Next up in our interviews with the Council of Management is Benjamin Péan, head of the Chair of Charity and Social Enterprise.
What is your role on the Council of Management?
I am the Chairman of the First ever BJC’s (Bristol Junior Chamber) Charity & Social Enterprise Commission!
What does your role involve?
My role consist in supporting the Vision of a Greater Bristol for all through economic growth and sustainable development.
This will be achieved in:
– Strengthening & Raising the Social Consciousness within our organisation and among our members. So we live and breathe the Social Good in everything we do!
– Creating a Friendly and Stimulating atmosphere to support projects and “Cross Pollination” initiatives, focusing on doing Businesses generating a social positive impact within the Local Ecosystem.
– Bringing solutions allowing to connect and engage through a collaborative model with a strong, vibrant and diverse business and social communities that our members do not usually encounter on a daily basis.
Why did you want to be involved in the Council of Management?
Beyond my social vocation of trying to support the idea of a fairer society thanks to economic growth and sustainable development, I decided to stand for this specific role for two reasons.
The first one because my personal background (not being native from Bristol, having different cultural exposure) and my professional skills developed within my company Airbus Group will benefit The Charity and the Social Enterprise’s Business Communities. Bristol is having the potential to innovate and become the home of the “Business of the Future” which requires the critical combination of supporting business efficiency and generating a positive social impact in a more consistent and systematic basis. I will bring the international perspective that indicates me what Bristol Charity & Social Enterprise could be a on global Scale.
BJC is in a position to support Bristol in achieving this goal of becoming a smart city.
Let’s do it together!
BJC is also an exciting “Forum” to engage with diverse and young community members within and outside the organisation. BJC is the right social hub for Charity & Social Enterprise and offer an out-reach to this diverse community.
What opportunities has this brought you or new skills have you developed?
This role brings me a fantastic opportunity to analyse, and try to bring solutions to the Charity and Social Enterprise Landscape continuously evolving due to radical change in the way of doing social good and generating revenues (disruptive model).
I’ve also been able to develop leadership skills thanks to this pioneering role in trying to:
- develop the collective vision of Smart Social Giving to support the breakthrough of the new Social Economy Village / City.
- take part directly and indirectly through collaborative approach to influence the set framework (Social Value Innovation)
What has been the best thing about being on the Council of Management?
The best in being part of the Council is still to come. I am currently experimenting a new project, commission.
This is very exciting to see that things will take shape in a wider perspective than expected thanks to the support of key sponsors within the organisation (especially the Current BJC’s President Oliver Brown) and outside (such as Quartet Community Foundation, Social Enterprise Works, The High Sheriff of Bristol County).
If we succeed in this (and together we will), the BJC will become a “powerful social Enabling Platform” for a new Social Economy Breakthrough – “Started in Bristol coming to the World”.