Community Enterprises

Community enterprises are businesses that put social objectives at the centre of their operation. They operate with more than one 'bottom line'. As a business they aim to:

• make and sell products in markets
• cover costs including wages for participating members
• generate profits that can be used to provide social or environmental benefit

Community enterprises involve a number of people and are usually larger than micro-enterprise or self-employment. They have the capacity to make returns to the community as well as to the individuals directly employed. 

In many parts of the world community based enterprises are making a major input into local economic development that produces well-being directly.