The list celebrates 100 social enterprises that are using innovation to change society for the better

Clean Slate has once again made the SE100 list of the UK’s top social enterprises.

The NatWest SE100 Index judged enterprises on criterial including social impact, business sustainability and innovation.

It’s the second time Clean Slate Training & Employment has been named on the prestigious list, having made the cut in 2021 as well.

Jeff Mitchell, Clean Slate’s managing director, said helping people weather the cost-of-living crisis is a big motivator for the organisation.

“We’re really proud to have made the SE100 once again,” he said. “The past year was massive for Clean Slate and while the company grew, so did the benefit we were able to leverage for people struggling financially.

“We helped over 3,000 people access over £2m between them when they needed it most. We have huge aspirations to do more in future, making a dent on poverty in the UK and helping thousands stave off the worst of the cost-of-living crisis.

“We can’t do this alone, however, so we hope to forge alliances with fellow social enterprises in the SE100 and beyond, who fuse their social passion and business acumen to make lasting impact on the poorest in our community.”

The index in general showed healthy balance sheets among the social enterprises that were included. Their combined total turnover was £388m, up £3m on last year.

Profits hit nearly £15.5m, which is higher than both last year’s total and pre-Covid amounts. The average growth in annual turnover was up by an impressive 84 per cent, which organisers of the SE100 said was an indication that the UK’s top social businesses are “bouncing back strongly”.

The SE100 was set up more than 10 years ago by Tim West, founding editor of social enterprise magazine Pioneers Post, in partnership with NatWest.

He said the UK’s social enterprises were on the way up.

“What’s also clear from broader information captured in our SE100 survey is that social enterprises are working harder on issues such as social and racial equality and their impact on climate and the environment, even if these are not their key areas of business,” he added.

“In times of uncertainty, including more economic discomfort ahead, it would be understandable – perhaps sensible too – for any organisation to focus on their core business aims. But social entrepreneurs are a stubborn breed: not only do they want to do better in terms of their profitability and impact, they also want to be better in terms of the way they operate and the values that they stand for.”

Read more about what Clean Slate has been up to here.