Environmental sustainability
Environmental sustainability is important to us all. Sustaining the quality of our natural environment and tackling the problem of climate change is a huge challenge. Many social enterprises work to provide environmental services including renewable energy generation, recycling and reuse, community transport, education and awareness raising, and sustainable land management.
Many more have environmental concerns as part of their core social values and all social enterprises can work to improve their environmental impact.
Environmental social enterprises offer the world a model where the results are truly triple bottom line: environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. As awareness of the importance of combating climate change and pressures on resources increase, there are tremendous opportunities for social enterprise to make an even greater contribution.
Environmental considerations span the full remit of the Government, from national carbon reduction targets to local authority commissioning of waste services. It is important to make clear to the Government the key role that social enterprise can and should play in delivering on these aspirations.
Defra Social Enterprise Strategic Partnership (SESP)
Background to SESP
On 3rd November 2008 Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) officially launched its third sector strategy.
The strategy includes the Defra Social Enterprise Strategic Partnership. This partnership formalises the Defra Social Enterprise Forum (composed of the Social Enterprise Coalition, Co-ops UK, the DTA, the Plunkett Foundation and RISE) which has been involved in influencing the strategy, other Defra policy and developing our relationship with Defra over the past year.
The strategy also launched the Greener Living Fund and the Defra Third Sector Advisory Board to succeed the Compact Group. It will need members with an understanding of the distinctive needs and characteristics of social enterprises, not only the Compact.
We are continuing to develop our environmental policy position. We have signed the third sector declaration on climate change.
ConsultationsBERR consultation on UK Renewable Energy Strategy (September 2008)
DEFRA on the promotion of energy end-use efficiency and energy services (March 2008)
DEFRA Towards a Third Sector Strategy (February 2008)
Response to Planning for a Sustainable Future White Paper (doc)
Position papers and publications
Think Piece "Social Enterprise and DEFRA's Objectives: An Agenda for Collaboration" (February 2008)