Pluss - A Social Enterprise
Pluss is a Social Enterprise. 
A Social Enterprise is above all a business; a business that makes fair profit.
What makes Pluss different is that we have a clear social purpose and use our profits to deliver it. What matters is what we do!
A clear Social Purpose
Pluss’ clear business purpose is the provision of services that support the employment of people with disabilities and disadvantages, always to include those considered furthest from the labour market.
This business purpose is the reason for Pluss’ existence.
Our purpose as a social enterprise will be embedded in to every aspect of our work. It will never be considered an ‘added extra’ that is jettisoned when times get hard. Read our Social Enterprise policy.
The Social Enterprise MarkPluss was one of the first Social Enteprises to achieve the Social Enterprise Mark, which is the only certification authority for Social Enterprises.
Social
Enterprises are already making a real difference to society and the economy, but few
people know about them. The Social Enterprise mark helps raise the profile
of the sector, encouraging a wider understanding and ultimately resulting in
more people buying from them.
To find out more visit the Social Enterprise Mark website.
The Government defines social enterprises as “businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.”
Definition taken from Social Enterprise Mark website.
A Star Social Firm
Pluss is the largest Social Firm in the UK. We were also one of the first Social Firms to achieve the Star Social Firm quality standard.
Social Firms are one type of social enterprise. The specific social purpose of Social Firms is to create jobs for people who find it hardest to get them.
Social Firms subscribe to three core values when it comes to running their businesses:
1. Enterprise
- Social Firms are businesses that combine a market orientation and a
social mission. At least 50% of the firm’s turnover must be earned
through sales of goods and/or services. The firm will have an
appropriate legal status and must not be governed or driven by
individual profit.
2. Employment - At least 25% of the workforce are disadvantaged people (in Pluss' case it is around 50%).
3. Empowerment
- Social Firms are committed to the social and economic integration of
disadvantaged people through employment. A key means to this end is
economic empowerment through all employees having a contract of
employment and a market wage at or above national minimum wage.
To find out more visit Social Firms UK (extract taken from Social Firms UK website).
