Better Places

We were delighted to collaborate with Good Things Foundation, Cosmic UK and the University of Liverpool on this exciting project for the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, focusing on understanding digital inclusion across the West of England region. Digital inclusion means being able to access the internet and engage online – safely and confidently – when you need and want to. Yet 8.5 million adults in the UK lack basic digital skills, 7.5 million working age adults lack basic digital skills for work, 2.4 million households can’t afford their mobile phone contract, and 1.5 million don’t have a smartphone, tablet or laptop. The project highlights that digital inclusion is everyone’s business, and a whole-of-society approach is essential. We identified five key pillars for effective cross-sector collaboration: 1️⃣ Strategic leadership Championing a shared regional narrative, co-created with communities, to drive coordinated action and long-term commitment to digital inclusion. 2️⃣ Collaborative funding Unlocking greater impact through shared funding models across public, private, and voluntary sectors, and harnessing the influence of anchor institutions such as NHS Trusts and universities. 3️⃣ Integrated partnerships Embedding partnership working across health, skills, education, and economic development – sharing data, good practice and resources, built on community needs. 4️⃣ Evidence and insight Strengthening the evidence base to inform priorities and track progress, including supporting community-led mapping and evaluation to identify gaps and shape solutions. 5️⃣ Investment in communities Supporting charities, community organisations and social enterprises – who are often best placed to engage excluded communities, but under-resourced to deliver digital inclusion at scale. #digitalinclusion

This morning, our co-founder Jen Harrison had the pleasure of joining a panel discussion on Sustainability and Social Impact, hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and Haylofts, part of the Hoults Yard Hubs group. Alongside Ben Russell and Geoff Trotter, we explored how we can create real, lasting impact. A few key takeaways from our discussion: 1) Community impact starts with understanding local needs. What’s happening on your doorstep? Businesses that engage meaningfully with their communities make the biggest difference, and see the biggest benefits. 2) Short-term initiatives won’t drive lasting change. We need to focus on building equitable partnerships between businesses and community organisations if we want to create impact that lasts. 3) Thriving businesses need thriving communities. SMEs in the North East are a force to be reckoned with - by working together, we can make real change happen. A big thank you to organisations Alex Head, Reshma Begum and Louise White and everyone who joined the conversation. If you're a business looking to deepen your community engagement and make a real impact, let’s connect! We'd love to explore how we can work together. #SocialImpact #Sustainability #CommunityEngagement #PartnershipsForChange

Our co-founder Jen Harrison will be a panel speaker covering all things social impact and how business can easily build this in to their strategic plans so they, their people, their customers and their communities can thrive! Come and join us on 11th March from 8am for this north east Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) networking event at Haylofts Hoults Yard Hubs Thank you for the invitation Alex Head and Reshma Begum #socialimpact #sustainablebusiness #communityimpact

How can business be a force for good? That’s what we’ll be discussing with a whole host of amazing north east B Corp accredited businesses, hosted by Muckle LLP | B Corp™ at The Core Newcastle Helix this afternoon. Looking forward to meeting new and existing connections and uncovering how our impact on community, environment, people and customers can make us a force for good! Jonathan Pearce Jen Harrison #BCorpMonth #GenB

We're getting ready to take the short trip to Edinburgh to attend B Corp and Beyond hosted by Scotland B Local tomorrow. Looking forward to meeting an array of purpose driven business leaders to share thoughts on how business can drive positive outcomes for people, communities and planet! #PurposeDrivenLeadership #BCorp #SustainableLeadership #BCorpandBeyond

Gosforth Civic Theatre is such a fantastic place, supporting so many people in its community. And recent refurbishment has added even more to what it can offer!

Great to be at the People, Potential & Opportunity Conference at the Civic Centre, Newcastle today, and to hear from Kim McGuinness. Our key takeaways so far: 1️⃣ Businesses are at the heart of the North East’s future – our role is crucial in driving ambitious plans for growth, opportunity, and fairness. 2️⃣The power of potential - From our shipbuilding and mining legacy, to the future of green energy and advanced manufacturing, the North East is bursting with potential. 3️⃣Better work is key to progress – we're striving to be the UK’s first Living Wage region, and NEMCA will soon be launching an accreditation scheme to unlock opportunities and a path out of poverty. 4️⃣Fighting child poverty – With nearly a third of our children growing up in poverty, we all have a role to play in creating the future they deserve. Inspiring stuff - the future's in our hands! #NECAPPO #responsiblebusiness

We’re fully immersed in the Responsible Business Conference at Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School in partnership with Just Williams - BCorp Living Wage Foundation and Square One Law | B Corp™ Already heard from some great speakers around the critical opportunities we have to positively impact the communities in which we operate, and the wider world around us. Inspired! #responsiblebusiness #socialimpact #communityimpact

Hello! We're Better Places - a new social impact consultancy on a mission to help organisations of all types and sizes develop strategies to improve their communities and the world around them so everyone thrives! If you're interested in social impact or want to know more about how a social impact strategy can drive organisational success, we'd love to talk to you. In the meantime, here's a little bit more about us and our founders. https://lnkd.in/exQnWWU3