Social Enterprise workshop
May 23rd 2008, 10am–4pm Information Combining Profit with Social Impact: Holy Grail or Viable Business Model? From the provision of school meals and waste management in urban areas to the installation of low-cost solar energy systems, social entrepreneurs have been behind many of the most innovative developments in contemporary business. Social enterprise is generally associated with not-for-profit organisations, but increasingly it is the explicit aim of some profit-making companies. What marks these out from other companies is that the business has primarily a social purpose, and the profits are reinvested in the business or the community. Products and services are usually aimed at poorer members of society. This workshop will focus on two important questions. First, the viability of social enterprise as a business model. Can it raise the finance and deliver the profits necessary to make it sustainable? Most investors are – understandably hungry for financial returns, while some want their money used to build a better society. Is this a climate in which social enterprise can flourish? If so, is there any prospect of it becoming the dominant business model? Second, the contribution of the Christian church. It is striking how many individuals involved in social enterprise are Christians. But could the church be doing more to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in order to achieve social and spiritual goals? Often the church’s attitude to business is one of indifference, suspicion or hostility. Does the model of social enterprise have a better chance of eliciting the church’s blessing and support for enterprise in general? The workshop will consist of several short 15-20 minute contributions, followed by discussion. It will be highly participative. In order to aid the quality of discussion attendance will be restricted to 20 people, most of whom will be actively involved in social enterprise. The workshop will be held at Ridley Hall from 10am to 4pm on Friday May 23.
transforming business globalization making good
Organisers The workshop organisers are: Dr Richard Higginson, Director of the Faith in Business project which is based at Ridley Hall (see www.ridley.cam.ac.uk/fib.html for more information) Dr Peter Heslam, Director of Transforming Business which is based at the Cambridge University Faculty of Divinity with links to the Judge Business School (see www.transformingbusiness.net for more information)
About the speakers Ram Gidoomal has over 20 years’ experience of working within the private, public and voluntary sectors at both board and senior management level. He is Professor of Entrepreneurship at Middlesex University; founder of Christmas Cracker; Chairman of Citylife; Chairman of Henderson’s Global Investors SRI Advisory Committee; and NonExecutive Director of Nirmaan Bharati SAAVS. Dr Martin Clark is Development Director of Citylife, a social investment organisation promoting charitable bonds to tackle disadvantage, and locally developing the Cambridge Community Innovation Centre, a social enterprise incubator. He has just completed writing a book on social entrepreneurs which will be published by Cyan in June. Adrian Ashton is a consultant to various social enterprises and writes about the issues faced by them. He has been involved in regional projects exploring how social enterprise and local churches can fruitfully interrelate. Dr Maria Ruiz-Tagle is the Course Director for the Masters degree in Social Enterprise and Community Development at the Institute of Continuing Education, University of Cambridge. Dr Helen Haugh was Course Director for the M.St in Community Enterprise at Judge Business School from 2001 to 2007. Dr Rob John is Visiting Fellow at the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Said Business School in Oxford. He previously worked in microfinance for Opportunity International and venture philanthropy for Andrews Charitable Trust. Rob is a freelance consultant specialising on venture philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. Peter Watherston is an Anglican clergyman. With his wife Hannah he is the co-founder of First Fruit, a close-knit family of social businesses, projects and hostels based in the East End of London, harvesting skills for enterprise and mission.
FAITH BUSINESS
Programme Morning 9.30 am
Registration; coffee
9.45 am
Introduction
10.00 am
Session 1: Overview of social enterprise movement
10.45 am 11.30 am 12.15 pm
13.00 pm
Session 2: A social entrepreneur in action
Martin Clark
Session 3: How social enterprises are constituted Session 4: Teaching social enterprise and community development
Ram Gidoomal
Adrian Ashton
Maria Ruiz-Tagle and Helen Haugh
Lunch
Afternoon 13.45 pm 14.30 pm
15.15 pm
Session 5: Investment in social enterprise Session 6: What the Church and social enterprise have to offer each other Plenary discussion on key questions:  
16.00 pm
viability of social enterprise as a business model contribution of Christian church
Tea and depart
Rob John
Peter Watherston
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
Registration
The cost of attending the workshop is £95.
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I enclose the fee of £95, payable to ‘Ridley Hall – Faith in Business’.
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Date
Final date for receipt of applications 28 April 2008 Please detach or photocopy form and return to: Janine Stewart, College Administrator, Ridley Hall, Cambridge, CB3 9HG Tel: +44 (0)1223 741082 ~ Fax: +44 (0)1223 741081 Email: jmps2@cam.ac.uk Registered Charity No 311456