Policies and Challenges for Social Entrepreneurship of EU Countries

Abstract

Social enterprises (SE) address poverty, social exclusion, and unemployment as key social challenges; create jobs, generate tax revenue, benefit society. Public policies support SE development and generate value for community. Policy design helps SE scale their impact by strategies such as franchising, mergers, acquisitions, diversification, organisational growth to extend to new markets, locations, products, services. Policy makers help SE overcome challenges; use social clauses and contracts, focusing on markets, finance and skills. Financial support by public funds, loans, equity or quasi-equity, subordinated debt from banks, hybrid funding sources, foundations remains essential for SE.