Social businesses, including co-operatives, can still be nominated for this year’s Social Business Wales Awards. The accolades aim to recognise excellence amongst the social business sector in Wales.
This year’s awards include three headline categories – Wales Social Enterprise of the Year; Wales One to Watch and Wales Employee Owned Business of the Year. In addition, the awards feature five other categories: Health and Social Care; Consumer Facing, Environmental; Education, Training and Employment; and Tech for Good.
Last year saw energy co-operative Dulas win both Welsh and UK Social Enterprise of the Year awards. Founded in 1982, the co-op delivers renewable energy solutions to businesses, landlords and charities and has worked on multiple projects in the UK and abroad.
The awards have been running since 2010 as part of the Social Business Wales project funded by the Welsh Government and the European Regional Development Fund.
The 2017 edition of the awards will also see the launch of a Wales Employee Owned Business of the Year Award, sponsored by professional services firm, Arup, which is celebrating 40 years of employee ownership this year.
Commenting on this year’s awards, Paul Ashman, project manager of Social Business Wales and one of this year’s independent judges, said:
“We are anticipating another year of high calibre entrants for the 2017 Social Business Wales Awards. Our Mapping of the Sector report launched last month revealed a dynamic, innovative and growing social business sector in Wales, which is making a very important contribution to the Welsh economy, £2.37bn, while delivering social and environmental benefits for our communities.
“These awards will ensure they gain the recognition they deserve.”
Social businesses, including co-ops, can enter this year’s awards on the Wales Co-operative Centre’s website http://bit.ly/sbwawards2017.
The winners in each category, excluding the Employee Owned Business of the Year, will face the winners from Scotland, Northern Ireland and England in the Social Enterprise UK finals.
The UK Awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on 23 November.
