Social unrest and Covid-19 have interrupted Hong Kong’s strong upward trend in the formation of new social enterprises, new research suggests – but experts believe that with the right support the sector can continue to flourish.

Social entrepreneur Rose Marley wants to boost the UK’s co-op movement, saying the new generation is ready to embrace co-operative principles. And the inequalities exposed by the pandemic show they are needed more than ever.

A collaboration between a consultancy in Pakistan and one of Europe’s top business schools has been even more successful than planned, supporting 100 new businesses run by students and alumni to take their first steps.

Sharing lessons learned by UK enterprises has helped Indonesian women start and develop their own social and creative enterprises including a co-operative bakery, therapy for survivors of domestic violence and orchid farming.

Africa can today compete with the rest of the world, thanks to new technologies and an entrepreneurial generation of young innovators, heard delegates at the Impact Africa Social Entrepreneurship Summit.

Changing people leads to change in communities, believe the leaders of a project that empowers young people to solve the problems they see around them.

Nesta, Upstart Co-Lab and Fundación Compromiso are exploring the potential for a new global investment fund dedicated to creative enterprise as they launch project at start of UN International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.

Thailand’s government has pushed through legislation to support social enterprises drive the country’s economic and social progress, but more needs to be done as gaps between investors’ position and government agenda remain.

Some say, if you can’t measure it, it didn’t happen. But it’s a real challenge to assess social impact. A partnership in South Africa aims to introduce impact measurement and management techniques to grassroots creative and social entrepreneurs.