This summer, the Department for the Economy published its long-awaited Social Enterprise Sector Report for 2025 and it marks a significant moment for those of us working at the intersection of social economy, public policy, and local place-making.
The findings are compelling. Northern Ireland is home to over 1,200 social enterprises, employing more than 17,000 people and generating £933 million in economic activity. These aren’t just impressive numbers they’re a clear signal that the social economy is no longer peripheral. It’s foundational.
At Development Trusts NI, we’re pleased to have contributed as consultees to this report. Its release feels especially timely, arriving in the wake of our work with the Ministerial Advisory Panel on Community Wealth Building, which called for a deeper embedding of democratic, inclusive economic principles into government decision making. What’s heartening is how much of that thinking is reflected here from the emphasis on social value and progressive procurement, to calls for a more strategic funding framework for community-led enterprise.
“This report affirms what we’ve seen for years: communities are ready to lead. With the right support, they’re not just participants in the economy – they’re stewards of it.”
Charlie Fisher, CEO, Development Trusts NI
While reports can often feel abstract, this one aligns closely with what we see on the ground every day. In Mid Ulster, our pilot work with the council is showing how small shifts in procurement can support local businesses and deliver wider community benefit. In Larne, we’re helping shape a CWB hub focused on skills, youth opportunity and place-based regeneration. And in the North West, networks are forming around health, housing, and democratic ownership, areas where local assets and institutions can act as engines for fairer growth.
“The real challenge now is moving from data to direction, from understanding the value of social enterprises to embedding that value into how we budget, buy, and build in NI.” Margaret Craig, Senior Programme Manager, DTNI
The 2025 report gives us the evidence base to do just that. It confirms the scale, diversity and impact of a sector we’ve long believed in, and sets the stage for more ambitious, joined-up action across departments, councils, and communities.
As ever, we’ll be using this momentum to push for practical, tested reforms: support for asset development, fair employment standards, and procurement processes that reward community outcomes, not just commercial price tags.
This is Community Wealth Building in motion.
To learn more about DTNI’s work on Community Wealth Building, including our contribution to the Ministerial Advisory Panel, see here.