Celebrating Social Entrepreneur Day!

I’m on my way home after three days in the beautiful Den Hague, Netherlands where I and my?Euclid Network colleagues were taking part in sessions, meetup’s, presentations and launches in and around the Social Entrepreneurs festival that was the?Impact Fest?event.

It seems only right to take a moment to reflect on not just these three days but on how far we as a sector have come in the last 15 years since the Euclid Network was created, and to celebrate on 17 November -Social Enterprise Day part of Global Entrepreneurship week.?

For those not familiar with the term Social Enterprise, investopiedia’s definition is:?

“A social enterprise or social business is defined as a business with specific social objectives that serve its primary purpose. Social enterprises seek to maximize profits while maximizing benefits to society and the environment, and the profits are principally used to fund social programs” –?what’s not to like!?

As with any good event, I now need to think about what I have learnt and what are my “take- aways” from meeting people from these amazing organisations from all over Europe.?

Here are my top 3;?

1 -?Diversity and Inclusivity?

This was discussed a lot! in fact I think it was mentioned in every meeting I went to and can mean so many things to many different people.?Within the European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM Report)[1]?Social?Enterprises state that their management teams consist of 55.8% women, on average?and?37.2% of ESEM Social Enterprises?employ people with disabilities, which is all great. However, there is other evidence to suggest that women entrepreneurs still struggle to find initial funding after the friends, family (and fools) round and are also in the minority when it comes to those in the the top jobs.?

Also discussed were people with disabilities and how often these groups are forgotten or sidelined. It would seem a reasonably simple tech process to make websites and social media more inclusive to people who have difficulties with hearing, reading or language, so why is this not yet common practice??

A large part of the discussion was also about those distanced to access opportunities, the entrepreneurs who are from under-privileged backgrounds, those with little formal education or are removed from the labour market for whatever reason. Quite often due to the necessity to solve a problem, the most inspiring social businesses are created. However they are underrepresented in the sector with the main issue being simply that many don’t know what help is available to them. The question was asked on many occasions throughout the past three days, how do we as a sector reach these aspiring and inspiring entrepreneurs??

2) Buying Social.?

With the 500 billion USD opportunity for social procurement, the corporate world is beginning to realize that sustainable and ethical companies are the future. SAP estimates that by 2025 it could direct up to 60USD of its global spend social enterprises.

The COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs?summarized the situation in their report 2021 roadmap by saying – “The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the important role business and corporations play in contributing to society. How they operate can make a big positive difference. Businesses are often looking to establish new ways of working to ensure their sustainability, appeal and ability to operate in existing new markets. As suppliers and partners to larger corporations, social entrepreneurs and social businesses have an opportunity to work with, educate and inspired the private sector and help facilitate a bigger social impact alongside business success”

At Euclid Network we are working hard on the Buy Social Procurement Initiative supported by the European Union and working alongside partners such as IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, SAP, YUNUS Social Business, Acumen and EY.?

We see an enormous potential for this area of the sector to grow and are encouraged by the buzz and enthusiasm around it during the last three days and are excited by the possibilities still to be explored.?

3)?Let’s Mainstream?

As a culture, people working in the ‘social sector’ are impact driven. There is something in our DNA that wants to make a positive change to our world. I often talk to my colleagues about ‘busting out of our bubble’ and how we need to go beyond our own comfortable boundaries. We are an eco-system that is very good at patting ourselves on the back and saying how great we are at saving the world, but we need to reach beyond that. Impact Fest saw an attendance 1,500 people, which is extraordinary! A definite step in the right direction with pioneer businesses such as Eneco, Rabobank, Patagonia and EY all giving full house presentations on circular fashion and sustainable finance innovation, which is great and hugely encouraging to see.?

It was interesting to learn from Social Enterprise UK? that through their choice they currently work with a select network of around 30 medium sized UK businesses that want to do more with ethical and sustainable supply chains. More and larger business are metaphorically also knocking on their door too wanting to work with them as they see that the triple bottom line (people, profit and planet) is increasingly important. This demonstrates an important shift in knowledge power away from big for-profit businesses research and development departments to the social enterprise sector.?

We as social entrepreneurs have the knowledge and innovation that these businesses are realising that they need. Let’s reach out to them, go a step beyond and let’s start to make a real impact by leading the way through making sustainable mainstream.

Celebrate

Today, on this World Social Enterprise Day, I am in a contemplative mood, reflecting on the last three days of meeting inspiring, passionate people and am also fired up and ready to go. We have come a long way in the last 15 years, but this is only the beginning of what I can see as huge potential for all of us changemakers to really make that impact we all long so much for.?

[1]?European Social Enterprise Monitor Launched on Tuesday 15 Nov-?https://knowledgecentre.euclidnetwork.eu/european-social-enterprise-monitor-2021-2022/?_ga=2.141819185.283910926.1668609383-58259384.1668435573&_gl=1%2Aknm8ms%2A_ga%2ANTgyNTkzODQuMTY2ODQzNTU3Mw..%2A_ga_829YQLNDY5%2AMTY2ODYwOTM4My4yLjAuMTY2ODYwOTM4My42MC4wLjA

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