Collecting Data on Social Enterprises 2025

Interviews and desk research Some country studies, especially in the EU, have relied on expert researchers and literature reviews to bring together country snapshots and studies. However, while these can be instructive and provide overviews that may not have existed before, they can rely on the subjective perspectives of a handful of individuals and do not, as such, generate new, primary data. Mixed methods It is important to note that while surveys are perhaps the most common data collection method utilized in country studies, these studies often adopt mixed-methods approaches and supplement surveys with interviews and focus groups. It is also important to note that many of these studies involve collaboration between different (types of) actors, and often vary in scope, sampling method, level of representativeness and time period (among other factors). In several cases, notably Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, censuses have been implemented with a particular focus on social enterprise. The Scottish census, for example, draws on a database of social enterprises that was developed based on data from several different regulatory bodies and screened against the Voluntary Code of Practice for Social Enterprise in Scotland.37 Financial data from these charity and company regulators was then combined with data collected through a survey of these organizations, together forming the basis of the census analyses. Similarly, in 2024, Social Traders in Australia published the 2024 “Report on Identified Social Enterprises”.38 This combined data from Social Traders-certified social enterprises alongside Australian Charities and Not-for- profits Commission data, and data from the Victorian government. 18 Collecting Data on Social Enterprises: A Playbook for Practitioners