GLOBAL DATA
The State of Social Enterprise
Informing policy through data
In 2024, the Schwab Foundation’s Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship published The State of Social Enterprise: A Review of Global Data 2013–2023. This report provides a comprehensive synthesis of the global state of social enterprise, using data from more than 80 countries gathered between 2013 and 2023.
The data informs policymakers about the contribution of social enterprise towards sustainable development, and priorities to improve the enabling conditions for the sector. It has been developed in partnership with members of the Schwab Foundation's Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, including Bertelsmann Foundation, Catalyst 2030, Euclid Network, SAP, Social Enterprise UK and the Social Enterprise World Forum.
10 Million Social Enterprises
There are around 10 million social enterprises globally, united by the principle of putting purpose before profit.
$2 Trillion in annual revenue
Social enterprises are generating around $ 2 trillion in revenue each year while creating positive impact.
200 million jobs
Social enterprises are creating 200 million jobs across various sectors, from agriculture to financial services.
$1.1 Trillion financing need
Social enterprises are seeking around $1.1 trillion in external financing (beyond personal savings).
1 in 2 led by women
One in two social enterprises around the world are led by women, compared to 1 in 5 conventional enterprises.
2X larger than advertising
The sector is larger than the $1.57 trillion apparel industry and twice the size of the $875 billion advertising industry.
Social enterprise data across the world
The below maps shows the availability of data on social enterprises in 80+ countries across the world. However, significant gaps remain as data can date back more than a decade, comparability across countries is low and definitions vary in different geographies.
Hotspots for Social Enterprises, their revenue and female leadership
While Asia features the most social enterprises in any region, women-leadership of social enterprises is highest in Europe. Social enterprises in Northern America display the highest average turnover. Navigate the details through the map below.
Addressing significant data gaps
Signifiant gaps in the available data on social enterprise remain. In the majority of the world's countries, data on social enterprise is entirely lacking. Where data is available, it often comprises small sample sizes, estimates and extrapolations. Moreover, data is often not comparable across countries as research adopts diverse methodologies, definitions or interpretations.
In 2025, the Schwab Foundation is collaborating with a diverse range of partners to enhance the availability of high-quality data on social enterprises. Key initiatives include a partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) to surface further longitudinal insights on social and environmental priorities and behaviours among entrepreneurs around the world. Additionally, the foundation is partnering with Genesis Analytics to produce a comprehensive report on the state of social enterprises in Africa, leveraging existing and newly gathered data from nearly 20 countries.
The Schwab Foundation is also leading a coalition of social enterprise data experts from academia, international organizations, and industry to align and harmonize survey-based data collection efforts. A comprehensive paper detailing the coalition's recommendations is set to be published in the spring of 2025.
Social entrepreneurs in European Social Enterprise Monitor 2023-2024
Euclid Network released its latest report on the state of social enterprise in Europe in January 2025. This biennial survey-based study spans 31 European countries and provides valuable insights into the sector. The findings confirm the strong presence of women in leadership roles within social enterprises, with women holding a majority of positions across all organizational levels. Additionally, the report reveals that over 70% of social enterprises have a core mission centered on improving the lives of specific groups. One key way they achieve this is through inclusive employment practices. Nearly 50% of social enterprises actively employ individuals with a migrant background or disabilities, underscoring their commitment to fostering social and economic inclusion.
Recognizing other estimates
The British Council publication More in Common: The Global State of Social Enterprise 2022 estimates that there could be as many as 11 million social enterprises globally. This figure is based on research across 27 countries and a global extrapolation. This current, more comprehensive research, has aggregated data from over 80 countries. It has also triangulated data from other sources (such as the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) to sense-check its findings. Based on these estimates, it finds that the actual number of social enterprises globally is likely closer to 10 million. It is encouraging that these two figures are relatively similar.
