What works: The global evidence on social enterprise success factors
This report is a global systematic review of 137 peer-reviewed studies addressing the key question: what enables social enterprises to be resilient, sustain impact and scale?
The headline finding
There's no single formula. Success depends on alignment across six dimensions: policy & strategy, markets, finance & resources, support, human capital, and culture & values.
Trade revenue matters, but it only drives impact when the foundations around it are intentionally built.
This research was supported by the Global Business Innovation Enabling Impact Platform at RMIT University, with additional funding from the 2025 Strategic Impact Fund. Thank you to everyone who worked with us on this report.
Give Industries
Social enterprise success depends on coordinated action
Policy makers
Shape the conditions for success through regulation, procurement and legitimacy.
Funders and investors
Build resilience through patient, mission-aligned capital.
Intermediaries
Reduce friction by coordinating actors, setting standards and enabling market access.
Social enterprises
Convert these conditions into impact through strong execution, innovation and leadership.
Recommendations to fuel social enterprise impact, resilience and scale
- Recognise social enterprise as a distinct part of the economy and reward public benefit delivered through trade
- Activate demand through procurement, buyer education and credible standards
- Shift capital from short-term grants to capability-building, mission-aligned finance
- Invest in intermediaries as critical system infrastructure
- Strengthen execution and leadership capability
- Align action across policy, capital, markets and social enterprises to unlock scale
Discover more data-driven insights
We openly share and collaborate with various partners to produce reports to support the vital contributions of social enterprises.