What does that look like in a social enterprise? Rights-based approaches:

• focus on the most marginalised people and groups as a priority group to deliver social benefit with
• look at the obstacles and barriers people accessing services encounter and how these barriers relate to legal rights
• investigate the relationship between the people who are responsible for delivering the rights (normally the state) and the people who are owed the rights (our communities, customers, clients, collaborators and colleagues)
• work in partnership with people to find out more about our rights and raise awareness of how to use them through our work as well as marketing

Here are eight more reasons why rights are relevant and important to our work as rural social enterprises:

1. It helps us improve people’s lives in rural areas. By working with a rights based approach we are identifying and improving areas where our rights are not working (for example, if essential public services are closed without consultation in a rural area)
2. It improves the products and services we deliver. By ensuring that they are legally compliant, don’t have unintended negative impacts and are accurately designed with the people impacted by them (which hopefully also means more profit for our communities and social mission)
3. It can help us get funding. Whether from donors, governments, or crowdfunding initiatives, by demonstrating that the services and products we sell are centring and valuing people (for example, the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First agenda and Scottish Business Pledge highlight the rights of workers including the right of freedom of association and the right to join a union)
4. It prompts us to work towards and hopefully contribute to existing national goals and global standards. Like the National Performance Framework (Scottish Government), the Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations), The UN Global Compact and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It also links to our social purpose or charitable objectives (as these normally have rights at the very core)
5. It’s the law. In countries like the UK, public authorities and social enterprises providing public services must ensure all our human rights are protected and there are consequences if rights are not protected (like going to court which can be very expensive)
6. It reminds us that everyone we interact with deserves dignity and respect. Including our customers and clients, our collaborators, and our colleagues at work (which hopefully means fewer complaints, happier people and people wanting to work with us)
7. It reminds us that we are all human and have a common humanity, which can help us to communicate well together. This is especially important amidst the challenges of a cost of living crisis, climate crisis and polarised politics
8. At the end of the day, thinking about rights and respecting everyone will ultimately mean that we leave a better rural community for the next generation of children and younger people

If you would like to learn more detail about rights and a rights-based approach these resources will deepen your knowledge:

• Equally Ours have a framework for the voluntary sector about using an equalities and rights based approach. The how to use the framework section explains that it can help you with 1) better outcomes, 2) motivating staff and volunteers, 3) meeting legal obligations, 4) attracting funding especially public sector funding, 5) avoiding legal action, and 6) complying with regulators standards and code of practice.
• The Scottish Human Rights Commission has explainer videos and an assessment tool that help you assess whether you are using a rights-based approach.