Social Enterprise Kent (SEK) is proud to announce that we have been selected as a finalist in the IWFM Impact Awards 2025 in the prestigious Social Value category, alongside our corporate partner, Sodexo.This recognition is a celebration of what happens when social value is done right—when a large, national organisation partners with a rooted, local social enterprise to make a measurable difference in people’s lives.
A Partnership Built on Purpose
When Sodexo set out to bid for a major government contract in Kent in 2022, they recognised that genuine local insight was essential. They turned to SEK for our in-depth community knowledge, strong VCSE networks, and long-standing commitment to inclusive, place-based change.
That initial conversation has grown into a thriving partnership—one that has supported over 100 organisations, helped launch new services like our Ashford social supermarket, and created meaningful learning and funding opportunities for charities, small businesses, and diverse-owned enterprises across Kent and North Wales.
Delivering Real Social Value
Together, SEK and Sodexo co-designed a pioneering free training programme to tackle the barriers small organisations face when trying to access supply chains, upskill staff, or meet new legal and digital requirements.
Across two years:
- Over 130 organisations have participated
- More than 200 individuals have received high-quality training
- SEK delivered sessions on topics including Mental Health for Managers, EDI, Net Zero, AI for Beginners, and BSL for Business
- 100% of respondents said they would recommend SEK Training
- Website traffic to SEK’s training pages more than doubled, reaching over 8,500 users
- The training campaign generated 52,000+ social media impressions, connecting new audiences to SEK’s wider offer
What’s more, the success of the partnership strengthened SEK’s internal capabilities, from developing a reusable impact reporting framework to expanding our social value consultancy offering.
Social Supermarkets, Mentoring & Momentum
The partnership has extended far beyond training. Through Sodexo’s Stop Hunger Foundation, SEK secured a £35,000 grant to open our Ashford SE Kitchen, now serving over 300 regular customers per week. Sodexo team members helped fit out the shop, and one of their Supply Chain Managers mentored our Ramsgate supermarket over 12 months, providing invaluable operational support. As the VCSE sector faces funding pressures and increasing demand, partnerships like this offer a blueprint for doing business differently: one built on trust, equity, and shared ambition.
Why This Matters
“This award shortlisting isn’t just about a programme—it’s about a way of working,” said Gina English, Director of Social Value at SEK. “It shows that when social enterprises are trusted and resourced as equal partners, we can help large organisations deliver genuine, measurable, people-centred social value.”
What’s Next?
With more courses planned and new collaborations underway—including with Môn Communities Forward in North Wales—this model continues to grow. SEK is already applying the lessons from this programme to other partnerships, while Sodexo has shared the project internally as a best practice case study across their public sector teams
We are honoured to be recognised by IWFM for the impact this partnership has had—not only on our own team and reach, but on the small organisations we champion and support.
Explore the full list of IWFM finalists here: LINK
If you want to know how to work with Social Enterprise Kent to deliver social impact, read more HERE