The project
Launched in 2020, the European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM) is the first social enterprise monitor on the European level. The project closes the current gap on social enterprise data and informs decision-makers in government, civil society and the economy.
The Aim
The aim is to communicate, support and promote the needs and interests of enterprises in the social and solidarity economy across Europe and beyond. The ESEM gathers participants’ insights on social entrepreneurship and makes them available for decision makers, government officials, investors, researchers and impact practitioners.
Profound Insights
The ESEM is a bi-annual study, describing the results of an online survey, comprising social enterprise and start-up data at European and country level. The project produces elaborate country reports and European comparison, which allows for profound insights on the social enterprise ecosystem in Europe, and highlight the opportunities for development of the sector and its impact.
Impact created
The ESEM will make a positive impact on social enterprises and social finance across Europe. The continuous impact of this monitor is that:
- Data on Social Entrepreneurship is readily available for researchers and decision makers;
- EU policies and funding are more responsive to the needs of (aspiring) Social Entrepreneurs;
- Country policies and funding are more responsive to the needs of Social Entrepreneurs;
- Social investors and support organisations are more responsive to the needs of Social Entrepreneurs;
- Country partners are more aware of each other’s context and policies and learn from each other;
- More effective social finance and social enterprises accelerates reaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Read The European Social Enterprise Monitor Report, 2023 – 2024
The European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM) is a biennial survey-based study on social enterprises (SEs) across Europe. This third edition, taking place over 2023-2024, builds on the editions of 2020-21 and 2021-22.
The ESEM provides information to decision makers so that they can better accommodate and support SEs in their policy, funding and legal frameworks.The ESEM is led at the European level by Euclid Network (EN), with country teams leading the work at the national level. The European Report provides an overview of the data at the European level. National data and analysis are available in the Country Reports (‘xSEM’), produced by country partners. This data gathered by the ESEM includes observations related to the 1807 SEs across 30 European countries sampled in 2023-2024.
Read The Women in Social Enterprise: Observations on the State of the Sector in Europe
Investigating 2021-2022 European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM) data from a gender lens, this report explores women’s representation and leadership within ESEM social enterprises (SEs).
In particular, it elucidates variation in women’s representation in relation to key SE characteristics and themes of impact, governance, finance and barriers.
It also assesses convergence and discrepancies between subsamples of ESEM SEs with all or no women (AW vs. NW) in leadership.
While not implying any causal effects of gender, this report illuminates various facets of the experience of women within the European SE sector (to the extent that ESEM SEs represent the sector), and clarifies directions for further research.
Read The European Social Enterprise Monitor Report, 2021 – 2022
The European Commission is proud to support this year’s European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM), the second edition covering the period 2021- 2022. This report builds on the seminal work of the first ESEM 2020-2021 and has impressively scaled from eight to 21 countries in just one year across the EU and the wider European neighbourhood. It provides key data and insights for policy-makers, investors, support organisations, academia and social entrepreneurs themselves.
Read The National Social Enterprise Monitor Reports 2023-2024
Read The National Social Enterprise Monitor Reports 2021-2022
Read The European Social Enterprise Monitor Report, 2020 – 2021
The European Commission is proud to have supported the first inaugural European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM). It serves as a testament to the extent social enterprises already contribute to the European community and how much potential they still have to offer.
Read The National Social Enterprise Monitor Reports 2020-2021
Join Us
If you are a social entrepreneur looking to make a difference, we want to hear from you! Get involved by signing up for the European Social Enterprise Monitor Study and Community.
Forthcoming Reports
Croatian Social Enterprise Monitor Report
Founding Partners & Sponsors
Project & Country Partners
Research Partners & Research Board
Media & Outreach Partners
