SERI Aims High for Irish Social Enterprises
10th July 2020
Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI), a national representative body for the Social Enterprise Sector launched today (Friday 10th July).
A group of passionate social enterprise practitioners, key sector stakeholders and supporters have joined together to launch SERI – a representative body for the dynamic, evolving and broad social enterprise sector in Ireland.
SERI was born from the energy, knowledge and experience that exist within the sector, and a widely recognised need for a united voice. Its mission is to champion for the sector and its members, both nationally and internationally. The organisation will work collaboratively with all those critical to the success of the sector, providing a unified voice for its members, who exist on a wide spectrum, from local community-based enterprises to larger, and in some cases international enterprises.
The Chair of SERI, Fergus Finlay said “Social enterprise and its ecosystem have deeps roots in Ireland reaching back to the old Irish tradition of Meitheal, where people in rural communities came together to work on a neighbours farm. This embodies the spirit of social enterprise. It is clear that social enterprise has evolved to be a distinct, thriving sector. What’s next for social enterprise is in our own hands. Working collaboratively with other key players, our team and our members will forge a new beginning for social enterprise and will grow this sector to benefit all our people and communities throughout the Republic of Ireland.”
Interim CEO Tammy Darcy (pictured) said “Social enterprises have always played an essential part in the fabric of Irish society. The sector will play a leading and powerful role as we move through the current crisis and into recovery. SERI is here to support social enterprises with a unified voice to release this potential so that Ireland is a better place to live and work”
Welcoming the launch, MyMind CEO Krystian Fikert said “We are living now in challenging economic times during COVID-19. Social enterprises will flourish in response to society’s needs by making services accessible and affordable. This will help the Irish economy to grow faster in a sustainable way. Now is the time for Government to recognise the social enterprise sector as a solution to building a better future in Ireland.”
