Here’s something I learnt that I want to pass onto you…

Last week I attended the Social Enterprise Conference 2017. This conference brought together local social enterprise companies, along with politicians and leading corporate businesses to push the agenda on the importance of social value and the prominence of social enterprise businesses.

What I took from the event was a better understanding of what it actually means to ‘buy socially’ and the positive impact that this has on our local and indeed global communities. This is positive impact that you are having! For those of you who don’t know, Madlug operates as a social enterprise business. Generally, social enterprises trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people’s life chances, or the environment. They make their money from selling goods and services in the open market, but they reinvest their profits back into the business or the local community. And so when they profit, society profits. These businesses are changing the world for the better. Social enterprises are in our communities and on our high streets – from coffee shops and cinemas, to pubs and leisure centres, banks and bus companies.

In the context of Madlug, our goal, along with yours is to tackle the social problem of young people in care having their value, worth and dignity taken away. For each bag purchased, you invest in reestablishing the value, worth and dignity of a young person in care. However, the social enterprise movement is still in it’s early stages, close to half (49%) of all social enterprises are five years old or less. We need more people to understand the value of buying socially in order to take the movement to the next level, empowering these businesses to grow and making buying socially the norm. Most people want to see change in a world crippled by poverty, environmental damage and inequalities. These are big, daunting challenges that we need to combat together as one society. Buying goods and services with social value in mind is one small but highly effective way for all of us to generate positive change in the world. You really can ‘be the change you want to see in the world’ in setting an example with your purchases.

 So what can I say to you today, “Buy Social”!

 Josh Norton