Social enterprises are businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.
Social enterprises tackle a wide range of social and environmental issues and operate in all parts of the economy. By using business solutions to achieve public good, the Government believes that social enterprises have a distinct and valuable role to play in helping create a strong, sustainable and socially inclusive economy.

http://www.dti.gov.uk/socialenterprise/index.htm

The role of the Social Enterprise Unit (SEnU) is to:
· act as a focal point and co-ordinator for policy making affecting social enterprise;
· promote and champion social enterprise;
· take action needed to address barriers to growth of social enterprises; and
· identify and spread good practice.
The Unit was launched on 9 October 2001 by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, at a seminar hosted by the then Minister with responsibility for social enterprise, Douglas Alexander MP, and attended by key stakeholders in the sector. Stephen Timms MP is now the Minister responsible for social enterprise.

http://www.dti.gov.uk/cics/