16th March: Transition Institute’s Weekly Roundup!

Happy Friday all!

Here are some of the key stories relating to public sector spin-outs, new models of public services delivery, commissioning and procurement:

Monday 12^th:

• Interesting article by Anne Field, an award-winning journalist who specializes in covering entrepreneurship and small business: Online Platforms Link Impact Investors and Triple Bottom Line Companies – Social stock exchanges and match-making services aim to address a gap in a growing market.
• Social Enterprise Live – Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK, writes about Markets, CSR, and getting the Work Programme to work – “It’s about time the Department for Work and Pensions focused on quality instead of quantity”

Tuesday 13^th:

• Leicester Mercury – Business can fill the gap in public funding “by harnessing entrepreneurial skills to secure alternative finance and income”, says Tobias Gould, social enterprise development officer at Voluntary Action Leicester Shire (VAL).

Wednesday 14^th:

• Craig Dearden-Phillips writes for the Guardian Professional Public Leaders Network: Public sector spin-outs offer more than just savings – Social businesses maximise the potential for engagement, leading to improvements in productivity, innovation and quality
• David Mills writes for the Guardian Professional Social Enterprise Network about contents and reactions to the Ownership Commission’s report published today: Commission chair Will Hutton says co-ops should play bigger role in economy – To visit the commission’s site and read the report, click here
• Co-operatives UK released a Press Statement in response to the launch today (14 March 2012) of the Ownership Commission’s report.
• Guardian Professional Public Leaders Network – Leading questions: Graeme Nuttall, Field Fisher Waterhouse – Arun Marsh spoke to the government’s adviser on employee ownership about spinouts, mutuals and tips for service heads

Thursday 15^th:

• The Scottish Parliament debated a motion on Social Impact Bonds as an innovative approach to reduce reoffending and the role that voluntary organisations and social enterprises can play: Lib Dems call for jail bonds scheme
• Department of Health – Top tips for establishing a healthcare social enterprise (to help those staff currently considering spinning out of the NHS).
• EOA News – Employee Ownership Association Welcomes Deputy Prime Minister’s Review of Barriers to Employee Ownership
• CFG, NPC and ACEVO launched good practice guide on impact reporting: Principles into practice: How charities and social enterprises communicate impact
• Children & Young People Now News – Manchester gives green light to social impact bond scheme

Friday 16^th:

• EDP24 Business News – Norfolk County Council to tweet its contract opportunities as part of red tape shake-up – “the council will also give advanced warning of significant contracts to help businesses start to plan for the procurement exercise while a suppliers’ day will also be held aimed at providing better value for money and tapping into innovative ideas”
• Interesting article by Silvia Giovannoni, director of the Ashoka support network, in the Guardian Sustainable Business: Joining the dots between social entrepreneurs and traditional business

Have a lovely weekend!