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Welcome to ABSEN!

A social enterprise is a business which has social and/or environmental objectives as well as commercial objectives. However, unlike a private business, the profits from a "social enterprise" are reinvested in the business or the local community rather than being distributed to shareholders or owners.

ABSEN (Argyll & Bute Social Enterprise Network) is an affiliation of a wide variety of social enterprises and its membership comes from across the Argyll and Bute, meeting every few months to share good practice, offer peer support, develop trading links and explore new ways of strengthening the social economy in the region.

ABSEN has direct representation on the Argyll & Bute Social Economy Partnership (ABSEP) which also comprises Communities Scotland, HIE Argyll and the Islands, Argyll & Bute Council, Federation of Housing Associations in Argyll & Bute and Argyll CVS. ABSEP provides the strategic framework and, where applicable, funding and in-kind support for the development of the sector.

ABSEN is grateful to Communities Scotland for funding the development of this website.

This website is still under construction and we welcome constructive comments on how we can make this the best website of its kind in Scotland. Register today and you can add content and suggestions.