FAQs

Yes, all Social Firms are social enterprises.

They will have a legal structure, such as a registered charity, a company limited by guarantee or a community interest company, and so they will not be for private profit. The important distinction is that a Social Firm exists to fulfill its employment, training and social inclusion mission whereas almost all other social enterprises will embrace the notions of employment diversity and social inclusion without making it their mission.

There is no legal definition for ‘social enterprise’ because the term is too generic to be defined, but it is easier to establish a definition for a Social Firm, based on the criteria we’ve described on the Social Firms page.

Social Firms are enterprises that are set up to create employment, training and social inclusion opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the open labour market specifically because they have autism, learning disabilities or mental health issues. Their reason for existence is made clear in their mission statement, and they can flourish in any business sector. To be recognized as a Social Firm, an enterprise will generate over 50% of its income through sales of goods or services and at least 25% of its employees will have autism, learning disabilities or mental health issues.

Typically, a Social Firm will create a business plan that is in line with its mission. It will demonstrate the mix of trading, investment, loan and grant income that it expects to receive; it will describe its wage structure and how it justifies the involvement of trainees, volunteers and others.