Social enterprise and their eco-system: A European mapping report of Latvia

This report is part of the study “Social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe” and it provides an overview of the social enterprise landscape in Latvia based on available information as of May 2018.

Social enterprise is still rather a new concept in Latvia, yet these organisations are developing quickly, raising interest from all sectors and stakeholders. Even though social movements existed already as of the middle of the 19th century when Latvians united to tackle essential societal problems, social enterprises only began to develop in the last decade, mainly initiated by the activities of associations and foundations. Therefore, social enterprises in Latvia emerged from the non-profit sector despite the fact that the ruling power hampered the functioning of associations in Latvia in various periods of time (e.g. the authoritarian regime of Karlis Ulmanis or the Soviet Union regime). However, associations and foundations prevailed due to their strong roots and traditions…