News

Nominations have opened for the first ever Tayside and Fife Social Enterprise awards celebrating the brightest and best local businesses with a social conscience.

With £200 on offer for each category winner, social enterprises are being encouraged to take part with the winners to be announced in October.

By selling goods and services in the open market, social enterprises reinvest the money they make back into their business or the local community. This allows them to tackle social problems, improve people’s life chances, support communities and help the environment.

Nominations are being sought in five categories –

• Best New Start-Up – under two years;
• Best Innovative Idea;
• Best Social Impact;
• Best Growth Business; and
• Award for Young Social Entrepreneur.

Lynne Short convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said: “Social enterprises make a valuable and important contribution to the city and the country as a whole, and there is increased interest and a growing number in our area.

“They help to create income, jobs and growth and these awards are all about recognising the positive part they play.

“We want to focus on the enterprise element of these businesses as they have a huge economic impact on the city and are more than just the social component that they are sometimes perceived to be.

“So I would encourage the businesses themselves or anyone close to them to get nominating!”

Award winners will be announced at the Tayside and Fife Social Enterprise Conference at the Apex Hotel on October 24.

The inaugural conference is expected to attract 150 delegates from the third, public and private sectors from across the regions.

Delegates will discuss inclusive growth, welcoming influential keynote speakers such as Will Tyler-Greig, Head of Social Enterprise, social innovation and investment at the Scottish Government and Aiden Pia, Executive Director at Senscot.

The awards and the conference have emerged from a partnership between Dundee Social Enterprise Network, PKAVS, Perth & Kinross, Angus, Fife and Dundee City councils.

To nominate a social enterprise in any of the award categories before the closing date on September 21 please click here.