Methodology

The best countries to be a social entrepreneur 2019

Scope

The Thomson Reuters Foundation, the corporate charity of Thomson Reuters, the world’s largest news and information provider, conducted a survey in 45 of the world’s biggest economies as ranked by the World Bank to find out which countries are creating the best environment for social entrepreneurs and how these conditions have changed since the inaugural global poll in 2016. The World Bank’s list of the world’s biggest economies from 2014 was again used to have a direct comparison.

In 43 countries, we contacted at least 20 experts focused on social entrepreneurship: academics, social entrepreneurs, investors, policy-makers and support network staff. This sample size was deemed to be sufficient to provide statistically reliable data with a low margin of error. In two countries, Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Thomson Reuters Foundation was unable to guarantee the necessary sample of experts so both countries were dropped from the list.

The survey was carried out in collaboration with Thomson Reuters Labs, a Thomson Reuters company specialised in models and analytics, with sponsorship from Deutsche Bank.

Questions we asked

Click a question below to explore a summary of the key findings and see the polling results. 1 is best.

Conditions are favourable for social entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses

Government policy supports social entrepreneurs

It is easy for social entrepreneurs to get grant funding

It is easy for social entrepreneurs to access investment (debt and/or equity)

Social entrepreneurs can access the non-financial support they need (e.g. financial, legal and technical advice; access to markets and networks; coaching, mentoring and training)

It is easy for social entrepreneurs to sell to government

It is easy for social entrepreneurs to sell to business

It is easy for social entrepreneurs to sell to the public

It is easy for social entrepreneurs to attract staff with the required skills

The general public understands what social entrepreneurs do

Social entrepreneurs can make a living from their work in my country

Social entrepreneurship is gaining momentum