Online academy will help Scots social enterprises pitch their wares amid pandemic

Responsible finance provider Social Investment Scotland has pushed the button on an online academy to help social enterprises pitch their wares amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kieran Daly, head of market building at Social Investment Scotland. Picture: Greg Macvean

The Retail Academy programme is now open for applications and is geared towards social enterprises and entrepreneurs looking to reach a larger customer base, diversify and “adapt to the changing commercial landscape”, particularly ahead of the crucial Christmas trading period.

The academy, delivered in partnership with Asda and with support from the Scottish Government, combines four days of interactive workshops by retail experts. The programme will cover topics such as digital retail and upcoming trends with speakers offering advice and guidance on how to adapt to an ever-changing commercial landscape.

Kieran Daly, head of market building at Social Investment Scotland, said: “By providing access to specialist advice and guidance from sector experts, we hope to help social enterprises to scale up their commercial operations while also increasing their positive impact.

“The pandemic is changing consumer shopping habits and we’re keen to ensure that social enterprises are equipped to stay ahead of the curve and embrace new opportunities, particular in e-commerce.

“Despite the challenging economic backdrop, there is a real opportunity for social enterprises to help shift the focus of economies worldwide, from financially driven to impact driven, and we must support them to grow and develop.”

Communities secretary Aileen Campbell added: “In recent months we’ve been actively encouraging Scots to buy locally and play an active role in supporting our economic recovery. Social enterprises have an increasingly valuable role to play in that recovery, particularly through their contributions to a wellbeing-based economy.”

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