Social Enterprise World Forum

(asked on 28th February 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government which minister will represent them at the Social Enterprise World Forum in Ethiopia in October 2019.


Answered by
Lord Ashton of Hyde Portrait
Lord Ashton of Hyde
This question was answered on 13th March 2019

The British Council’s Social Enterprise Leadership programme in Ethiopia, delivered in partnership with UK experts, has trained 40 social enterprises to develop 38 master-trainers capable of cascading training to other social enterprises. For example, one intermediary organisation has in turn provided training to over 300 community leaders, has established a forum and is conducting research to support the craft industry.

The establishment of the new trade association for social enterprises in Ethiopia is directly attributed to UK inspiration, taking lessons from Social Enterprise UK. UK sector expertise has been deployed to support policy training for policy makers, sharing best practice including UK Government initiatives such as the Social Value Act. The implementation of the British Council’s Business Investment Readiness (BIR) programme aims to strengthen 60 social enterprises in Ethiopia, providing support to enhance and scale the impact of their work. BIR facilitates collaboration between a social enterprise and social investment intermediary organisations in the UK.

The 2019 Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) will provide multiple opportunities to showcase to global policy-makers, academic, international development actors and corporates how the UK has supported Ethiopia’s growing social enterprise movement. Officials from the British Council and DCMS attended the SEWF in Edinburgh last year and will review attendance with ministers in due course.

Reticulating Splines