A FEW THINGS ABOUT WORKING IN A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE WITH COMMUNITY JUDGE SIMON GRIFFITHS

WE’RE in an exciting period where lots of new profit-forpurpose businesses are getting started, and lots of older businesses are in scale-up mode. This means there are more jobs in the sector than ever before. Keep an eye on job boards like Giant Leap, Ethicaljobs, Goodgigs and B Work, and follow any favourite companies on Linkedin to see new roles coming live.

A BIG misconception is that everyone working in a social enterprise is a ‘model’ human being when it comes to living out their values: they’re vegan, consume with zero waste, etc. The reality is they’re generally people who care deeply about the world and think about the impact of their actions, but are still imperfect humans who wrestle with daily compromises to their values.

SOCIAL and environmental issues are complex at the best of times, and require a variety of actors to get involved to achieve meaningful change. It’s important for social entrepreneurs to understand which community organisations, governments, charities and other businesses are allies and supporters of their mission – then partner with them to learn where they do things well. That said, they shouldn’t shy away from bringing a fresh perspective, shaking things up and making calculated mistakes!

THE requirements for running regular for-profit and social businesses are pretty similar: vision, determination and grit go a long way! What makes social enterprises different is that, as well as being financially sustaining, they need to solve a social problem. That requires a lot of empathy, often analytical skills, and the ability to build good relationships with the stakeholders of said problem. But perhaps the most important skill is the ability to surround yourself with people who are great at the things you’re not so good at yourself.

THERE’S nothing like getting out of bed every day excited, knowing the work you’re about to do is going to positively impact someone else. And the world of social enterprise is as exciting as it’s ever been, with new innovations being designed to tackle complex problems. Plus, consumers have more power to call out companies that could be doing better, so they can live in a way that’s more aligned with their values. Social enterprise is blending with just doing good business.