Once we have clarified what a social enterprise is, it is time to understand how it works in practice, specifically in our state. Companies operating on the principles of social entrepreneurship in the European Union employ more than 14.5 million people (about 6.5% of the total population), while in the Republic of Croatia this number is much lower than the population –one research from 2016 concludes that they employ less than a thousand people. Also, it estimates that social entrepreneurship in Croatia could achieve a capacity of almost 80,000 jobs.
But while that potential is realized, let’s take a look at our biggest socio-entrepreneurial players Humana Nova (established in 2011) which employs people with disabilities and other marginalized groups. They make new clothing and useful items from donated textiles and waste, which they then place on the Croatian and international market. Through their way of doing business, they generate profit, while taking care of increasing the quality of life of poorly employable groups and protecting the environment.

Fierce women they are the name of a social enterprise, but also card games of the same name, whose cards highlight women who have significantly contributed to the progress of society, such as Marie Curie, Judy Butler, Rose Parks or Helen Keller. The project was started by the K-Zona association in 2017, and this card game is currently available in over 50 bookstores and stores in Croatia, and more than 1,000 copies have been printed for the Italian market, in Italian. Fierce women prove that it is possible to have fun and learn something.

Hedona was founded in 2013 as an association of the disabled Križevci. The company is engaged in the production of chocolate and pralines, and the employees are people with disabilities. In addition to employing vulnerable groups, the company invests its income in employees and their satisfaction. Their good work has been recognized by many parties, and their product has been rated very high quality. In this case, you will not regret the weight gained.

Miret is a great story in which the family business is inherited by two brothers and they set out to do phenomenal things. After researching on their own, they concluded that the footwear industry and its mass production are very harmful to the environment. Encouraged by this sad realization, they decided to change something and set about making eco-footwear. In their production, they choose natural materials (hemp, wood, cork, corn, eucalyptus, etc.), protecting the environment and pushing the boundaries of fashion. Shoes make a man!

Preuzeto sa stranice Miret
Brlog is a cooperative brewery started by women in Zadar, brewing their first beers on the balcony of the apartment. This is another proof that perseverance and a good idea can lead to success. Since its founding, the brewery has grown to 90 cooperatives from all over the world. In addition to the fact that their product is made from domestic products, their business is based on the model of equality and the model of equality. Drink responsibly, but when you drink, stop by the Den.

In conclusion, although the development of the socially-owned enterprise lags behind the rest of the European Union, the social-entrepreneurial scene in Croatia is full of potential and innovative actors who operate successfully according to the criteria of the SOE. What’s more, this is exactly what gives them the edge over the competition and makes them unique. BIZkoshnica is on its way to becoming the first social-entrepreneurial coworking space in Croatia, and you can find out more about this project here.
