Forward Carers is a finalist in the UK Social Enterprise Awards, recognising it as one of the country’s most innovative and impactful businesses.
Social enterprises are mission-led businesses that reinvest or donate most of their profits for a social or environmental purpose.
Forward Carers is a business that exists to create Carer Friendly Communities nationally, places that understand, value and support unpaid Carers, so Carers can thrive in all areas of life and work. Forward Carers works in partnership with other non-profits to deliver wide-ranging wellbeing and support services for Carers, on behalf of local authorities, and provides a range of Carer Friendly Community services direct to Carers and businesses. Since the beginning of operation in 2015, 45,000 Carers have been supported. By preventing care breakdown, social care costs are reduced; for every £1 invested in Forward Carers, £11.561 is saved in social care costs. The social enterprise has also guided Birmingham’s largest employer to achieve Forward Carers’ Carer Friendly Employer certification for 22,000 staff of their staff.
Forward Carers beat stiff competition to make the shortlist for the UK Social Enterprise Awards this year, which attracted more than 400 entries from all over the country. Awards recognise sector-leading excellence and innovation across a diverse range of criteria, and Forward Carers is a finalist in the ‘Public Services Social Enterprise of the Year’ category.
Simon Fenton, CEO at Forward Carers, said: “We are thrilled to be a finalist in these prestigious awards that have recognised our hard work to support unpaid family Carers. We hope that this acknowledgement will also shine a light on the valuable contribution that family Carers make to society.”
Forward Carers will join other finalists and VIP guests at a prestigious awards ceremony in London’s iconic Roundhouse on Thursday 30 November, when the winners will be revealed.
The Awards are run by Social Enterprise UK, the leading membership body for social enterprises. There are more than 100,000 social enterprises in the UK, employing around two million people and contributing £60bn to the national economy each year – while also tackling some of the biggest challenges facing people and planet.
Peter Holbrook CBE, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, commented: “Our Awards are the ultimate showcase of the impact and excellence of social enterprises. Those who made the shortlist are a beacon of innovation, optimism and resilience in turbulent times.
“These are trailblazers and standard-setters for better business, making profit but not putting it before people and planet – and they do all this under the same immense pressures as other businesses, with the long-term impacts of Covid and a national cost of living crisis.
“The challenges we face as a society demand new approaches and a shift in how businesses – big and small – act. Social enterprises celebrated at our Awards are the brightest stars in a brilliant sector, giving us all inspiration and motivation to do business better.”
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1 https://essenceproject.uk/evidence/economic-case-for-local-investment-in-carer-support/
