By Claire Racine

Simon Hebditch, formerly chief executive of Capacitybuilders, has been elected by the Board of Social Firms UK to be its new chair.

“The opportunities for encouraging the growth of Social Firms are immense and I am proud to take on the task of leading an active and committed Board to help the organisation achieve even greater things in the future,” Hebditch said.

“We intend to play a major role in developing and supporting Social Firms – a crucial task in the current economic crisis.”

A Social Firm is a business set up specifically to create employment for people severely disadvantaged in the labour market and focuses on enterprise, employment and empowerment.

From a base of just five Social Firms in 1996, there are at least 160 businesses in the Social Firm sector now.

Sally Reynolds, chief executive of Social Firms UK, was glad the board of trustees chose Hebditch to chair the board.

“It is a particularly busy period for Social Firms and Social Firms UK and Simon’s track record operating at a strategic level is invaluable,” Reynolds said.