10th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise

The EMES International Research Network, in partnership with the Rotterdam School of Management of Erasmus University and Utrecht University are pleased to announce the 10th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise on the theme Scaling Through Communities: The Role of Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises in Boosting Societal Transitions.

This conference will be hosted in Rotterdam on 3, 4 and 5 November; after the conference excursions on 5 November, the conference will be continued in Utrecht on 6 and 7 November 2025.

In the face of unprecedented ecological, social, democratic, demographic and economic challenges, there is a growing need for transformative change that moves beyond incremental improvements. The ‘SE field’ (social enterprises, social entrepreneurship, the social and solidarity economy, and social innovation) with its community-centered approaches, is increasingly recognized as a key actor in fostering a deep transition towards a more equitable, sustainable and just society. The conference, Scaling Through Communities: The Role of Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises in Boosting Societal Transitions, seeks to explore the strategies, innovations, partnerships and contexts that enable SE to drive systemic change while scaling its impact across diverse contexts, rooted in the historical resilience seen in institutions for collective action, spanning a millennium and highlighting the potential of community self-governance as both a scalable and sustainable model.

At the core of this conference is the recognition that SE does not take place in isolation but is embedded in complex networks of relationships with communities, public institutions, for-profit businesses, non-governmental organizations and social movements. By examining the transition pathways of SE organizations, we aim to understand how this field can maintain its mission-driven focus while tackling, in complex ecosystems, the challenges and opportunities of systemic change.