17th August 2026
Collaboration Catalyst brought together leaders from the social economy, private sector and public sector at the NatWest Accelerator hub in Birmingham to explore how stronger collaboration can unlock new opportunities... Read more
7th May 2026
The social economy sector in the UK is at a pivotal moment. Against a backdrop of economic pressure, public service reform, and growing demand for socially driven solutions, social organisations... Read more
8th March 2026
Celebrating the women helping shape a more inclusive economy across our region. International Women’s Day is an opportunity to recognise the women shaping our communities, economies and future. Across the... Read more
4th February 2026
By Tom Bostock, West Midlands Investment Manager at Big Issue Invest. If you’ve spent any time in the West Midlands social economy, you’ll know two things: The people here are... Read more
12th December 2025
Best kept secret in Dudley: Provision House a powerhouse of compassion and local economic growth Last week I went to Dudley to visit Dinesh Patel, Head of Employability Programmes and... Read more
30th October 2025
The heart of the Black Country: Why Access to Business is trailblazing the social economy in Wolverhampton If you want to find a real engine room of social change in... Read more
23rd October 2025
Wednesday 19 November 2025 | 9:00am – 4:00pm | Millennium Point, Birmingham | Part of the Social Economy Drive 2025 The Social Economy Conference & Expo is one of the... Read more
16th October 2025
Community wealth building (CWB) has become a familiar term in conversations about inclusive growth and local economic resilience. In the UK, many local authorities and partners are now embedding CWB... Read more
16th September 2025
Last week, I had the pleasure of catching up with Aftab Rahman, CEO of Legacy West Midlands (Legacy WM) in Handsworth. Legacy WM has a long history of serving Birmingham's... Read more
3rd August 2025
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) officially launched its comprehensive Growth Plan, a bold blueprint designed to turbocharge the region's economy, create 100,000 good jobs, and significantly raise living standards... Read more
28th July 2025
On 26th June, I attended the Business in the Community (BiTC) "Solutions for the Future - A Place-based approach" session, an insightful event dedicated to growing the local economy through... Read more
4th June 2025
The West Midlands is on an ambitious journey to double the size of its social economy within the next decade. At the heart of this drive is a growing recognition... Read more
25th April 2025
In the West Midlands, the procurement world has changed. Whether we are from the social economy, public sector, or private sector, we need to consider how we are going to... Read more
13th November 2024
Social Economy Drive starts next week, and it's looking like a fabulous week for the West Midlands region as the social economy sector comes together to achieve more! There's always... Read more
6th October 2024
With World Mental Health Day this week, Thursday 10th October, we are reflecting on what mental health in the workplace looks and feels like. While we’re all on the bandwidth... Read more
26th September 2024
Access to Business is proud to have launched Wolverhampton’s first Social Enterprise Centre in Tempest Street Wolverhampton yesterday as part of City of Wolverhampton Council Business Week. Josie Kelly, Access to... Read more
11th September 2024
Our recent strategic Roundtable session for West Midlands infrastructure organisations explored how we report on our impact economy across the West Midlands, the challenges, the opportunities, and actions that could... Read more
4th September 2024
The Social Economy Awards 2024, organised by iSE CIC and in partnership with West Midlands Combined Authority, is an opportunity to recognise organisations delivering social value and inspiring excellence within... Read more
5th July 2024
Today sees a new Prime Minster in No.10 and a new Government taking the political reins, and, regardless of political leanings, we share our congratulations to those now shouldering the... Read more
3rd July 2024
GET READY FOR A RESET | With the General Election tomorrow, what lies ahead for the social business sector asks David Alcock of Anthony Collins Solicitors."Nowhere to hide: we must... Read more
24th April 2024
At Access to Business, we are excited to be part of the drive to expand the social economy in the West Midlands. Our passion lies in fostering social enterprise growth... Read more
7th March 2024
Yesterday the Chancellor announced the Spring Budget in Parliament, the last ahead of the much anticipated General Election later this year. Here we share a quick round up from key... Read moreCopyright 2026. All rights reserved by BSSEC CIC.