The ecosystem for social innovation in Sweden is mature. The overall conditions for social entrepreneurship and social innovation are favorable. However, there is a lack of clear, long-term, systematic support. This is shown by a new survey Forum for Social Innovation Sweden as part of the European collaboration and the BuiCaSuS project.
Europe and Sweden face a range of complex societal challenges, such as unemployment, poverty, an aging population, and climate change. The importance of cross-sectoral collaboration and social innovation is increasingly emphasized as a means of finding new solutions to these challenges. Social innovations hold great potential to contribute to transformative and systemic change in society.
“Political reforms are needed, and social innovation must be prioritized at the national level—just as it is currently being done within the EU—in order to bring about systemic change in Sweden,” says Anna Tengqvist, coordinator of Forum for Social Innovation Sweden of BuiCaSuS in Sweden.
Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Malmö University has conducted a survey of the ecosystem for social innovation and social entrepreneurship in Sweden to provide an overview. The report summarizes findings from previous surveys and reports, and describes the conditions, functions, and key players, as well as the opportunities and challenges within the ecosystem for social innovation and social entrepreneurship in Sweden.
Committed stakeholders and favorable conditions for social innovation
According to the report, there are fundamentally favorable conditions for social innovation and social entrepreneurship in Sweden, in the form of committed stakeholders and a wide variety of individual initiatives. The Swedish government’s strategy for social entrepreneurship and social innovation also provided a solid foundation as a unifying force. Furthermore, there is widespread commitment across many sectors to achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.
Lack of clear long-term support
At the same time, there is a lack of clear political support and guidance for social innovation and social entrepreneurship in Sweden. Access to more long-term and systematic funding is needed to establish and scale up social innovations and social enterprises. There is also a need for more knowledge and research on social innovation, including a focus on how co-creation between different societal actors and sectors can be promoted to drive long-term social change.
Overall, there is a need for a clearer organizational structure for the social innovation ecosystem. Social innovation can be created, supported, and scaled up more effectively when it takes place within organized, long-term frameworks.
“To create and contribute to long-term social change, the various functions and actors within Sweden’s social innovation ecosystem need to support all aspects of the social innovation process that we highlight in our report,” says Anna Tengqvist.
Facts about the National Competence Centre for Social Innovation BuiCaSuS:
To strengthen ecosystems for social innovation, the European Commission funds Competence Centre for Social Innovation member states. The national competence centers are intended to serve as a resource in the implementation of the new ESF+ program. The Swedish ESF Council is responsible for program management in Sweden and has long supported social innovation in the Swedish labor market by funding projects at the local, national, and international levels.
Sweden is part of Building Capacity for a Sustainable Society (BuiCaSuS), one of six European consortia supported by the European Commission, alongside Spain, Latvia, and France. In Sweden, Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Malmö University serves as the center of excellence, in collaboration with Inkludera and Reach for Change. Between 2021 and 2023, the countries will work together to strengthen the participating countries’ ecosystems and facilitate the exchange of experiences regarding support for social innovation. The work also includes developing a strategy for the centers of excellence’s continued national efforts.
Read the report:
Ecosystems for Social Innovation in Sweden (2022, PDF)
The Social Innovation Ecosystem in Sweden (2022, PDF)