However, what’s key to their success is the importance of legislation being well considered, concise and not rushed through just to try and achieve short-term headlines. The chaos which surrounds the proposed deposit return schemes is sadly a prime example of this.”

 

What government initiatives would help social enterprises like yours scale their impact? 

“Greater financial support for British businesses exporting goods internationally and a reversal of the administrative challenges that Brexit has caused regarding trade with our closest European neighbours.”  

If you were elected to Number 10, what hopeful message would you offer to the nation in your first speech? 

“We should be optimistic about the future of the UK and recognise that economic prosperity and environmental consciousness are not mutually exclusive. We should be confident that, together, we can make significant national changes which will have a positive global impact. Alongside well thought-out and considered legislation, if everyone commits to making small changes to our lifestyles we’ll get there far quicker too. 

“To quote our charity partner Ocean Generation: ‘The world doesn’t need you to be a perfect environmentalist. Our planet needs billions of imperfect people doing what they can, learning as they go and striving to always be better.’”

Tenesia and Danny, Earth to Earth Organics

Calling for a Green New Deal and more funding opportunities

If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first policy change you’d make and why?

“The first policy change we would introduce is a comprehensive Green New Deal. This policy would transition the country to renewable energy sources, create green jobs and support sustainable agriculture and manufacturing practices. 

“We’ve seen firsthand how sustainable practices can flourish and benefit communities. This change is essential not just for tackling climate change but for building a thriving, resilient economy that benefits everyone. It’s about leaving a better world for our children and future generations.”

How can the next government better support the social enterprise sector?

“We believe the next government can better support the social enterprise sector by providing more funding opportunities and tax incentives for businesses that make a positive social impact. We rely on such support to maintain our eco-friendly initiatives and make a difference. 

“Additionally, creating a supportive regulatory environment that reduces bureaucratic hurdles and encourages innovation would be incredibly beneficial. Education and training programmes to foster social entrepreneurship skills would also help nurture the next generation of social enterprise leaders, ensuring that passion and purpose drive our future.”

What one piece of advice would you give to the next Prime Minister regarding social entrepreneurship?

“Our advice would be to truly listen and engage with social entrepreneurs. Understand the unique challenges they face and recognise the invaluable contributions they make to society. 

“For example, we not only provide sustainable skincare products but also promote a lifestyle aligned with nature and sustainability. Prioritising policies that support social enterprises can lead to a more inclusive and sustainable economic growth, where every initiative makes a difference and every action counts.”

If you were elected to Number 10, what hopeful message would you offer to the nation in your first speech?

“Together, we will build a future where sustainability and prosperity go hand in hand. Just as Earth to Earth Organics blends natural beauty with eco-friendly practices, we will harness our collective creativity and resilience to address the challenges we face, ensuring that no one is left behind. 

“Our journey towards a greener, fairer, and more inclusive society starts today, and we are committed to working with all of you to make this vision a reality. Let’s walk this path together, hand in hand, nurturing our planet and each other.’” 

Anna, LUX LUZ

Revitalising high streets for social impact

How can the next government better support the social enterprise sector? 

“Work with corporates and high streets to open up access to empty office spaces and high street stores to become impact hubs and spaces to host social enterprise creative space and selling space.”

 

What one piece of advice would you give to the next Prime Minister regarding social entrepreneurship?

“There is so much need right now and limited funds. Partner with social enterprises as part of the solution to building a strong, inclusive economy.”

What government initiatives would help social enterprises like yours scale their impact? 

“Simpler legal structures that enable social enterprises to reinvest profits into their social enterprises in a tax efficient way.”

Jake, Seed of Hope

Changing NHS policy and making grants more inclusive

We’re a month into this election campaign. What’s been lacking in the debates and manifestos for you? 

“It is hard to feel hopeful in choosing a leader to help steer our country to better futures when you cannot connect to the person behind it. We fully believe that people connect to each other by shared experiences and difficulties through stressful times, and times are stressful. 

“If any of the candidates were humble enough to show their vulnerabilities but still be confident and hopeful that their beliefs would lead to a better future, we would share in that living hope.”

If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first policy change you’d make and why?

“As a mental health organisation, we understand that healing lifelong traumas and damage is not a 12-week process, so we would change the policy to allow therapies offered by the NHS to last ‘as long as needed.’” 

“Most of our participants have done 10 or more 12-week courses. That’s 120 weeks spread out, which could have been a shorter experience if it was done in one continuous therapy without having to re-refer every time to restart a therapy group.”

How can the next government better support the social enterprise sector? 

“Most government created grants are focused on charities first, some of which are open to any organisation but the judging panel are trained to understand charities more so will award them exclusively. 

“We believe if the creators of these grants were contracted to meet and learn what social enterprises are before they were allowed to publish grants, they would be more inclusive to all forms of organisations to support the people of this country.”

What government initiatives would help social enterprises like yours scale their impact?

“Small and Mighty Mentoring is a government initiative to help small businesses and organisations to grow and scale, however this is only on a business scale. We have not currently seen any plans by the government to increase the societal impact of organisations. For us, that would be scaling our message of hope.

“It’s lovely to get more business and grants to allow us to grow but having our name shared around so people in need can access our therapy groups is much more important. We would rather be poor and help 100 people than be rich and help 10.”

A future economy where society profits

Would you love the future government to listen to, and act on, more voices like these? Then pledge your support for the Future Economy Alliance. 

This is a union of activists, entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders driving real solutions to issues and moving us towards a fairer economy. In their words, “We want social enterprise solutions to be at the heart of the policy agenda for the next Government and show that successful business goes beyond profit.”

New research from the team shows the public agrees. Just 2% of people said profit should always come first, with 60% calling for businesses to give social or environmental concerns equal or higher priority to profits. 

Be part of the movement: sign their mission statement and spread the word with help from the campaign toolkit.