engage magazine issue 007/\\\'08 | Page 14

News
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News

New drive towards social enterprise for women from ethnic minority backgrounds

UK SMEs waste more than £ 42.2 million in revenues looking for documents

A new report titled‘ Social Enterprise: Making it Work for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Women’ has identified new ways of encouraging and supporting BAME women into starting social enterprises. There are at least
women are underrepresented as social enterprise owners. Jonathan Bland, Chief Executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition said:“ Social enterprise promotes economic growth and provides meaningful employment across the UK and
Searching for documents is costing SMEs a staggering £ 42.2 million per day in lost revenue according to independent research released last month. The survey, which was commissioned by Invu and conducted by YouGov, revealed
another location or simply lost, costing businesses dearly. George Derbyshire, Chief Executive of The National Federation of Enterprise Agencies( NFEA), says,“ This research is quite frightening- It is vital to prioritise on a daily basis, but it is also important to
55,000 social enterprises in the
is empowering and effective
that managers and directors
take time out and review your
UK which contribute £ 8.4 billion
among communities that have
are wasting valuable time trying
processes and systems to ensure
pounds to the UK economy, but
been traditionally excluded from
to locate documents that may
that they are supporting you – not
evidence suggests that BAME
mainstream business.”
have been mis-filed, moved to
holding you back.”

( BERR) Barriers faced by small companies looking to supply goods

As part of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform’ s Enterprise Strategy and Budget 2008, the Chancellor Alistair Darling, announced that Anne Glover, Chief Executive of Amadeus Capital Partners, would lead an independent inquiry into the barriers faced by small companies looking to supply goods or services to the public sector.
The committee is considering ways to increase opportunities for SMEs and the practicality of a goal of such companies winning 30 per cent of all public sector contracts.
Small companies and industry groups have now been invited to share their experiences of doing business across both central government and local authorities.
The Glover review will consider issues such as improved tendering procedures, better information for SMEs and reducing the barriers SMEs may face when competing for public sector contracts. The committee is building on previous work to assist SMEs carried out by the Office of Government Commerce( OGC) and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform( BERR). A Call for Evidence has been launched, and businesses and public sector procurers are now being invited to input into this work to ensure that the committee is fully informed of the real issues faced at grass root level. It will also ensure that businesses and those working in this area are given the opportunity to shape future policy.

Businesses‘ affected by sneaky sales practices’

A government study has shown that some 53 per cent of SME owners believe their business is affected by others’ unfair sales practices.
The report, found that of those who believe their profits to be affected, one in ten think that it costs them more than a fifth of their revenue. Examples of unfair sale practices include fake prize draws, aggressive doorstep selling and bogus‘ closing down’ sales. uk | engage ISSUE SEVEN 2008