Since co-releasing the Social Enterprise Sector Strategy in partnership with the Government of Nova Scotia in April 2017, the network secretariat, Common Good Solutions, has been collecting and analyzing data and authoring a report that captures the promise the social enterprise sector holds for businesses pursuing positive community impact as well as profit.

“With this research we have been offered a snapshot of the enormous potential the social enterprise sector holds (with over 3000 identified) and we are thrilled to move forward with a clearer understanding of how to grow and strengthen the sector,” said Cathy Deagle-Gammon, President, Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia.

Respondents indicated:

• This sector wants to grow.  The majority of respondents (66%) plan to grow their business activities to further meet their missions.
• This sector can grow, if supported by policy and access to capital.  The three strongest priority areas identified by respondents to assist in their development was to increase their access to customer markets, expand business skills of their directors and managers, and increase their access to capital.
• There is lots of room for budding social enterprises.  Social enterprises make a strong financial contribution to the province. Respondents reported $179 million in revenue in 2016, $123 million of which was from the sale of goods and services.
• Social enterprises are actively making the economy and communities stronger.  Respondents indicated they believe their role and the sector’s role should be as an agent of fundamental change. They seek, through their operations, to build a more socially, environmentally, culturally and economically just society.

Download Mapping the Social Shift

Another exciting component of this release is the launch of the social enterprise resource portal. This database can be found at www.senns.ca, where over 500 data points have been researched and curated to directly serve anyone looking to start or grow a social enterprise. The new portal exists to remove barriers to startup success for social enterprises across the province by bringing resources together in one place, exclusively for the emerging social enterprise business model.

The Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia (SENNS) is a non-profit, member-led society, building a movement on behalf of social enterprises across the province. SENNS is committed to advocating on behalf of entrepreneurs and businesses whose missions involve strengthening our communities.

Source: Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia