173
Good Practice
Financial Markets
Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
We have committed, by the end of 2015,
to:
•
help 100,000 young people to explore
enterprise, develop their skills, and
start up in business, whatever their
background;
•
inspire and enable 20,000 women to
explore and unlock their enterprise
potential;
•
support 2,500 social enterprises, work-
ing in partnership with the sector to
improve access to expertise, markets,
and finance.
In summary, Inspiring Enterprise is how
we encourage more people in more com-
munities to explore enterprise, build
their skills, and, ultimately, to start up
and succeed in business.
Enterprise leadership
When it comes to entrepreneurship, the
RBS Group is leading in both thought and
action. Working with partners – includ-
ing The Prince’s Trust, Social Enterprise
UK, Find Invest Grow, and the RSA–we
are delivering targeted research and pro-
grams to help drive the entrepreneurial
agenda in the United Kingdom.
Every year, we commission research
into a range of topics, including current
trends, the needs of entrepreneurs in our
target groups, and the changing nature of
enterprise support. We use this research
to inform our own approach and to help
us direct our funding and support to
where it will be most effective.
Through Inspiring Youth Enterprise, we
have extended our partnership with The
Prince’s Trust – one of the United King-
dom’s most successful supporters of youth
enterprise – to help young people from
disadvantaged backgrounds get the sup-
port they need to start up in business. We
have also launched our student enterprise
programs in partnership with Find Invest
Grow–RBS ESSA and RBS EnterprisingU
–
to encourage, reward, and recognize
undergraduates’ enterprising activities
across the United Kingdom.
Enterprise resources
Inspiring Enterprise provides a range
of resources and support for organi-
zations that work with young entre-
preneurs, women entrepreneurs, and
social entrepreneurs. This includes access
to networks, advice, inspiration, and
practical facts and figures about how
these groups can best be supported on
their entrepreneurial journeys. The RBS
Group and our partners also provide a
wide range of events and services for
potential and existing entrepreneurs
to help them realize their potential and
achieve their ambitions.
Funding
We are making £3 million available
between 2012 and 2015 to provide grant
funding to nonprofit organizations that
run programs to offer support and en-
courage more young people and women
into enterprise. This may include en-
terprise training, business mentoring,
skills development, workspace support,
or something completely new and dif-
ferent that will aid young people and
women to explore the idea of enterprise
and build their skills. Organizations can
apply for funding for their programs
through a competitive process, which
is open several times a year. In addition,
we provide loan funding to social en-
terprises through the RBS Group Micro-
finance Fund (RBS MFF). The RBS MFF
is an independent arms-length charity
set up 10 years ago to work with the
community finance and social enter-
prise sector. The RBS MFF breaks down
traditional barriers experienced by social
enterprises, as it offers an alternative
route to finance. It is our aim to support
this sector as it continues to grow and
develop and eventually reach a stage
where these organizations find it eas-
ier to obtain finance from mainstream
financial institutions.
For more information about the funding
that is available, please visit our website
www.rbs.com/inspiringenterprise
Other RBS Enterprise Initiatives
•
Mobile Business School (MBS).
The MBS visits universities, London
boroughs, and trade exhibitions and partners with enterprise agencies,
charities, councils, and libraries to provide enterprise education to a large
number of people, support entrepreneurship, and encourage ambition.
•
Start-up Surgeries.
The Start-up Surgeries offer guidance to potential new
business owners and those who have just started trading. This guidance
is delivered locally and covers a wide range of topics such as marketing,
taxes, and legal information.
•
Business academies.
The academies aim to provide additional support to
businesses through enterprise education and providing them with the tools
they need to be successful.
•
Trade clinics.
These clinics form a key part of a program of events focused
on educating SMEs on doing overseas business. These are typically run
in local offices or local venues for 10 to 20 clients, and they are usually
managed with input from UK Trade & Investment, local chambers, or other
third parties.