Social inclusion and the SME -a Briefing by Article 13

As part of their ongoing programme Article 13, the leading corporate social responsibility experts, have released a briefing paper on Social inclusion and the SME on their website at www.article13.com

A summary of the briefing follows

Social inclusion is about more than money. It is achieved when individuals or areas do not suffer from the negative effects of unemployment, poor skills, low income, poor housing, crime, bad health, family problems and limited access to services. SMEs make up 99% of the UK's businesses, 56% of its employment and 52% of its private sector turnover, and as such collectively have huge potential to promote social inclusion.

What can SMEs do?

Government, trade associations and visionary companies are increasingly concerned about how to engage the SME in Corporate Social Responsibility activities, while many SMEs are quietly doing great work in the area.

What do they get from it?

A recent report on SME activity found that working towards social inclusion had the following benefits for the SME:
- Improved relationships with key stakeholders such as staff, customers, suppliers and the local council
- Using community involvement to raise public awareness for future business gain, through PR and word of mouth
- Being known as a company that is committed to the local area, particularly through employment practices
For more on this topic and other issues relating to corporate social responsibility and its link to innovation, visit www.article13.com