About us

Our mission is to promote the application of international co-operative principles, to help people establish new social enterprises. We enable social enterprises to work together to be financially, environmentally, and socially sustainable. Somerset Co-operative Services (SCS) draws on over ten years of experience using co-operative principles to establish effective, ethical, and accountable businesses. We can help at every stage, from nurturing tentative ideas through to developing established organisations. SCS CIC is a Co-operative Development Body: we are members of the national CDB network, and of The Development Co-op.

We are a co-operative of service users - if you are a client of ours or a co-op based in the South West, you are entitled to join as a full member. Whether you are a member, a client, both or neither, you can give us feedback on our work at any time here.

We are also a Community Interest Company with co-operative rules. Because we are a CIC, our assets are protected and can only be used to achieve our mission - we don't distribute profits, nor can we be taken over, shut down, or turned into something radically different.

Our members elect a committee at Annual General Meetings and are ultimately responsible for where we go in the future. See who our members are here.

For more information, read our general leaflet or our corporate CV. You can also download the following Annual Reports: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011.