The Social Enterprise Day was held again this year after a long break, thanks to the Social Enterprise Coalition in Hungarywho took on the organization of the event - providing an opportunity for social enterprises and organizations working in this field to meet, discuss their challenges, and share their successes.
On September 29th, representatives of Hungary's social enterprises and related organizations gathered at the Erste headquarters. After a joint opening panel discussion, participants had the opportunity to delve into various breakout sessions focused on concrete topics, such as corporate partnerships, social impact assessment, and financing options.
One key element of the meeting was that the Social Enterprise Coalition offered a solution to a problem that had been previously discussed:the lack of a unified definition for social enterprises. The SEC developed its own definition, which participants could sign if they agreed with it.
According to their definition:
Social enterprises are considered to be those organizations that operate at the intersection of social innovation, the social economy, and the market (regardless of legal form) and engage in business activities to achieve their social/environmental objectives.
However, during the panel discussion, it was mentioned that it would not be a good idea to formalize this definition within a legal framework. The reason is straightforward: currently, the goal is to expand the ecosystem of social enterprises, so the definition is being handled flexibly, and efforts are made to make it as inclusive as possible, in order not to hinder the sector's growth.
The long-term goal is to encourage and support the process where as many social enterprises in Hungary as possible obtain international certification. The SEWF certification has two key criteria: mission and sustainability. These criteria can be applied in the Hungarian context as well, and currently, eight enterprises already possess this certification.
The organizers have pointed out that the results of the 2021 international research have provided valuable insights into the operation of social enterprises in Hungary. Another survey is expected this autumn, and they encourage participants from the sector to take part in it.
