Edinburgh Napier University is carrying out a study to examine how social enterprises in Scotland engage with two sets of standards: the People and Planet First verification standards and the Voluntary Code of Practice for Social Enterprises in Scotland.
The study aims to identify the factors that make it easier or more challenging for social enterprises to meet these standards, why some may find one easier to follow than the other, and the differences in awareness, interpretation, and adoption between the two.
Additionally, the research explores the challenges social enterprises face in aligning with aspects of the Voluntary Code, as well as broader barriers to growth and long-term sustainability within the sector. Your input will help shape future support strategies for social enterprises in Scotland.
Who is conducting and funding the research?
This research is partially funded by Social Enterprise Scotland and supported pro bono by Edinburgh Napier University. The research is being conducted by Dr Wendy Wu, Principal Investigator, and Dr Ivana Popovic, Research Assistant, staff members at Edinburgh Napier University.
How can you participate?
If you decide to take part, you can choose from the following options (you may select more than one):
Complete a survey
The survey should take no more than 30 minutes to complete.
You can access the survey here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=WNzgmUucIEiGFwTDhsJUxnjVfRihGZtKu-fmxRYyWrZURVlKTjBJTjhaMzFPOFVLVVFBVEU2OFBLQS4u
The closing date for responses is Friday 02 May 2025.
Join a focus group discussion
You may also participate in a focus group discussion on the following dates:
Monday 28 April, 12.00-2.00pm
Wednesday 30 April, 1.00-3.00pm
Friday 02 may, 12.00-2.00pm
To register, please e-mail i.popovic@napier.ac.uk with your preferred date.
Participate in a one-on-one interview
You can take part in a one-on-one interview, lasting no more than one hour.
To register, please e-mail i.popovic@napier.ac.uk with your availability, and they will get back to you with further details.
Before you decide to participate
It is important to understand the purpose of this research, what your participation involves, and how your data will be protected.
Please take a moment to carefully read the Participant Information Sheet, Privacy Notice, and Consent Form before making your decision. These documents are available here: https://edinburghnapier.padlet.org/ipopovic1/participant-information-sheet-privacy-notice-and-consent-for-bzjbwnknuuybv4lh
Your participation in this research is entirely voluntary. You will be asked to give your explicit consent to participate in this research by signing the consent form or confirming your consent in the survey.
If you have any questions about this research, your participation, or how your data will be handled, please do not hesitate to contact the research assistant, Ivana Popovic, at i.popovic@napier.ac.uk
