eBay to invest in small businesses to support disadvantaged communities

eBay UK has announced a three year multi-million pound training and finance support package for retail businesses within the social enterprise sector.

The ‘eBay for Change’ programme aims to create jobs and opportunities in marginalised and vulnerable communities which have been hardest hit socially and economically by COVID-19 by helping to grow community based businesses.

To deliver the programme, eBay has partnered with Social Enterprise UK and the World Fairtrade Organisation to give global shop fronts to small businesses who reinvest their profits back into their communities here in the UK or abroad.

As the programme ramps up in the coming months, up to 50 businesses will start trading on the hub on eBay UK, with the number expected to grow significantly as it scales.

Every purchase from this hub will have a direct positive impact on supporting disadvantaged communities - whether that’s providing job or training opportunities to people with a physical or learning disability or tackling social problems like homelessness, exclusion or abandoned children, improving people’s life chances, or helping the environment.

Through an in-depth package of support, including zero fees, one to one digital skills training and a significant marketing investment, eBay aims to positively impact thousands of jobs and livelihoods across the UK over the next three years.

Mandy Powell, founder of The Goodwash Company, a social enterprise selling luxury soap and wash products that will be joining the eBay for Change platform said: “Social impact is at the heart of everything we do at goodwash. We use our profits and our business model to support local sustainable projects that make a real difference.

“The more people buy, the more good we can do - with eBay’s reach, we are excited about what this means."

Chris Gale, Head of Social Impact of eBay UK added: “While the pandemic hasn’t created the levels of inequality that we see in society, it has certainly exacerbated them both socially and economically.

“We want to be a part of changing that and building a fairer and ultimately more sustainable economy.

“We believe that business can be a force for positive change and social enterprises are the living and breathing example of how this can be achieved. With 300,000 small businesses successful trading on eBay UK we have proven technological expertise to bring millions of shoppers to these.