Earlier this week, Social Enterprise Scotland launched the 2024 Social Enterprise in Scotland Census, at the Social Enterprise Summit Scotland on Tuesday 2 September 2025.

This latest census (the fourth and final census under Scottish Government’s 10 year social enterprise strategy) highlights the enduring innovation, transformation and impact of Scotland’s social enterprises, cementing their role as a driving force for inclusive and democratic economic growth and community wealth building.

The report shows how over the past 10 years social enterprises in Scotland have grown, adapted to challenges, and remained committed to fairness, sustainability, and equality.

The Social Enterprise in Scotland: Census 2024 is available to view or download via the Social Enterprise Scotland website (linked for your convenience).

Key Findings

Key highlights in the 2024 census include:

6,103 social enterprises across Scotland (+17.4% since 2015)
£2.89 billion Gross Value Added (GVA) added to the economy (+41.7% since 2017)
£8 billion net worth (+107% since 2015)
90,050 full-time equivalent jobs (+10.7% since 2017)
33% of organisations are based in rural areas, strengthening local economies

Social Enterprise Scotland says:

“Despite experiencing significant challenges over the past decade, Scotland’s social enterprises continue to innovate and adapt, demonstrating that business can be resilient and values driven. These numbers tell a story of consistent growth, resilience, and impact across every corner of Scotland.”

Background

Since 2015, Scottish Government has commissioned a census of social enterprise activity as part of its commitment to track the development of the social enterprise sector nationally.

The census project reports on the scale, reach and contribution of social enterprise activity across Scotland as well as the characteristics, prospects and needs of the organisations behind it.

The Social Enterprise in Scotland: Census 2024 has been co-ordinated by Diffley Partnership, with support from a project steering group and funding from Scottish Government.