What Being a Social Enterprise Means to Raised In

It’s Social Enterprise Day – an opportunity to raise the profile of the social enterprise movement and celebrate the impact socially conscious organisations are having across the country and even the world!

So, what exactly is a social enterprise?

Think of it as a business with a bigger purpose. Like any other business, they work hard to succeed and make a profit, but here’s the difference: instead of profits going to shareholders, they reinvest most of what they make back into their mission.

Social enterprises are part of a growing movement that’s tackling big challenges, reducing inequality, driving social justice, and building a more sustainable future. And that’s something we’re proud to be part of.

Why we chose the social enterprise model for Raised In

At Raised In, our mission is simple: to provide first-rate early years education whilst supporting access to community spaces for the benefit of all.

We started Raised In with a big question “how can we help communities flourish in tough times?” Across Bristol and beyond, many community organisations face shrinking grants and pressure to generate income from their spaces.

Our answer? We open nurseries in or in partnership with these spaces and commit to long-term rents. This means families get the childcare they need, and vital community hubs stay accessible for those who rely on them most. We also commit to sharing any surplus (or profit) with our community partners – further securing their future and enabling them to undertake the vital work in our communities which is most needed.

Our founders were always clear that Raised In isn’t a charity, we trade to generate our income, rather than being reliant on grants, and we aim to make a profit for the benefit of our communities and social mission. This doesn’t mean we have any less focus on the impact of our work, but how we get there differs from charitable organisations.

What this looks like in our day to day…

Every decision we make comes back to our mission. That means reinvesting profits where they matter most, into our nurseries, our people, and our communities. We choose local, independent, ethical and social enterprise suppliers whenever we can, so the money we spend supports Bristol’s circular economy and independent businesses like ours.

We’re also proud to have been a Real Living Wage accredited employer since day one. From our apprentices to experienced practitioners, fair pay is non-negotiable for us. Because when our team thrives, so do the children and families we serve.

This Social Enterprise Day, and every day, we’re proud to stand with a movement that proves business can be a force for good! Across the UK, there are over 131,000 social enterprises contributing £60 billion to the economy and employing 2.3 million people. These businesses are leading the way in growth, innovation, and creating fairer, more inclusive communities.

At Raised In, we’re proud to play our part. Every nursery we open, every decision we make, is about helping futures flourish, for children, families, and the communities we call home.

Interested to learn more about how social enterprise works from an early years perspective? Read our recent journal post Leading with purpose: the role of social enterprises in early years education.