Social enterprises in the EU

Law promoting stakeholder participation in social enterprises

In order to facilitate social enterprises, various tailor-made legal forms have been introduced across Europe. This publication explores three specific types, all sharing the common characteristic of stakeholder participation. How do these legal forms perform in practice? Do they truly succeed in elevating the company's social purpose? In order to raise stakeholder participation in social enterprises, different tailor-made legal forms have been introduced across Europe. This publication explores three specific cases from Greece, Belgium and the UK. These legal forms share an important common characteristic of facilitating formal stakeholder participation in the decision-making process. How well do these formally structured forms perform against their more informal and organically constructed counterparts? Social enterprises in the EU: Law in promoting stakeholder participation in social enterprises addresses this very question. The publication examines empirical evidence into the effectiveness of participatory governance structures. To what extend do these structures facilitate enterprises to reach their social purpose?