# Social Enterprise Trend Report Understand Businesses That Actively Seek Change By Taylor Keefe | Published 2012-03-20 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/social-enterprise-trend-report References: [trendreports](http://www.trendreports.com/research/social-enterprise) What is a social business? Are they non-profit enterprises or is there incentive to make money? Do people support businesses like these? Featuring 18 PRO Trends and 127 research examples, the [Social Enterprise Trend Report](http://www.trendreports.com/research/social-enterprise) is essential for understanding this growing industry and why consumers are so fascinated with it. A social business can be for-profit or non-profit, however, its main goal is to [make a difference in the community](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/accessible-digital-tools) or culture that it operates in. This is done in various ways, from reinvesting funds into a community to using [fair-trade materials and textiles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ethical-commerce-platform), reducing harm to the environment. By using our [crowd-generated data](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/currents-ai), you will gain more insight into this growing sector of the business world. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.1/10 - Popularity: 9% | Activity: 15% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Social Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialbusiness) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **For-profit Social Businesses:** Identify opportunities for businesses that are driven by profit while also making a positive impact on the community. - **Sustainable Materials and Practices:** Explore innovative ways for businesses to use environmentally-friendly materials and reduce harm to the environment. - **Community Reinvestment:** Discover how businesses can reinvest their profits back into the community for social development and improvement. ### Who This Affects Most - **Manufacturing:** Find ways for manufacturing industries to adopt sustainable practices and use eco-friendly materials. - **Retail:** Explore opportunities for retail businesses to incorporate social and environmental initiatives into their operations. - **Finance:** Identify strategies for financial institutions to support community reinvestment and contribute to sustainable development. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Emerging Market Insights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rising-trends.md) - [Community-Supporting Business Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/linked-prosperity.md) - [Cross-Industry Insight Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-think-party.md) - [Social Responsibility-Aligned Corporate Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/goodbrand-impact.md) - [Conscientious Business Insights Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/insights-platform.md) - [Supportive Entrepreneur Communities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/successful-startups.md) - [Canadian Entrepreneur-Focused Marketplaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/canadian-entrepreneur.md) - [Responsible Investment Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/responsible-investment-platform.md) - [Supportive Entrepreneurial Communities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-zenpreneur-community.md)