Social Ark in the Press
Explore the articles, interviews, and features that showcase Social Ark’s work and impact. Here you’ll find a curated selection of media coverage, partner stories, and online spaces where our programmes and entrepreneurs have been featured, making it easy to explore and share the journey we’ve been on since 2014.
2025 NatWest SE100 Top 100 list!
We’re thrilled to share that Social Ark has been named in this year’s NatWest SE100 Top 100 list!
This annual list celebrates the UK’s most impressive and inspiring social enterprises, recognising organisations for their impact, growth, and achievements over the past year.
We’re honoured to be recognised alongside so many incredible social businesses.
2024 Shortlisted for Third Sector Awards!
Social Ark is delighted to have been shortlisted for the 2024 Third Sector Awards. This prestigious recognition celebrates organisations driving positive change and impact within communities. We’re proud to be considered among such incredible peers.
2024 Pioneering Leader Award!
For social enterprise bosses demonstrating excellent leadership, effectiveness and inspiration in taking the team on a mission-driven journey to success.
Lisa Stepanovic is the founder and CEO of Social Ark, a social enterprise that helps young people from under-resourced communities in East London to develop social businesses of their own, drawing from their own lived experiences and then using what they have developed to support other young entrepreneurs along the same journey.
On receiving the award, an emotional Stepanivic said: “I'm a bit overwhelmed actually. This award is a credit to all our team. I'm really proud.”
Asked about the value of being an entrepreneur with 'lived experience' – in this case, being from the community that her social enterprise was set up to support – Stepanovic said that people with lived experience could bring insight to the issues, develop relationships and build trust. This was true not just for her own experience but for all the young community entrepreneurs who had helped to build the Social Ark team. “When people come in, they've got innovative solutions to our toughest problems,” she said. “We can fix our own problems, we just need the tools and resources to do it ourselves.”
2023 NatWest SE100 Top 100 list!
Social Ark is delighted to be recognised in the NatWest SE100 Top 100 for 2023.
The annual SE100 list showcases the UK’s leading social enterprises making a real difference through innovation, impact, and growth.
We’re honoured to be listed among such outstanding organisations.
2022 NatWest SE100 Top 100 list!
We’re proud to share some exciting news — Social Ark has been included in this year’s NatWest SE100 Top 100!
This list celebrates social enterprises across the UK making meaningful impact and driving change. We’re so grateful to be recognised alongside so many inspiring organisations.
2021 NatWest SE100 Top 100 list!
We’re excited to announce that Social Ark has earned a spot on this year’s NatWest SE100 Top 100 list!
This prestigious list highlights the UK’s most impactful and inspiring social enterprises, celebrating their growth and achievements. We’re proud to stand alongside such an incredible group of social businesses.
September 2020
Social Ark partnered with East Wick + Sweetwater and the London Legacy Development Corporation to distribute a £10k pot of funding to support our young East London social entrepreneurs.
Check out the film by Social Ark alumni Joe Tamplin and take a look at how our #SocialArkFamily stepped up to serve their communities when it was needed the most.
May 2020
Michael Sheen’s Visit - 22nd February 2019
Social Ark is a brilliant example of how working class communities can use the social enterprise model to take back control in their communities. As Patron of Social Enterprise UK it’s exactly the sort of example I wanted to see and now I hope to share their story with communities across the UK. Everything I saw on my visit demonstrated that real grassroots change is possible when the resources and tools social enterprise can provide, are matched with the determination and passion of individuals who have the lived experience of the inequalities they seek to change. It was a huge privilege to spend my Friday evening with the family of social entrepreneurs and their founder Lisa Stepanovic. The impact Lisa and Social Ark is making is saving lives and will clearly lead to many of the young social entrepreneurs becoming the next generation of community leaders.”
- Michael Sheen, Actor & Patron of SEUK