Following in the footsteps of Fairtrade, the social enterprise support organisation RISE is to launch a new ‘Social Enterprise Mark’, allowing consumers to identify products produced by companies tackling social or environmental needs.

The pilot for the Mark will be launched at the Eden Project on 29 November. It will be rolled out in the South West over the next three years with plans for a future national roll-out, supported by the Social Enterprise Coalition.

Jonathan Bland, chief executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition said: “We welcome the launch of the Social Enterprise Mark and are very interested to explore the possibility of rolling out it nationally. This great pilot project could do a lot to position social enterprise squarely in the minds of consumers. As a movement we need to do everything we can to raise awareness of the amazing work carried out by social enterprises in the South West and across the whole country.”

RISE’s chief executive Lucy Findlay said: “For the first time, South West social enterprises will be able promote the benefits of their unique enterprise model more clearly to customers. I think that this step is a logical progression for an increasingly mature business sector within a nationally pioneering region.”

For more on the Mark visit RISE’s website at www.rise-sw.co.uk