20 Dec 2021 | Archive
Dear Customer, Investor, Supporter,
With your support we have, since our foundation, now employed and trained over 1400 long-term unemployed people from Dublin’s Northside.
In 2021
- we employed 40 long-term unemployed people in our social enterprise business
- we delivered 2000+ training hours across 13 training programmes
- we provided 200+ one-to-one support meetings
Thank you!
We Wish You a Safe and Happy Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year!
The Speedpak Team
Christmas Closing Times
Our offices will close for Christmas on Thursday 23rd December at 12:00 (midday) and will reopen on Tuesday 4th January at 8:30 am.
19 Nov 2021 | Archive
The European Commission will launch the European Action Plan for the Social Economy on Wednesday 8th December 2021.
The objectives of the action plan are:
- To recognise the social economy as a transversal actor in the main socio-economic policies of the European Union.
- To promote the convergence and coordination of the different public authorities involved in the promotion of the social economy by defining strategic objectives and benchmarks at EU level.
- To foster a conducive ecosystem for the growth of the social economy, improving its contribution to key EU objectives and allowing social economy enterprises to take full advantage of the single market, EU funds and financial instruments.
This follows a 2018 proposal by Social Enterprise Europe (SEE) for a European public policy covering the whole social economy. Other recent actions at EU level have included the launch in 2011 of the Social Business Initiative (SBI), and the 2016 Start-up and Scale-up initiative. Crucially, it follows the growing activity in the sector and awareness of its positive contribution to society.
SEE highlights the need for an Action Plan to:
- Boost the visibility of social economy enterprises and organisations
- Support them to generate social and technological innovations
- Improve their access to finance and EU funding
- Remove the legal obstacles impeding their ability to grow and operate in the Single Market on an equal footing with other types of companies
- Inspire public authorities from the EU and its neighbouring countries to promote the growth of the social economy as a driver of economic and social progress for all
It calls the Action Plan a “key tool to systematically incorporate the social economy into the different socio-economic policies of the European Union, as well as into its actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.
15 Nov 2021 | Archive
Ireland’s Third National Social Enterprise Conference will take place on Thursday 18th November 2021. It will run from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
The theme of this year’s conference (which will be held online) is ‘The Future of Social Enterprise in a Changing Ireland‘.
It will be hosted by the Rural Strategy and Social Enterprise Unit of the Department of Rural and Community Development.
All are welcome.
Register via Eventbrite.
26 Jan 2021 | Archive
The Social Enterprise Development Fund is offering cash grants and places on an accelerator programme to up to 16 Awardees in 2021.
The Fund invites applications from social enterprises that:
● Have a clear social mission that addresses a critical social issue
● Generate income from goods or services
● Are already up and running
● Reinvest any surplus into achieving their mission
● Have a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. companies limited guarantee
● Are separate from the Government and state agencies
● Have their main impact in the Republic of Ireland
● Have not already completed a multi-year fund with Rethink Ireland.
Full information can be found on the Rethink Ireland website at https://rethinkireland.ie/current_fund/social-enterprise-development-fund-2021/
The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 5th March 2021.
22 Dec 2020 | Archive
Thank you for helping us make it through 2020 and be ready for 2021!
Despite everything, we’ve remained open for business while providing commercial work experience opportunities to over 60 previously long term unemployed people in 2020. That’s some 1300 people since our foundation! As the year progressed, we were able to bring back any staff that had temporarily been furloughed.
Our Speedpak Contract Services & E-fulfilment division provided crucial warehousing, packing and supply chain services for commercial customers supplying personal protective equipment nationwide.
Staff in our Shamrock Rosettes division – hard hit by the cancellation of almost all events – demonstrated their flexibility in designing and manufacturing repurposed, washable, branded face coverings that we now sell.
This year has highlighted the importance for a business like ours, to remain focused, flexible and entrepreneurial, not only for commercial success but also to achieve social impact locally. In our case, that flexibility and focus enabled us to continue supporting a local community with employment opportunities.
We couldn’t have done it without your support, so a big thank you to…
Our Customers
for trusting us with their products, for buying ours and providing the work that enables us employ local unemployed people.
Our Government & State-funded Partners
The Government of Ireland, POBAL, The Dormant Accounts Fund, Northside Partnership and Coláiste Dhúlaigh College of Further Education for contracting our services.
Our Corporate & Philanthropic Investors
Rethink Ireland, The Ireland Funds & AbbVie for backing us and helping us deliver our mission.
Our Volunteer Companies
Afanite, Perigord-AS for lending their expertise free of charge.
Our Industry Partners
AbbVie, Bewleys, Butler’s Chocolates, IKEA and Realtime Technologies for supporting our Traineeship Programme.
We wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous 2021!
