Global Standards

While social enterprises have different legal structures, business models and operating contexts, social enterprises have one thing in common: they work in a way that is consistent with the five Global Standards (‘the standards'). The standards set out that a social enterprise: 1. Exists to solve a social or environmental problem 2. Prioritises purpose, people and planet over profit in operational decisions 3. Has a self-sustaining revenue model 4. Reinvests the majority of any surplus towards purpose 5. Chooses legal structures and financing that lock-in purpose long term. Each standard has a scale with levels from one to five. See more here: https://peopleandplanetfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Verification-Standards.pdf