Policy brief on scaling the impact of social enterprises

This policy brief on strategies and policies to scale the social impact of social enterprises was produced within a multiannual co-operation between the LEED programme of the OECD and the Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission. It begins by explaining what a social enterprise is and what scaling means in the context of social enterprises. It then compares the scaling patterns of social enterprises and conventional enterprises, looking at social impact vs. profit maximisation, the types of goods and services involved, and stakeholder relations. It goes on to examine specific strategies for scaling impact and also highlights the challenges and policy responses connected with this.