Just been doing a bit of research on the web - tyring to work out 'what sort of organisation a4e is!'

Twenty years since I started - and I am still not sure...

This all has to do with when I meet some people in business and other entrepreneurs. I often find myself feeling I am talking a different language. Somewhere we misunderstand each other. I am sure that when they ask me what we do - and my reply is 'improve people's lives' - they think me quite mad and then their next thought is that A4e must be a charity. They then go on to discover that A4e is a substantial international business and they become even more confused. Then we get to the cynical bit - where they congratulate me on a smart strap line - and then I know that we are really not going to get on!!!

I think I might have the answer - I think A4e at its heart is and always has been a Social Enterprise - (look up the definition on the web - check out my reasoning.)

2500 people who come to work every day - with the idea to improve the life of another person - no wonder we have trouble explaining what we do in everyday commercial terms.

In the end I think I might settle (for now) with an 'organisation with a social mission'.

I think there is a very interesting debate to be had - defining your organisation as public, private, voluntary or charitable sector is limiting - these labels conjour up thoughts that might not seem appropriate for your organisation. The talk of one being better than the other is plain daft. What matters is what you do and whether you care about what you do - and even more importantly you show that you care every day in everything that you do. 

(Fifteen minute break)

Surprise surprise - Just done a phone interview on this subject for the Sunday Times - the journo asked some devilish questions - all from the perspective of the normal way of things - hopefully I introduced him to some thoughts on 'organisations with a social mission'.  Maybe he will even be convinced they exist! There is always hope...