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Guides

30 Oct 2024

The Governance of Social Enterprises: Managing your Organisation for Success

By Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

This guidebook, made by and for social entrepreneurs, covers building effective boards to balance social mission with financial goals. It includes advice on governance structures, board composition, recruitment, roles, and managing conflicts, highlighting how governance needs evolve as social enterprises grow.

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Summary

This guidebook, created by social entrepreneurs for social entrepreneurs, provides advice on setting up effective governance for social enterprises. It explains that good governance is key to balancing a social mission with financial goals while working with different stakeholders. A strong board can offer strategic support, expertise, networks, and credibility.

The guide describes how governance needs change as a social enterprise grows, from informal advisory groups to formal boards. It covers board setup, including composition, size, recruitment, term limits, and performance management. Topics include picking the right governance structure, balancing stakeholder interests, handling conflicts of interest, and adapting as the enterprise evolves.

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