COVID-19

Running a food or drink social enterprise means expecting the unexpected – but some forward planning can help you weather the ups and downs. Expert tips from Impact Hub King’s Cross.

England social enterprises can get grants of up to £100,000 to help them “get back on their feet”, under Lottery-funded scheme first set up in 2020, and once again delivered by Big Issue Invest, Key Fund, Resonance, SSE and UnLtd.

Latest figures from the UK's CIC Regulator show almost 5,000 more CICs on the register in 2021, bringing total to nearly 24,000 and surpassing growth rate reported by Companies House – but dependency on grant funding remains unclear.

New report by Co-operatives UK shows more people have embraced co-operative ownership of their local pub, while the number of co-ops generally continues to grow despite the crisis.

How do you fight India’s deadly wave of Covid-19 cases – and the widespread poverty expected in its wake? By doubling down on decentralised energy, says Harish Hande – speaking to Pioneers Post from a Bangalore ‘war room’.

Civil society minister Baroness Barran says support was “substantial” – but recognises many social enterprises wish government had done more, as business leaders tell of eating into their reserves in first evidence session. 

Confederation of British Industry – which represents nearly 200,000 UK firms – says businesses should ‘bottle the Covid-19 spirit of cooperation’ and ‘lock in’ employee wellbeing as part of wide-ranging vision to transform economy.

Mask-free and ready to mingle: sustainable capitalism takes centre stage at government-backed pilot event in Liverpool – with organisers aiming to create a festival vibe “without the private jets” and a “radical rethink” of business events. 

Government-backed Covid lending schemes have been a lifeline – but in the long term, high levels of debt cause problems. One solution: transitioning at-risk, viable private businesses into employee or community ownership at scale.