"Make money!" Not an immediately obvious exhortation to come from the lips of a Labour minister, especially not to an audience of charity leaders; but that was the advice with which the then industry and regions minister, Alun Michael, signed off a conference speech about social enterprise earlier this year. Profit, he told charities, wasn't bad: it didn't mean surrendering core ideals; rather it was essential if the third sector is to achieve social and environmental goals. Dynamic and sustainable organisations should "recognise the need to make a profit to survive and grow".
Comments