A new study by the World Economic Forum finds that there are 10 million social enterprises globally. Going beyond a focus on profit alone, these enterprises align their missions with the Sustainable Development Goals. Join this session to learn about the often-underestimated size and scope of social enterprise, and a discussion about the role of government to support these enterprises to scale.
As leaders are looking for innovative solutions to deliver on the promise of social inclusion and sustainable development, government are increasingly turning to social enterprises that identify a social or environmental problem to solve, and then the business model that can be sustainable.
In 2023, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the first-ever Resolution on the Social and Solidarity Economy, recognizing the contribution of social enterprises and social and solidarity entities as key to achieve sustainable development. The resolution built on the ILO’s resolution on Decent Work and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the OECD’s recommendation on the Social and Solidarity Economy and Social Innovation, the EUs Action Plan on the Social Economy and the planned AU’s 10- Year Strategy on the Social and Solidarity Economy.
Despite the increased interest, little data is available on the size, scope and impact of social enterprises. A new study of the Schwab Foundations’s Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, developed in partnership with Bertelsmann Stiftung , Catalyst 2030, Euclid Network, SAP, Social Enterprise UK and Social Enterprise World Forum makes a first-in-kind attempt to estimate the total number of social enteprises world wide.