Bookdonors
A Scottish CIC that has redefined bookselling as a force for social and environmental change.
At first glance, Bookdonors, a social enterprise based in Selkirk, appears simply to sell books to raise money for good causes. In fact, it achieves far more than that.
Founded in 2005 by Lawrie Hayworth, Bookdonors has found a way to turn a burden 바카라 사이트� unwanted used books 바카라 사이트� into an asset producing a triple bottom line.
Its model is quite straightforward. Bookdonors receives a steady supply of second-hand books from charities, libraries and other organisations, and it sells them on the internet, through Amazon and AbeBooks. Books not reused go for recycling.
Around a quarter of the money raised goes back to each supplier, helping them to fundraise for their cause (that바카라 사이트檚 an economic bottom line). Tonnes of books are diverted from landfill (that바카라 사이트檚 an environmental one). And Bookdonors provides training and employment to people with disabilities and the long-term unemployed (that바카라 사이트檚 the social bottom line).
바카라 사이트淎round a third of our staff and volunteers are registered disabled,바카라 사이트� says Hayworth. 바카라 사이트淥n top of that, about 80 per cent have come from long-term unemployment. So as well as being a social enterprise, we are a social firm 바카라 사이트� the first in the Scottish borders.바카라 사이트�
Today, Bookdonors has a turnover of 拢850,000. It employs 22 staff and it has raised more than 拢200,000 in payments back to charities.
Bookdonors has been clear from the start that it works as a business, and that바카라 사이트檚 why it chose to structure itself as a CIC. 바카라 사이트淚 previously spent years working for large multinationals,바카라 사이트� says Hayworth. 바카라 사이트淭hat바카라 사이트檚 my background, and I wanted to run Bookdonors as a business too, but with clear social aims.바카라 사이트�
The CIC model, he says, was the right one for Bookdonors because it enshrined the principles of being a business, not a charity, but working for a community purpose. 바카라 사이트淲e didn바카라 사이트檛 want to go down the charity route because that doesn바카라 사이트檛 make the same statement about being a business,바카라 사이트� he explains. 바카라 사이트淎s a CIC, we are clearly defined and we have an asset lock.바카라 사이트�
Although Bookdonors started with the aim of raising funds for charities 바카라 사이트� and that purpose still remains 바카라 사이트� Hayworth feels its biggest achievement has actually been the social element. 바카라 사이트淐reating employment for those furthest from the job market has been great,바카라 사이트� he says. 바카라 사이트淚바카라 사이트檝e seen people바카라 사이트檚 lives changed because of their involvement with Bookdonors.바카라 사이트�
The organisation has big plans for the future and although the business start-up phase is now over, there is plenty of hard work ahead to make use of the opportunities needed to grow the organisation over the next five years.
| Name | Bookdonors |
| Location | Selkirk, Scotland |
| Company structure | CIC limited by guarantee |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Community interest statement | A social enterprise trading in used books to help people, charities and the environment. |
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