Social entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship means producing goods or providing services with a view to addressing a social problem or giving benefits to society rather than maximising profits for company owners. Social entrepreneurship forms, formats, goods, services can be very diverse, social enterprises can be both large and small, both internationally and locally, but they are all combined by the desire to create high social added value through business methods.

How is social entrepreneurship defined in Latvia?

“Social entrepreneurship” and “social enterprise” are slightly different concepts. Social entrepreneurship is a broader concept and more characterized by the process, not in any way legally defined. A social enterprise is already a specific type of business and legal status which can be obtained by a company that fulfils national criteria.

In Latvia, a social enterprise is a limited liability company (SIA) who performs a favourable social impact on creative economic activities, such as the provision of social services, the creation of inclusive civil society, the promotion of education, the support for science, the protection and preservation of the environment, the protection of animals or the provision of cultural diversity, and the fulfilment of the criteria and conditions laid down by law, and the status of the social enterprise.

The status of a social enterprise can be obtained:
- existing SIA, which has adapted the conditions of its activities
- newly established SIA established directly with the aim of becoming social enterprises at once.

Social entrepreneurship in Rezekne municipality

The association “Latvian Social Entrepreneurship Association” in cooperation with the British Council in Latvia and 3 municipalities in Latvia - Ogre municipality, Rezekne municipality and Lephen municipality - implement the project BULDING RESILIENCE AND COOPERATION: SOCIAL ENTREPRENUENCE FOR STRONGER COMMUNITIES IN LATVIA, which aims to promote the development of social entrepreneurship in the specific municipalities, creating and introducing long-term social entrepreneurship support activities and instruments that correspond to the needs of existing and potential social enterprises.

As a result of this project, various tools and support systems for social entrepreneurs have been developed.

For more information on what kind of support is provided by the municipality of Rezekne for social enterprises, contact:

Evita Igaune: e-mail: evita.igaune@rezeknesnovads.lv,25748078

Liana Runča: e-mail: liana.runca@rezeknesnovads.lv, 25740422

Iveta Balzer - Ambassador of LSUA social entrepreneurship, Luznava Manor, e-mail: iveta.balcune@rezeknesnovads.lv

Call for an online conference on municipal cooperation with social enterprises