Boosting Social and Community Entrepreneurship for the Transition to a Inclusive and Sustainable Society (SCENTISS) 

Duration 01.01.2023  to 30.06.2027

Role Co-applicant and leader of a work package

Funding NWO grant KICH1.MV01.20.018  

Summary

Social and community-driven entrepreneurs (SCEs) identify neglected societal problems and provide innovative solutions. SCEs struggle with scaling their initiatives to achieve full potential. Multiple stakeholders add to complexity and dominant actors present barriers for scaling. This research project puts together a unique multidisciplinary consortium of academic researchers, SCEs and stakeholders. Our overall goal is to develop new knowledge that boosts scaling, based on collaborative learning processes and novel tools. We apply living-lab studies focusing on energy transition and local care. We translate our findings into viable, actionable strategies via scalable, bottom-up SCE initiatives and develop a learning track for professionals.

S. España leads a work package investigating methods for impact management and conducting design science projects to engineer software that helps SCEs assess their impact and enact a continuous impact improvement process. Within this project, we are valorising two open-source web-based software applications for impact management:

• openESEA supports environmental, social and governance accounting (a.k.a. sustainability reporting, or integrated reporting). With this tool, SCEs can assess their performance on a diverse set of topics (e.g. gas emissions; water management; equity, diversity and inclusion; workplace democracy; employee satisfaction; ethical supply chain management), by means of stakeholder surveys and the calculation of key performance indicators.
• openBest provides a repository of good practices on environmental, social and governance topics. With this tool, SCEs can share patterns and practices that allow them to achieve their impact, as well asl learn from others. Together, they contribute their impact wisdom to the Commons.

Project members UU

• prof. dr. Niels Bosma (principal investigator)
• dr. Karin Geuijen
• drs. Martijn Arnoldus MA
• dr. Sanne Akerboom
• Arjan van Dorsselaer

External project members

• prof. dr. Tine de Moor (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
• prof. dr. Caroline Hummels (Eindhoven University of Technology)
• dr. Maarten Hogenstijn (Hogeschool van Amsterdam)
• dr. mr. Claudia van Orden (Hogeschool Windesheim)
• dr. Leendert de Bell (Hogeschool Utrecht)
• dr. Petra Oden (Hanzehogeschool Groningen)

Consortia

Erasmus University Rotterdam, Hogeschool Windesheim, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, TU Eindhoven, Hogeschool Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Hanzehogeschool Groningen, DRK Foundation, Provincie Utrecht, Provincie Groningen, Social Enterpise NL, Impact Noord, Impact 030, KplusV, Gemeente Amsterdam, Gemeente Utrecht, Starters4Communities, NLZE - Nederland Zorgt voor Elkaar, Wongema, Platform31, City Deal Impact Ondernemen, Provincie Noord Brabant, KSON - Dutch Knowledge Network for Social Entrepreneurship, Social Finance Matters