The Thomson Reuters Foundation has partnered with Morrison & Foerster and UnLtd to produce an update to our guide on legal structures for social ventures in England and Wales.
Social ventures are businesses or other organisations which are established with the primary purpose of a social cause, rather than maximising profits for investors as is the case with a commercial venture.
Encompassing the dynamic nature of the social entrepreneurship space, the guide covers recent changes including reforms to the Community Interest Company, the introduction of Social Investment Tax Relief, and the launch of B corps in the UK. It also reflects the increasing use of the private company limited by shares structure, and describes ways social ventures can embed and protect their social mission.
The guide gives an overview of the range of legal structures that are available to social entrepreneurs when establishing a social venture, and the advantages and disadvantages associated with each.
We have also produced an interactive version of this guide to help social entrepreneurs navigate the key areas they need to consider when setting up the right form of legal structure for the venture. The interactive tool can be found here.