25 Social Entrepreneurship Ideas To Start In 2024

While many entrepreneurs choose to set up a for-profit business, others prefer to focus their efforts on addressing critical social issues.

Social businesses focus on bringing value to the culture and environment through sustainable farming practices or renewable energy systems.

In this guide, we've covered a diverse range of social enterprises to help you craft a unique business plan and raise awareness of causes.

What Is Social Entrepreneurship?

A social entrepreneur is someone who establishes a company with the aim of funding and implementing a range of social solutions.

Social entrepreneurs also work in the local community to help meet environmental impact standards and achieve sustainable outcomes.

Like the best solopreneur business ideas, social entrepreneurship ideas cover a wide range of industries, products, and services.

Often classified as a nonprofit organization, these institutions differ from traditional business ideas in several fundamental ways.

While traditional business models measure performance in terms of profit and revenue, a social enterprise is concerned with different outcomes.

Their effect on social, environmental, and cultural goals drives their business model, whether helping local communities or working in developing countries.

Contemporary social enterprise ideas often incorporate online activities to promote awareness of their goals regarding social or environmental problems.

As such, it's a rapidly evolving, dynamic sector that offers plenty of opportunities for those looking to establish a social entrepreneurship business.

The 25 Best Social Entrepreneurship Ideas For 2024

With so many social entrepreneurship ideas to choose from, choosing where to begin will depend on your personal experience and goals.

We've included a broad selection of business models used by social entrepreneurs to help inspire you and create positive impact and change.

So, with that said, here's our complete list of social entrepreneurship examples for you to consider in 2024:

25. Recycling & Upcycling

Perhaps one of the longest-running social enterprise ideas is recycling and upcycling, which transforms waste into sellable products.

While recycling requires an expensive outlay for the facility, upcycling offers a small-scale alternative business model to try out.

You can source materials from your local community to upcycle into furniture and other items made from paper, glass, and metals.

These can be sold in your local communities or through an e-commerce website builder, where your inventory can be listed online.

24. Social Investment Funds

Social investment funds are a growth sector, with social enterprises opening in London and other major cities worldwide.

Capable of maximizing positive impact while delivering a return on investments, social investment funds offer a variety of financial assistance.

While some partner with local small businesses on sustainability goals, others help to foster educational programs and opportunities.

It's a great way to promote ethical investing and help others gain access to the resources needed to deliver a beneficiary and social impact.

23. Buy One, Give One Service

Another effective way to help deliver positive change is by introducing the buy one, give one service model into your existing company.

This model is straightforward and involves a company giving donations to a chosen recipient for each sale of their product or service.

Developed by Blake Mycoskie of TOMS Shoes, the model allows for-profit companies to engage in a social mission and contribute to various goals.

It doesn't have to impact the organization's operating costs and can significantly raise its profile in the business world.

22. Home Tutoring

Offering home tutoring services is among the best home-based business ideas for moms, with millions of potential students worldwide.

From a social enterprise perspective, home tutoring can be offered for free or at a discount price, with funding from outside sources.

Former and current teachers with the necessary qualifications can jump straight into the home tutoring business model and utilize their experience.

It can involve working with children of all ages and is ideal for those with the ability to engage others in a range of subjects and learn new skills.

21. Health & Wellness Coaching

Health and wellness coaching is one of the best self-care business ideas you can try, but it doesn't have to be entirely profit-driven.

You can approach the service with a broad brush, offering support and advice covering everything from exercise and diet to general well-being.

Alternatively, health and wellness coaching can hone in on a particular area of concern for specific clients who are looking for help.

Overheads are generally low, with many health and wellness coaches visiting clients in their homes without using their own office space.

20. ESL Schooling

A more specialized alternative to general home tutoring is ESL schooling, a popular social enterprise for teachers who speak more than one language.

As ESL schooling involves working with people from various cultural and social backgrounds, grasping these variables is a must.

It's one of the best international business ideas for teachers who want to expand their horizons and have a lasting impact on developing countries.

19. Setting Up A Charity App

With the "Internet of Things" continuing to expand, the use of mobile apps in social entrepreneurship is continuing to expand.

Once an application has been coded and released, it can become one of the best businesses that run themselves, with minimal maintenance.

A charity app is no exception and can help bring in funding through donations and connect volunteers on important issues.

If you don't have any app development experience, you can use services from startup accelerators to transform your business model into reality.

18. Crowdfunding Websites

With a lack of funds among the biggest obstacles faced by entrepreneurs, crowdfunding websites offer the solution to this problem.

A crowdfunding website is a centralized platform where potential investors can view business ideas and support social programs they agree with.

Setting up a crowdfunding site is simple, with some of the best website templates giving you a starting point to build up content.

You can increase the revenue from the website through systems such as paid advertising and subscriptions from community members.

17. Ethical Online Marketplace

There are lots of great entrepreneurship ideas you can start with just an internet connection, such as establishing an ethical online marketplace.

Some factors you'll need to consider include establishing ratings for vendors, offering price comparison tools, and customer support.

Your marketplace will need to be branded, so you'll need to learn how to design a logo and other key branding elements.

The platform can be used to promote ethical products while also helping to share resources and skills development in your local community.

16. Sharing Online Courses

If you have a background in education and want to help others develop their skills, you can consider sharing online courses.

There's no limit to the subjects your courses can cover, with plenty of scope for content encouraging economic development and sustainability.

To help promote your courses, you can consider setting up a website and sharing your insights in blog posts to spread on social media.

There are many great blog website builders available to use for this purpose, which include lots of handy tools for creating attractive content.

15. Social Supermarkets

With the cost of living crisis showing no signs of slowing down, many low-income communities are struggling to address food insecurity.

Social supermarkets go a long way in addressing these issues and helping unemployed and low-income families get the food they need.

They can provide access to food at a discounted price, partnering with existing organizations to assist with supply chain management.

This includes selling food approaching its expiry date, as well as products with dented packaging or mislabeled content.

14. Online Platform For Volunteers

Thousands of people are eager to get involved in social causes but don't have the information needed to begin.

Setting up an online platform to bring volunteers together is a great way to help charity organizations find people to help achieve their goals.

Volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, from stay-at-home moms working around a busy schedule to students with spare time.

The platform can be used to help with time management, empowering people to connect with local businesses and charitable organizations.

13. Fair Trade Subscription Box

Subscription boxes have been rising in popularity, whether helping local farmers sell products or delivering hand-crafted products to consumers.

Fair trade subscription boxes use the same basic business model as their for-profit counterparts but with an ethical principle at their core.

Operational costs aren't exorbitant, and subscription boxes can also be made from environmentally friendly materials to reduce their impact.

With the market set to grow significantly in the following years, it's a popular social enterprise focused on local community members.

12. Non-Profit For Animals

Animal welfare is a perennial concern for many people interested in protecting the environment and natural habitats.

Setting up a non-profit company for animals can make a significant difference by raising awareness of the problems that need addressing.

It can be used to help abandoned pets find the quality of life they deserve while protecting the environment through awareness campaigns.

Animal non-profit organizations can also work with influencers on Instagram and other social media platforms to get the word out.

11. Microlending

Microlending is the process of providing small loans to low-income families who don't have access to funds from regular banking sources.

By charging a higher interest rate than high street banks, microlending offers a viable business model for upcoming social entrepreneurs.

The process helps deprived communities access opportunities and financing that are essential for recovery and development.

With microlending empowering entrepreneurs worldwide, it's a compelling venture for new social entrepreneurs to consider.

10. Thrift Stores

Selling unwanted items at thrift stores is one of the best side hustles to pay off debt and one of the more popular social entrepreneurship ideas.

To get set up, you'll need to find a suitable commercial property in your local area, which you can use as a base for your social enterprise.

As locals bring in their old clothes and other items, you'll need to check their condition and mark them ready for sale to customers.

The thrift store model has sustainability built into its foundations, significantly reducing the amount of waste headed for landfills.

9. Restaurant For The Homeless

As with ethical supermarkets, those with a background in cooking and food can become social entrepreneurs providing meals for the homeless.

This business idea is a great way to help drive social change and provide a positive impact in your local area by alleviating poverty.

The business model also has plenty of scope for hiring local people from disadvantaged backgrounds and improving economic opportunities.

8. Special Needs Services

With many people either suffering personally from mental and physical disabilities or raising special needs children, the demand for services is high.

These services range from assisting the elderly in your local area or working with handicapped children who struggle with tasks.

If you have prior experience working with people with special needs, you can transform this into a viable social entrepreneurship idea.

You may need to earn qualifications to set up official special needs services, so check with your local authorities before investing more time.

7. Ethical Beauty & Fashion Products

The skincare and beauty market is one of the biggest areas of concern for people looking for ethical products that respect the environment.

Clean and ethical beauty manufacturers are dedicated to avoiding toxic content in their products and using all-natural ingredients.

They also promise their customers that no animals are harmed in the production of their items and are manufactured to the highest standards.

If you're selling ethical beauty products, consider starting a beauty blog to share your process and promote your products online.

6. Sustainable Packaging

Sustainable packaging can be applied to a broad selection of companies, from startup flower businesses to large-scale manufacturing.

By using biodegradable and compostable materials, such packaging significantly reduces the harm to the environment caused by consumption.

Additional materials used for sustainable packaging include bio-based plastics, bamboo, and paperboard, each responsibly sourced.

It's a great way for social entrepreneurs to help businesses reduce their carbon footprint and negative impact across the entire supply chain.

5. Community-Based Tourism

Becoming an independent travel agent is one of the most popular solopreneur business ideas today, with many opportunities for success.

This business model can be incorporated with an eye for community-based tourism that improves economic profitability in the developing world.

Designed to empower local communities, this model ensures tourism is fully aligned with the cultural values and aspirations of the destination.

By partnering with locals, the projects can improve the environment while giving tourists a truly immersive and personal experience.

4. Food Waste Solutions

Food waste is a long-standing issue that needs to be addressed, with significant amounts of food being wasted annually.

By working with both food producers and consumers, food waste solutions can mitigate this waste to a high degree.

A strong online presence is needed if you're considering this line of entrepreneurship, as well as the facilities for recycling food.

It's a business model that can help people who are struggling financially access cheap food that would otherwise be discarded.

3. Educational & Mentorship Programs

If you're an experienced professional with lots of insights and skills to share, you can help others through mentorship programs.

Running these programs can be accomplished by using some of the best tools for freelancers to manage your communications.

You can also consider hosting in-person workshops, which is a great way to build relationships and offer a personal touch.

The topics can cover anything from marketing initiatives and financial literacy to hands-on programs for practical crafts or engineering.

There's also plenty of scope for partnering with other professionals and combining your talents to offer broader educational programs.

2. Clean Water Accessibility

Access to clean drinking water is another hot topic and area for new social entrepreneurship opportunities locally and globally.

It can be something as simple as setting up a home water filtration system to help purify water for the local homeless population.

Alternatively, if you have the appropriate investment, you can provide access to clean water in one of the many countries in the developing world.

For additional positive impact, you can partner with sustainable packaging companies and use these to store your clean water.

1. Sustainable Energy Business

As global energy consumption continues to increase, sustainable energy alternatives are increasingly popular alternatives.

If your finances are extensive, you can consider investing in emerging sustainable energy technology such as wind turbines and solar power.

For small-scale operations, you can work alongside local businesses and residential properties to help them become more environmentally sound.

Setting up an online presence with a website builder is a great way to promote your sustainable energy business model to investors.

With many businesses looking to improve their ESG score, it's a thriving model for a social entrepreneur to take advantage of.

Summary

Entrepreneurs looking to move away from profit-driven businesses can find a great deal of purpose and satisfaction through a social enterprise.

This overview of socially conscious businesses should help you narrow down the best social entrepreneurship idea for your talents.

As you support social programs and help businesses achieve sustainable goals, you can raise money while delivering positive change.