DICE, Reports, creative and social enterprise, SDGs, Brazil
In Brazil, creative and social enterprises like Lá da Favelinha and its founder Kdu dos Anjos (above) provide opportunities for many talented people in disadvantaged communities ©

Courtesy of Lá da Favelinha

The DICE programme commissioned original research to map the creative and social economies in Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, and South Africa. 

These five surveys outline the operating context, business models and employment practices of creative and social enterprises and examine their contribution to supporting sustainable and inclusive growth.

We then produced a comparative analysis of the five country surveys, called The Human Spark, which also drew on the findings of Social Enterprise UK’s No Going Back – State of Social Enterprise Survey 2021. 

You can download the surveys and The Human Spark via the links at the bottom of the page.

What the evidence shows 

This research examines the catalytic role of creativity mixed with purpose-driven enterprise.  It highlights the power of smaller enterprises, often part of ‘the informal economy’, to create more inclusive and sustainable systems responding to the common challenges faced by people around the world. These include:

  • unemployment, especially among young people, intensified by automation
  • growing inequality and marginalisation, especially of women and minorities 
  • environmental degradation and climate change
  • a sense of a loss of identity and community.

Ultimately, this research provides compelling evidence to validate the hypothesis that supporting the development of creative and social enterprise is an effective way to build more inclusive societies.

This is a timely and resonant proposition that builds on the momentum generated after the UN General Assembly declared 2021 the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. 

Moreover, the findings in the country surveys and The Human Spark, as well as the conclusions of a sibling report by Prof J.P Singh about the DICE approach, are helping to inform the British Council’s ongoing work, notably as it realigns its global programmes to support creative economies and cultural responses to global challenges. 

We think this approach, integrating economic, social and cultural impacts in a more holistic way, has the potential to be a mainstream driver for the sustainable and equitable development of communities and economies worldwide. And this research helps to provide the evidence and rationale for taking this approach forward in an even more cohesive and globally connected fashion.

Brazil study

Brazil faces a significant challenge common to many nations caught in the middle-income trap: how to provide work and income to millions of unemployed and semi-employed young people excluded from its mainstream economy, at a time when increasing automation threatens to close off routes into traditional areas of work. 

This survey illustrates how creative and social enterprises provide employment and stimulate economic growth. By asking detailed questions of existing creative and social enterprises, it sets out to learn how the current eco-system functions, and what further could be done to make it more effective. 

It takes a deep dive into issues such as the balance between profit and social mission; leadership and governance; socio-economic profile of managers and employees; sources of funding; access (or lack of) to investment funding; the role of the creative and R&D process; legal forms and the degree of protection of intellectual property; and the degree of alignment to the Sustainable  Development Goals

We are hopeful that this report will become an active guide for many working or interested in imagining a more inclusive economy, one that rewards collaboration as much as competition, and that it will be useful and help guide communities to developing more jobs and businesses.  

This research was conducted with Social Enterprise UK and Brazil’s Catavento Pesquisas. 

Download the survey in English and/or Portuguese below. 

Egypt study

This report seeks to understand creative and social enterprise in Egypt. It sets out findings from research and survey work conducted in Egypt between August 2019 and February 2020 (i.e. before the Covid-19 pandemic). It includes an overview of the survey and research findings as well as analysis of the significance of these results for inclusive development and the growth of creative and social enterprise in Egypt. 

The report was produced by the British Council in partnership with Social Enterprise UK and Ahead of the Curve. 

Indonesia study

In collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), the British Council commissioned a study to better understand creative and social Enterprises in Indonesia. 

The study was conducted by Parahyangan Catholic University and the University of Surabaya with support from Social Enterprise UK (SEUK). 

The research consists of a report that measures and provides a baseline for the size and impact of social and creative enterprise, assessing the quality of the environment for social and creative enterprises (demand), and a report on the funding and resource ecosystem for social and creative enterprises (supply).  The research was finalised in 2020 was launched on 16th September 2020.  

Download the two-part study as well as infographics describing key findings below. 

South Africa study

The British Council and its research partners, Simanye and Social Enterprise UK are delighted to present this survey which explores creativity, enterprise and how we can combine them to build a more inclusive economy.

This study explores the purpose, inclusive business practices, and operating context for creative enterprises, social enterprises, and their hybrid – creative social enterprises, and it maps their substantial contribution to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

These businesses exist for a purpose that is not merely about income generation. They reframe the way we measure value; they challenge what success looks like and they demonstrate the crucial role of social values to that success. Collectively they encourage us to consider the macro-perspective in which they sit - how should businesses with social purpose and creative engines be built into the design of our economic system? Further, how can their important skillset be deployed in policy design, and in community and economic development?

Download the survey below.  

See also

External links

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