INTRODUCTORY OVERVIEW

How many forms of social enterprise are there?

The social enterprise sector is incredibly diverse. There are a variety of legal structures, including:

  • Social Firm
  • Co-operative
  • Industrial or provident society
  • A charity’s trading arm
  • Community Interest Company
  • Development trusts

However, a social enterprise is not defined by its legal status but by its nature. It’s the organisation’s trading activity with a social purpose – value-led and market-driven – that is the key.