The fair-trade style Mark has been awarded to Unlimited Potential, after it demonstrated that its work benefitted local people, rather than anonymous shareholders or owners.

Profits made by the company are used to tackle social or environmental issues in the city.

Unlimited Potential, which is one of Sound Communication’s clients, joins other ethical businesses, such as the Eden Project in Cornwall, in winning the new Social Enterprise Mark.

The company, which has a £1million annual turnover and employs 36 staff, is democratically controlled and provides a range of services to promote happiness and health across the City of Salford.

It is the second fastest growing social enterprise in health and social care in the UK.

Chief Executive Chris Dabbs said “We are very proud to have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark.

“Unlimited Potential strives not only to provide effective services that help people to improve their own lives, but also to be a healthy and happy enterprise that has the best possible impact for people and for a sustainable world.

“We reinvest all of our profits for our social mission.”

Mr Dabbs added: “Social enterprise is a better way of doing business and the Social Enterprise Mark enables us to show people that we are truly motivated for society and the environment.”

Social enterprises are becoming more popular, following  the public mistrust in privately-run banks and businesses.

Recent research showed that consumers are crying out for the Social Enterprise Mark – an independent measure of the ethical base of businesses. Seven out of 10 people prefer to buy from companies who put their profits back into the community rather than into the pockets of shareholders.

The national Social Enterprise Ambassador, Daniel Heery presented the award at the first Social Enterprise North West Trade Fair at Aintree Race Course in Liverpool.

IT must be one of the classic PR blunders of the year…

Birmingham city council in the West Midlands produces 360,000 leaflets – using a picture of Birmingham, Alabama!

As the saying goes, ‘you couldn’t make this stuff up’.

A sharp-eyed Brummie first spotted the Alabama image on the leaflet and rang the council to complain.

No doubt there were red faces all around the Bull Ring, internal enquiries and interminable meetings to try and find out what went wrong.

But after making the gaffe, Birmingham, West Mids then added insult to injury by:

initally denying they had made a mistake
refusing to apologise
continuing to deliver the leaflets
being unable to find a single senior council employee who was prepared to stand up and accept responsibility

Anyone can make mistakes – especially in huge bureacratic organisations like a city council.

But it only makes matters worse when you try to avoid responsibility.

It really rankles with both the council tax-paying public and the media if public organisations are caught out, won’t admit it and then try to wriggle off the hook.

Far better to hold your hands up straightaway – and apologise.

Far better too, to turn the mistake to your advantage with a bit of humour and creativity.

Why not announce a twinning deal or a student exchange programme between Birmingham, West Midlands and Birmingham, Alabama?

Or perhaps the city council’s Director of Leaflets could be sent on a West Midlands photography course?

That was the message at a public meeting in the city called to discuss the controversial charge, which would bring new extensions to the Metrolink as well as 120 new buses, extra rail carriages and pedestrian and cycle paths.

Labour councillor Andrew Fender, a member of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, explains in the YouTube video clip above how a massive extension of the Metrolink to Didsbury, Oldham and Rochdale, Droylsden and Ashton is part of the congestion charge deal.

“We cannot have this scale of investment without the congestion charge,” he said.

Rob Adlard, from Manchester Conservatives, explains in the YouTube video clip below that his party opposes the congestion charge because it discredits ‘green taxes’, is economically flawed and represents a government attempt at ‘blackmail’.

Unfortunately, the anti-congestion charge Momentum Group pulled out of attending the public meeting at the last minute. Its PR firm, Communique apparently did not offer any explanation.

Sound Communication has meanwhile joined United City – the business umbrella group which is supporting the Transport Innovation Fund proposal to invest £3billion in public transport in Greater Manchester, through the congestion charge.

We believe the plan will:

• ease congestion
• make Greater Manchester a cleaner, greener place to live and work
• create thousands more jobs in public transport and new transport infrastructure
• help tackle climate change

Below, in the final YouTube video clip Councillor Fender and Mr Adlard clash over the proposals.

Further Information links:

The United City web site

Clean Air Now - supports better public transport, pedestrian and cycle routes and a congestion charge

RELATIONSHIPS matter.
But too often, we don’t pay enough attention to them.
How you relate to potential funders, local authorities and quangos, MPs, Euro MPs, NGOs and Government ministers can be vital to the success of your campaign or your business.
That’s where Sound Communication can help.

After decades of working with funders, public servants and politicians, we understand how they work. We can help you negotiate your way through the system successfully and improve perceptions about your organisation along the way. 
But other less high-profile stakeholders can be equally important – community leaders, residents, business reps, suppliers, customers and trade unions.
They can all wield different types of influence.
And they can all be engaged on your behalf – to help build a sound reputation and a positive public profile.

Our Public Affairs work involves research, political intelligence and a wide range of personal and professional contacts.
To this, we add the full range of our communications skills.
We will offer sound advice on how best you can respond to the challenges you face.
But most of all we will bring understanding about the environment you are working in.
After all, understanding is the key to any successful relationship.