Social Enterprises, Benefit Corporations and Community Interest Companies: The UK Landscape (original) (raw)

The term 'social enterprise' refers to public benefit organisations that pursue the satisfaction of social needs through the imposition of at least a partial non-profit constraint and by devoting the majority of their positive residuals and patrimony to socially oriented activities. See Borzaga et al. (2009). In the United States, the term has a broader meaning and social enterprise are those using traditional business methods to accomplish charitable or socially beneficial objectives or companies with a significant mission-driven motive, regardless of whether profit is the primary objective. See