Winners will be announced at an event in the Scottish Parliament on 10 November
Scotland’s social enterprise community is gearing up to celebrate the best in its sector at the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland awards next month.
Due to be held in the Scottish Parliament on 10 November, a shortlist of 25 finalists across six categories have been unveiled.
Battling it out for the prestigious Social Enterprise of the Year Scotland title will be four excellent organisations.
The awards help us raise the public profile of Scotland's growing and creative social enterprise movement
Clydesdale Community Initiatives, incorporates a charity for people with a range of support needs and a professional construction company; Grassmarket Community Project, offers a mixture of education programs, drop-in services, social enterprise and social integration activities in Edinburgh; Lanarkshire Credit Union, has a membership of 12,800 adult savers and over 6000 junior savers; and Homes for Good (Scotland) CIC, a social enterprise letting agency.
On the night Angela Constance MSP, cabinet secretary for communities, social security and equalities will give a speech at the event held in the parliament’s Garden Lobby.
A Social Enterprise Champion for the year and the One to Watch will be named, as will the winners of the Social Impact Award, ‘Buy Social’ Market Builder Award and Inspiring Youth Enterprise Award.
Fraser Kelly, chief executive of the hosts Social Enterprise Scotland said: "It's great to see such an incredibly diverse and exciting line up for the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2016.
"Social enterprise is about creating a new type of economy and society that benefits us all.
“The awards help us raise the public profile of Scotland's growing and creative social enterprise movement."
The public is urged to show support for its favourite finalist using the hashtag #SocEntAwards16.