Selby Trust accredited for creating genuine social impact

Selby Trust have been awarded the Social Enterprise Silver Mark, which proves it is in business to benefit society, community and the environment.

The Social Enterprise Mark is the only independently assessed social enterprise accreditation, which enables organisations to prove their commitment to creating positive social change.  Only organisations which can prove they use income and profits to maximise their positive social/ environmental impact are awarded a licence to display the Social Enterprise Mark.  

Applicants must meet robust qualification criteria in order to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark, and are re-assessed each year to ensure they continue to meet the criteria. Subjected to an external assessment process which is overseen by an independent Certification Panel, Selby Trust’s governance documents and accounts were scrutinised. 

Government data estimates that nearly 9% of the UK small business population are social enterprises, contributing over around £24 billion to the economy and employing over 1 million people. Social enterprises plough the majority of their profits back into activities that benefit people and planet, rather than just lining shareholders pockets.  However, some businesses are taking advantage as there is no legal definition for them. Social Enterprise Mark CIC is the guardian of genuine social enterprise principles, and it safeguards these through the independent accreditation process. 

Paul Butler, Selby Trust CEO said,

“The Social Enterprise Silver Mark acknowledges the hard work of many at the Selby Centre, creating opportunities for local people, and providing an environment which unlocks the potential of local people. 

As a charity with a social enterprise focus that supports local community and grassroots level organisations towards health and wellbeing, social justice, and eliminating poverty to people from diverse and vulnerable groups, having a silver mark gives credibility to our work and allows us to continue doing what we do best.

We’re looking forward to the new upcoming plans for our Selby Urban Village schemes, while ensuring our existing services and activities remain ongoing throughout the development is a major transition that comes with both challenges and opportunities. The silver mark application process allowed us to reflect on the improvements we’ve made over the past 3 to 4 years, and also made us recognise areas of improvement, including representation, measuring social value impact and accessing the monetary benefits associated.

We hope the silver mark will extend our reach and opportunities towards partnerships and fundraising.’’

Lucy Findlay, Managing Director, Social Enterprise Mark CIC, advised:

“As the only way to independently assess and accredit genuine social enterprises, the Social Enterprise Mark guarantees businesses use profits for social purpose, not for the pockets of shareholders.”