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Edge Upstarts Launch
The Edge Upstarts Awards are back. Last year, the awards celebrated outstanding social enterprises from Hoxton to Mozambique. This year the hunt for the brightest and best launched with a debate, seeking to answer the question:
“Are Politicians Really Committed to Social Enterprise?”
As the social enterprise community goes from strength to strength, the question of genuine political commitment becomes increasingly urgent.
Brandishing a pair of men’s pants, speaker Safia Minney stole the show. The pants were from the successful ethical clothing range People Tree, of which she is the founder. Ethically produced from start to finish, they were a concrete example of the achievements of social enterprise. She explained that she had recently given a pair to a distinguished fellow social entrepreneur: the Dalai Lama.
Ed Miliband MP, Minister for the Third Sector, introduced the evening by addressing the question: “Are Politicians Really Committed to Social Enterprise?” His answer was: yes, but more needs to be done.
Key speakers Alistair Wilson, Chief Executive of the School for Social Entrepreneurs, Heather Wilkinson, Founder of Striding Out and Safia Minney agreed that more was needed.
The lack of availability of financial services to suit social enterprise struck a chord with all the speakers and the audience. The question served to highlight the central issue of how to integrate social enterprise into the wider world of business.
Listen to the podcast of the event.
View more photos on flikr.