The award was presented by Charles Rapson, Strategic Lead for Social Economy Growth at the West Midlands Combined Authority, who praised Birgit’s lifelong commitment to justice, community building and climate-positive enterprise.

“The winner of this category is someone who has proven her desire for social justice and making her customers happy, which I think is a great set of qualifications for a social entrepreneur... Yes, Birgit.”

A pioneer of climate-friendly, socially-driven catering. ChangeKitchen CIC is widely recognised as the Midlands’ only fully climate-friendly catering social enterprise, delivering high-end corporate, private and third-sector catering while creating deep, measurable social impact.

Over the past fifteen years, ChangeKitchen CIC has become a quiet powerhouse in Birmingham’s social economy, using food as a bridge into opportunity, dignity and community.

Their work includes:
• 95,000 free meals cooked and distributed since March 2020, with 200 to 400 meals still provided weekly
• Nearly 10,000 bespoke emergency food parcels delivered to people in crisis
• 20 to 50 supported work placements offered every year to people furthest from the labour market
• Growth from 2.5 staff to 12, many of whom joined following supported placements
• Employment of survivors of modern slavery through partnership with the Jericho Foundation’s Equiano Programme
• 50 to 100 tonnes of surplus food saved from landfill annually
• A fully climate-friendly kitchen powered by low-carbon energy, composting, recycling and zero-waste principles

Birgit Kehrer on the award:

“I am very pleased indeed to be receiving the prestigious Overall Contribution to the Social Economy Award. It is wonderful to have the work of the past 17 years recognised. I started my social enterprise journey believing the world would be better if businesses measured success by more than profit. I have always held the triple bottom line of environment, social impact and financial sustainability as the truest path forward.

Connecting organisations, co-creating solutions and building communities has always been at the heart of my work. The Sustain UnConference is a perfect example. It brings together partners and 200 sustainability specialists across sectors. Moments like that remind me why we do this.”

A launchpad for ChangeKitchen CIC’s next chapter!

The award comes at a pivotal time for the organisation. In April 2025, ChangeKitchen CIC launched ReadyMealsForGood™, a climate-friendly, socially-driven ready meal range designed for workplaces, canteens and organisations wanting to embed social value into their contracts.

The new product line will allow ChangeKitchen CIC to grow beyond Birmingham while staying rooted in the city, increasing financial sustainability and expanding impact. Several large-scale contract negotiations are currently underway.

Lives transformed. Stories like Charlotte’s show the heart of ChangeKitchen CIC’s mission.

A young care leaver who first joined to earn a Food Hygiene certificate, she discovered a gift for cooking and community. Birgit offered her a volunteer placement and training path. Charlotte embraced it. She later became an apprentice commis chef and achieved Distinction in all three parts of her final examination. University College Birmingham confirmed it was the first time this had happened in a decade.

To read more on Birgit's Story, click the link below:

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