Collecting Data on Social Enterprises 2025

Appendix 2: List of common survey themes The type of data available on social enterprise varies significantly, as a result of diverse research objectives, time periods, geographical contexts and more. Data may be qualitative or quantitative, or a mix of both. But a number of common themes can be identified. Delineated by the categorization of basic types of data outlined on page 7, the common themes that emerged from the survey mapping for this paper are as follows. 1. Identification and characteristics –(Self) identification as a social enterprise (or with an alternative label more common in a particular context). –Purpose (namely, whether or not they pursue/ prioritize a social/environmental purpose). –Legal form. –Age of the social enterprise (when it was legally founded and/or when it began operations). –Geography and scale (where the organization was based, operated, made sales or created impact). –Business sector/industry. –Business model (i.e. whether the organization sold goods or provided services, and sometimes the specific goods/services created). –Types of income. –Proportion of income derived from trading. –Profit distribution (where profits were distributed, and in what proportions or amounts). 2. Workforce and leadership –Workforce breakdown (sometimes by organizational level, often with a particular focus on the leader/founder). –Age. –Gender. –Under-represented backgrounds (most often with regard to disability or ethnic identity). 3. Social and environmental mission –Impact model: Aim and approach (what impact the social enterprise sought to create (often through alignment with particular UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how they aimed to do so). –Beneficiary type. –Number of beneficiaries. –Impact measurement practices (whether or not social enterprises engaged in this practice and the approach they utilized). 4. Economic performance –Number of employees (and often volunteers). –Types and amounts of annual turnover/income/ revenue (sometimes disaggregated by source). –Expenditures (amount and type). –Types of financing (and sometimes investment amounts). –Profitability (whether or not the organization was profitable, and sometimes the amount of profit made). –Growth and scaling (past and predicted, both in terms of turnover and job creation). 5. Barriers and challenges/general sentiment –Common barriers (and sometimes their prioritization or the extent to which they are problematic). –Financing challenges. –Support needs. –Network/ecosystem engagement (extent of engagement with a network, and specific sources of support previously accessed and currently needed). 6. Practice and behaviour –Environmental sustainability (usually focused on energy usage). –Innovation. –Pay equity (living wage and pay ratios). –Governance: –Stakeholder participation. –Ownership. Collecting Data on Social Enterprises: A Playbook for Practitioners 22