SEED Reports
SEED’s Research and Learning has been delivered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in Canada since 2006. Prior to that, reports were delivered by the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi). Below are the details:
A Three Year Investigation into the Triple Bottom Line Performance of Small and Micro Social and Environmental Enterprises in Developing Countries, Part 1 & 2
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| May 2012
The SEED Initiative seeks to increase knowledge and understanding about small-scale social and environmental enterprises. In 2009, SEED and its research partner, IISD, started a three year study into the performance of these enterprises and the findings are available in the two reports below.
Two key questions have driven the investigation:
- Is it possible to determine whether and how such enterprises are making a contribution to social, environmental and economic progress within their communities?
and
- What are the enabling factors and barriers to making that contribution?
The study has been published in two parts:
Part 1 (Authors: Heather Creech, Leslie Paas and Vivek Voora) presents the findings from the survey of 2011 SEED applicants and winners, noting any variations with previous cohorts. It includes:
- A gender analysis of the full Cohort, comparing responses from women-led enterprises to those led by men.
- A focus on South African respondents, for SEED South Africa: the first national SEED programme.
- An analysis of the 2011 SEED Winners data, compared to the full Cohort.
Part 2 (Authors: Leslie Paas, Ben Akoh, Heather Creech and Green Park Consultants) presents case studies on the progress of SEED Alumni from the time they received the SEED Award until 2012.
Social and Environmental Enterprises in the Green Economy: Supporting sustainable development and poverty eradication on the ground - Analysis of a 3 year study for policy makers
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| June 2012
SEED has worked closely with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) since 2007 on a programme of research to increase technical knowledge and understanding about small-scale social and environmental enterprises. Based on the research and Symposia consultations, SEED was able to publish the following Analysis for Policy Makers, which provides new insights into the role of micro and small social and environmental enterprises as essential actors in building green economies. It is designed to:
- Present the evidence base for the contributions these enterprises make and the enabling conditions required to succeed, drawing from three years’ of SEED’s survey, case study and field research with over 1300 enterprises in developing countries;
- Incorporate views from national and international experts and decision makers on the place of entrepreneurs in driving economic, social and environmental change, drawing from SEED’s international Symposia on Entrepreneurship and the Green Economy in 2011 and 2012;
- Propose recommendations to both national and international policy makers to strengthen and support social and environmental micro and small enterprises.
Download the Analysis for Policy Makers.
2012 SEED Symposium and SEED Winners Workshop: The Green Economy in Africa: Climate change and Energy, Agriculture and Food Security, and the role of Grassroots Entrepreneurs
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| March - June 2012
On 29th March 2012, over 100 people gathered in Pretoria at the CSIR International Convention Centre to explore the role of social and environmental enterprises in shaping the Green Economy. The 2012 SEED Symposium was the second in a series of annual events designed to bring together start-up entrepreneurs, government leaders, international organisations, research institutions and the private sector. Through key note presentations, guest speakers, panel sessions and discussion, Symposium participants explored two central questions:
- How are these enterprises – often with only one or two owners or employees – supporting the Green Economy;
- What do they need from their governments and other stakeholders in the way of support and enabling conditions, in order to succeed?
The Symposium series anchors a larger, multi-year programme of work by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the SEED Initiative, largely supported by the European Union (EU), to foster the Green Economy and to encourage the growth of socio-environmental entrepreneurship in Africa. At the heart of this work is the SEED Award.
Download here:
An investigation into the Triple Bottom Line Performance of Micro and Small Social and Environmental Enterprises in Developing Countries: Year 2
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| February 2012In 2009, SEED and IISD started a three year study of the performance of social and environmental micro enterprises, with two key questions in mind:
- Is it possible to determine whether and how such enterprises are making a contribution to social, environmental and economic progress within their communities; and
- What are the enabling factors and barriers to making that contribution?
The research is based on those enterprises who have applied for recognition from the SEED Initiative. The current report covers year two of the study, on Cohort 2: the applicants for the 2010 SEED award, and presents several views of the data:
- An analysis of the full Cohort, noting any variations from Cohort 1, and with particular attention to the African respondents within the Cohort.
- A gender analysis of the full Cohort, comparing responses from women-led enterprises to those led by men.
- A focus on South African respondents, for SEED South Africa: the first national SEED programme.
- An analysis of the 2010 SEED Winners data, compared to the full Cohort.
Download here:
SEED Symposium 2011: The Green Economy: Accelerating the Transition
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| May 2011
On 15th April 2011, nearly 200 people gathered in Pretoria to explore the role of social and environmental enterprises in shaping the Green Economy. The SEED Symposium on The Green Economy: Accelerating the Transition, brought together start-up entrepreneurs, government leaders, international organisations, research institutions and the private sector in one of the first international meetings on this challenge. Through keynote presentations, guest speakers, panel sessions and discussion, Symposium participants explored two central questions:
- whether and how these enterprises – other with only one or two owners or employees – could accelerate the transition to the green economies in their countries and regions.
- what they might need on the way of support and enabling conditions from their governments.
Download the full report here
An Investigation Into The Triple Bottom Line Performance Of Micro And Small Social And Environmental Enterprises In Developing Countries: Establishing A Baseline For A Longitudinal Study
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| July 2010
The SEED baseline study provides insights into how social and environmental enterprises can achieve their social, environmental and business objectives and how policy makers can create a more enabling environment for such enterprises to thrive. According to the survey, the SEED winners, for instance, are bringing change through capacity training and skills development as well as the introduction of new and more environmentally-friendly technologies and production processes.
However, the survey also underlined that two of the biggest obstacles for the success of these enterprises are lack of access to funds and lack of skilled people at the community level.By tracking the progress of the firms as they grow, SEED seeks to understand what policy and decision makers need to do to allow these enterprises to contribute to a greener economy in the developing world.Download the full report here.
Download appendices here
Critical Success Factors and Performance Measures for Start-up Social and Environmental Enterprises
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| June 2008
Eight critical success factors and fourteen performance indicators are identified through the investigation of SEED Winners and other social and environmental entrepreneurs. The report was subsequently used as the basis for a robust rapid assessment tool for social and environmental enterprises. Such a process can be self-directed by the enterprise leaders to determine in the early stages of their development whether they have the critical elements in place for successful growth. Download the full report here.
Scale-up and replication for Social and Environmental Enterprises
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| June 2008
This paper explores how the international development community approaches scale-up and replication, and in particular its role in supporting start-up social and environmental enterprises with a view to expanding their business and their social and environmental impacts. The report examines several aspects of these issues and raises questions about who is responsible for creating the enabling environment and helping a local SMME to scale up. It also examines critically some of the main issues related to replication. Download the full report here.
Typologies for Partnerships for Sustainable Development and for Social and Environmental Enterprises: Exploring SEED winners through two lenses
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| June 2008
On the basis of in-depth studies of the SEED winners and other research reports, Creech and Paas conclude that creating a comprehensive typology of entrepreneurship field, partnerships is problematic because of the extreme variety of forms and shapes that these partnerships take. Nor has there been sufficient exploration of critical success factors for different types of partnerships. This paper suggests that developing partnership management is one critical success factor for social and environmental entrepreneurs but is not the defining modus operandi. Seven other CSFs are based on empirical evidence from the social and environmental. Download the full report here.
Recognition and Reward Programmes that support Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development
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| April 2008
Recognition and reward programmes are common mechanisms used to support and encourage outstanding behaviour and actions that contribute significantly to the achievement of a given vision, mission or objective. SEED is one of many award programmes that serve to recognise and support significant contributions towards a global vision for sustainable development. This report explores the role of these awards in promoting sustainable development. Download the full report here.
