Does the variety of legal forms available to

Does the variety of legal forms available to social enterprises help increase social impact? Creating Shared Prosperity @khbelizaire - Director @Soc. Ent. Works

Brief History of Social Enterprise Law Friendly Societies Act 1793 Co-operative & Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Act 1965 Limited Liability Act 1855 Joint Stock Companies Act 1844 Building society Act 1874 Companies Act 2004 - Introduction of CICs Industrial & Provident Societies Act 1965 Public Services (Social Value) A ct 2012

Social Economy in Wo. E

Areas of Soc. Ent Impact in Wo. E Housing Going green Food Art and. . . Business. . . Neighbour. . . Children a. . . Health and. . . 0 20 40 60 80

Characteristics of Social Enterprises: ü (Primary) Social objective ü Limited profit distribution ü Participatory governance Source: EU Social Business Initiative

Case-Study: Bristol Credit Union • Legal Structure: Credit Union & Cooperative • Membership: 10, 000+ members • Shareholders: No shareholders, profit gets recycled into Credit Union to achieve impact • Governance: As a co-operative BCU operates under a ‘Rule Book’ which is approved by members at a General Meeting. Once changes are approved by members then a new Rule Book is registered with the Financial Services Authority.

Case-study: Bath & West Community Energy • Legal Structure: Industrial and Provident Society (IPS)Community Benefit Society (Ben. Com) • Membership: 100+ (Based on shareholding open to anyone over the age of 16) • Shareholders: Minimum shareholding £ 500, maximum £ 100, 000 • Governance: Board of 7 directors. One member one vote system regardless of number of shares.

Case-study: Bristol Food Network • Legal Structure: CIC limited by guarantee small membership • Membership: 9 members • Shareholders: No shareholders & any surplus to be reinvested for social benefit of company • Governance: 9 members on Bristol Food Networks Board of Directors

Case-study: Bristol Community Health • Legal Structure: CIC limited by shares schedule 2 large membership • Membership: 1100+ • Shareholders: 75% of staff are shareholders total number of shares 2015: 964 • Governance: Employee shareholders are represented by an elected staff council who have the power to appoint nonexecutive directors. Board of directors are involved in day to day running of organisation.

Thanks for listening! Get in touch: karl@socialenterpriseworks. org www. socialenterpriseworks. org @khbelizaire - Director @Soc. Ent. Works