Building Social Impact into Decision Making

Like traditional businesses, Social Enterprises (SEs) aim to make a profit, but it’s what they do with their profits that sets them apart – reinvesting or donating them to create positive social change. We're working with several SEs including Inside Job Productions (IJP), who have shared their thoughts on the opportunities for businesses, young people and the community.

Giving back

If it’s your role to source a new supplier for your business, it goes without saying that the two key factors at the forefront of your mind are quality and price. But, in an increasingly competitive marketplace with not much to choose between one provider or another, companies are beginning to make decisions based on other more meaningful factors.

Social Enterprises are becoming an attractive option to businesses who wish to build Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into their decision making without having to compromise on those twin pillars of quality and price.

IJP is an award-winning media production company and social enterprise. Our team of dedicated professionals make inspiring films and digital content. With a diverse customer base ranging from small charities such as the British Lung Foundation and BEAT to large corporations such as Johnson & Johnson and Lendlease, we are able to tailor our services to provide really standout story telling from film and animation to photography. For SCAPE we’ve recently produced a series of Regional spotlight films including this one about projects based in the South West.

We run a 6-month trainee scheme paid at London Living Wage to provide a supportive, professional environment for 18-24 year olds with mental health issues.

It’s an opportunity for young people, who may otherwise struggle to find their place in the workforce, to gain marketable skills around the end-to-end process of film production but also, importantly, we offer a safe environment for vulnerable young people to develop life skills that can so often be taken for granted, such as developing regular routines, building confidence and working towards living independently.

Tallulah is an inspiring example of a young woman for whom our ethos as a social enterprise has been life changing. She says: “Inside Job Productions was there for me at a time when I felt completely hopeless. I feel like I’ve come out as a stronger version of myself, ready to take the next step in my career in the media industry. And I know for sure this wouldn’t have been possible without the trainee scheme.”

We also support young people and offenders with their mental health. Through a series of filmmaking and animation workshops in the community and prisons, we assist them in finding new ways to express themselves creatively and will shortly be rolling out the programme at HMP Wandsworth.

Inside Job Productions has gone from strength to strength since it was founded in 2006, allowing us to invest more of our profits into our programme for social good. Clearly, it’s a model that works for us, but from our clients’ point of view we are also giving them something extra.

Our portfolio of work speaks for itself in terms of quality and there’s no doubt that we offer value for money. So, given the opportunity to help people like Tallulah turn their lives around, why wouldn’t you make social impact your key third pillar in decision making?