The SE100 is now in its tenth year, and celebrates the growth, impact and resilience of the UK’s best social ventures – by naming 100 of the most impressive social enterprises, and today giving awards to outstanding achievers in eight categories.
The coronavirus crisis has forced this year’s SE100 awards celebrations to be held virtually – award partners, the Pioneers Post team, delivered the good news to all winners via Zoom calls and the beautiful, hand-made trophies are being sent out in the post.
The SE100 team told us: “None of our winners have escaped the cloud of the coronavirus. But, in true SE100 Champion fashion, our winners are finding ways to stay resilient and to innovate, so they can both survive and continue to support the communities and causes that depend on them.
“In such incredibly tough times it's important to recognise the incredible dedication and effort that the UK's social enterprises have shown.”
Simone van Klaveren, Pioneers Post's partnerships and social impact manager, said: “The Pioneers Post and NatWest teams decided at an early stage of the pandemic that we had to cancel the SE100 Social Business Awards ceremony. Although we were disappointed not to be able to hold this celebratory event, and sad not to get the chance to congratulate our winners in person and celebrate their phenomenal success with them, we received a lot of understanding kind notes, and soon realised the SE100 must go on!”
Megan Peat, CEO of NatWest Social & Community Capital, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the NatWest SE100 Awards again, which we are thrilled to say has now been recognising and rewarding some of the brightest and most successful social enterprises around for ten years. The SE100 Awards are a great opportunity to showcase the very best in UK social enterprise, and to celebrate some of the inspiring social businesses making a real difference to communities around the UK.
“When we know many of you will be facing some significant challenges, it's important to recognise the incredible dedication and effort that the UK's social enterprises have shown in building business solutions to deliver a positive future for some of our most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.”
