Sunderland business expert praises the companies that are 'playing an increasingly important role'

That’s the view of Paul McEldon, chief executive of the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) which is a backer of the Portfolio Awards Social Enterprise category.

He said the award was important because it honours outstanding and innovative social enterprises that are working to make the world a better place.

"Like traditional businesses, social enterprises generate income through trade and aim to make a profit. But it’s what they do with their profits that sets them apart, reinvesting them to create positive social or environmental change,” he said.

“The evidence suggests that social enterprises are playing an increasingly important role in economic growth. The pandemic has certainly inspired a new wave of social entrepreneurs and despite the challenging economic climate, we’ve seen demand increase for our business advice services and in particular, our social enterprise experts.

“As with all crises, the pandemic brought out the best in a lot of people and has inspired them to take collective action to consider how they can best support others.”

Mr McEldon added: “People are thinking more about their social objectives and their own accountability and responsibility to their communities.”

The BIC will soon be launching a new programme, called Innovate for Good.

There will be new services to help those that dream of starting a new social enterprise; support for social enterprises who want to grow and access funding and for private businesses who are looking to explore how the social enterprise model could open up new opportunities.

In sponsoring the Echo Portfolio Social Enterprise Award, the BIC can not wait to hear about the social enterprises which have come forward to ‘showcase their success and to celebrate the great impact they are making both commercially and in creating positive change in their communities’.

Sunderland City Council is once again the headline sponsor and we are also delighted to welcome on board Artventurers, Gentoo, the North East Autism Society, Station Taxis, Bradley Hall, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, Thompson Waste Management, Sunderland College, University of Sunderland, NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group, and the North East Business and Innovation Centre in Sunderland.

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