Latest News

A wave of social enterprise legal developments across Europe

Benefit Corporation seminar – the new B Corp legislation and “doing business” in Italy today – Ferbruary 2016

Italian specialist law firm R&P Legal contributes to Benefit Corporation seminar, alongside B Lab representatives and government ministers.

Comparing European Fundraising Regulation

Concept of the new law on social entrepreneurship in Czech Republic

Conference on Legal issues in Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investing in the US and Beyond

Draft Law on B Corps proposed in Argentina

In Latin America, the B Corp movement is expanding rapidly. With over 100 certified B Corps, Sistema B (B Lab South America) is gathering momentum.

EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise

ESELA Annual Conference 2016 – “The Future of Social Impact: Connecting Law and Practice”

ESELA Annual Conference 2017 – Teaming Up in the Middle: How do business and nonprofits jointly create social impact?

ESELA at Bulgarian Ministry Conference

ESELA invited to present at OECD/European Commission social economy seminar – February 2016

ESELA was invited to present at a capacity building seminar led by the OECD and the European Commission on 18 February in Brussels.

ESELA invited to speak at the Impact Investing Legal Working Group conference

ESELA Members Event in Luxembourg, 24 October 2017

ESELA publishes Europe-wide mapping study of social enterprise – December 2015

ESELA has published a Europe-wide report which maps the legal state of social enterprise in various jurisdictions.

ESELA spoke at European B Corp Summer Summit

European Commission-established expert group, the GECES, to make proposals for supporting social enterprise – January 2016

GECES Expert Group to make new proposals for promoting social enterprise.

European Social Enterprise Statute Proposed

Professor Antonio Fici has written a new study which proposes ‘A European Statute for Social and Solidarity-Based Enterprise'.

First International Conference of B Lawyers

French Government introduces a bill to fund employment contracts for social enterprises – February 2016

A bill which proposes to provide funding to pay for full-time employment contracts for French social enterprises is being debated in the Senate.

French Social Impact Bonds (contrat à impact social)

On 16 March 2016, the French government submitted its first request for proposals for social impact bonds projects (contrat à impact social).

Future of Social Purpose Company in Belgium

Belgium is rethinking its Company Code as well as the law on non-profit organisations. The Belgian Centre on Company Law is proposing to abolish the

GIIN Legal Practitioners Track Legal Convening

Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship

Italy introduces landmark new law on B Corps – February 2016

Italy has become the first country outside the USA to approve the introduction of a new law allowing companies to register as B Corps.

Landmark Reform of the Third Sector in Italy

Legal Frameworks and the Financial Sustainability of Non Profits

Legal issues in Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investing

Meet our expert – Josip Konjevod

Meet the ESELA Team – Jenny Ebbage

Meet the ESELA Team – Luke Fletcher

Luke Fletcher, Chair of ESELA and partner at UK law firm Bates Wells Braithwaite talks social enterprise.

Meet the ESELA Team – Marleen Denef

Marleen Denef is a board member of ESELA and a partner at Curia.

Meet the ESELA Team – Roberto Randazzo

Roberto Randazzo is a board member of ESELA and a partner at R&P Legal.

Meet the Team – Anne Contreras

New Book: Social Enterprise Law: Trust, Public Benefit, and Capital Markets (Oxford 2017)

New European B Lawyers Group

We are pleased to announce that ESELA and B Lab Europe are forming a European B Lawyers Group.

New Social Commissioning Group established

ESELA will be establishing a new Social Commissioning Group.

New social enterprise law comes into effect in France – February 2016

As of 1 January 2016, a new law in France means that all legal forms are able to apply to receive the ESS Enterprise status.

New statutory social investment power to be introduced in the UK – February 2016

The Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Bill will give charities and social enterprises a statutory social investment power.

New Working Group on Social Enterprise Policy

A new ESELA Working Group is being formed with the specific task of reviewing and providing input to national and European bodies.

OECD’s work on Social Entrepreneurship

Recent Development of the European Social Entrepreneurship Funds (“EuSEF”) Label

Seminal Book on Benefit Corporation Law

Social Commissioning Group

The new Social Commissioning Group which will look at the relationship between the state and social enterprise under European public law.

Social Enterprises – the Dutch landscape

Social Finance seminar – the influence of the UK model on social finance in Finland – February 2016

Castrén & Snellman, ESELA's specialist law firm in Finland, host a social finance breakfast seminar in collaboration with Uusia Network Oy.

The European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL)

The evolving ecosystem of Social Enterprises in Lebanon: An innovative approach towards a new legal framework

The First European Benefit Corporation: blurring the lines between ‘social’ and ‘business’

The First European Benefit Corporation has arrived!

The Growing Influence of Social Commissioning

The not-for-profit corporation: the ideal business model for social entrepreneurs in Switzerland?

The Social Impact Company and the Social Economy Enterprise: A comparative analysis

UK Government explores benefit company status

Where next for Social Business?

Jonathan Bland, Managing Director of Social Business International, writes his opinions on what is next for social business.