| SE strategy / action plan 1.2.1 S1100S2100S333S4100S533 Criteria and evidence- S1 · Status: 100 (adopted and in force on 31 Dec 2025)
'In September 2023, the Federal Government adopted a National Strategy for Social Innovations and Social Enterprises' (cabinet, 13 Sep 2023); it has no end date and no repeal was found after the 2025 change of government: 'adopted and in force on 31 Dec 2025'. · source 1 - S2 · Dedication: 100 (dedicated national SE strategy or action plan)
A stand-alone federal strategy for social innovations and common-good-oriented (social) enterprises: 'dedicated national SE strategy or action plan'. · source 1 - S3 · Operational content: 33 (objectives only, or measures without named responsible bodies)
The strategy (cabinet, 13 Sep 2023) sets about 70 measures in action fields but leaves them 'in der Verantwortung der jeweils zuständigen Ressorts' without naming a body per measure, finances them 'im Rahmen der geltenden Haushalts- und Finanzplanungsansätze' (no budget) and has only scattered figures (e.g. at least 20% of new ERP/EIF fund investments for social-impact firms): 'measures without named responsible bodies'. · source 1 - S4 · Monitoring: 100 (progress or evaluation report published in 2021–2025)
BMWK announced on 25 Sep 2024 the result of an internal monitoring led by BMBF and BMWK: '72 Prozent der insgesamt 70 Maßnahmen erfolgreich in Umsetzung oder abgeschlossen', with a national summit on 8 Apr 2025 to take stock: 'progress or evaluation report published in the period'. A published progress statement rather than a full report, hence medium. · source 1 - S5 · Participation of SE organisations: 33 (public consultation only, or a general statement that stakeholders took part)
The strategy was drafted through seven stakeholder workshops and an online consultation with about 210 written submissions; no SE organisation is named as member of a drafting group, and the strategy sets up no formal monitoring body: 'public consultation only, or a general statement that stakeholders took part'. · source 1
| 73.3 |
| Institutional structure & dialogue 1.2.2 I167I2100I333I433 Criteria and evidence- I1 · Lead responsibility: 67 (a ministry named responsible in a law, decree, adopted strategy or its statutory functions, within a broader unit)
The adopted strategy names the economy and research ministries (BMWK/BMWE, BMBF) as joint leads, within broader units; SEND's statement of 1 Oct 2025 still asks to 'die Zustaendigkeit fuer Social Entrepreneurship organisatorisch in der Bundesregierung zu verankern', so no dedicated unit exists: 'a ministry named as responsible in ... an adopted strategy ..., within a broader unit'. · source 1 - I2 · Breadth of mandate: 100 (the social economy / SE broadly)
The lead mandate covers common-good-oriented enterprises in any legal form, defined by the Commission's three criteria: 'the social economy / SE broadly'. · source 1 - I3 · Consultative body with SE organisations: 33 (foreseen in an adopted law or strategy, not set up)
The strategy foresees a 'Beirat für Soziale Innovationen' (action field 6); no record of it being constituted was found. The 'Forum' of 8 Apr 2025 was a one-off event with eight thematic workshops organised by the non-governmental Plattform für Soziale Innovationen & Gemeinwohlorientierte Unternehmen (c/o Social Impact gGmbH), not a standing consultative body: 'foreseen in an adopted law or strategy, not set up'. · source 1 - I4 · Inter-ministerial coordination: 33 (foreseen in an adopted text)
The strategy provides for interministerial coordination on cross-cutting topics and a Bund-Länder working group (action field 3); the only joint activity found is the BMBF-BMWK internal monitoring of 2024, not a standing SE mechanism with recorded meetings: 'foreseen in an adopted text'. · source 1
| 58.3 |
| Social clauses in public procurement 2.3.2 P167P267P3100P467 Criteria and evidence- P1 · Legal basis: 67 (contracts reservable for a subset (sheltered workshops, WISE, disadvantaged workers; Directive 2014/24 Art. 20) or preferences for cooperatives/SMEs that include SE)
Paragraph 118 GWB allows contracts to be reserved to sheltered workshops and enterprises whose main aim is the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons (Art. 20); Germany did not transpose Art. 77: 'contracts reservable for a subset'. · source 1 - P2 · National policy push: 67 (national socially responsible procurement guidance or plan)
Action field 4 of the adopted strategy, 'Öffentliche Beschaffung als Hebel nutzen', sets measures (bringing common-good enterprises together with procurers, social-innovation criteria in the Vergabetransformationspaket, procurement competence via KOINNO and the KNB), alongside the federal Maßnahmenprogramm Nachhaltigkeit; no target or quota for social clauses: 'national socially responsible procurement guidance or plan'. · source 1 - P3 · Evidence of use: 100 (national figures for two or more years)
The federal Vergabestatistik reports award-level sustainability criteria nationally: the report for 2022 (published 1 Mar 2025) finds sustainability criteria in 'knapp 13 % aller Vergaben', with environmental criteria chosen more often than social and innovative ones, and the 2023 report followed on 31 Oct 2025: 'national figures published for two or more years'. The separate social-criteria share was not read (PDF blocked), hence medium. · source 1 - P4 · Capacity support: 67 (a government training programme or helpdesk documented to cover social clauses or reserved contracts, for contracting authorities or for SEs)
The federal Kompetenzstelle für nachhaltige Beschaffung (KNB) has as 'primäre Aufgabe ... die gezielte Information, Schulung und Aufklärung von öffentlichen Auftraggebern', with advice on site, by hotline or e-mail, within a remit covering 'umweltbezogene, soziale und innovative Belange'; no comparable service for SEs: 'a national (government) training programme or helpdesk ... for contracting authorities'. Coverage of social clauses is stated only in general terms. · source 1
| 75.0 |
| Official SE definition 3.1 D167D2100 Criteria and evidence- D1 · Where defined: 67 (in an adopted national strategy or policy document)
There is no legal definition; the cabinet-adopted strategy of 13 Sep 2023 defines common-good-oriented enterprises (author ruling of 4 Nov 2026 noted in the input): 'in an adopted national strategy or policy document'. · source 1 - D2 · Content (social aim; participatory governance; limits on profit distribution): 100 (all three)
The federal definition, following the Commission: a social or ecological common-good purpose at the centre of the business, profits largely reinvested in that purpose, and an organisation or ownership that reflects it (co-determination, employee participation): 'all three'. · source 1
| 83.3 |
Legal recognition of SEs 3.2.1 · level 0 of 3None (disability-employment regime excluded: Social Code Book IX (SGB IX), §§ 215–218: Inklusionsbetriebe (statutory work-int) · sources 1 2 3 4L10L20L30L40L50 Criteria and evidence- L1 · Adoption stage: 0 (none, announced, or consultation draft)
- L2 · Scope: 0 (none)
- L3 · Implementing rules: 0 (none adopted, or law not in force)
- L4 · Status or register: 0 (foreseen with no entity recognised, or law not in force)
- L5 · Bodies foreseen by the law: 0 (foreseen, not set up, or law not in force)
| 0.0 |
| SE support ecosystem 4.3.6 E1100E267E367E433E533 Criteria and evidence- E1 · National programme: 100 (national programme dedicated to SE, run by government or a public agency)
The federal economy ministry's funding guideline 'Nachhaltig wirken - Foerderung des gemeinwohlorientierten Unternehmertums' funds support organisations for common-good-oriented enterprises (Bremen consortium applying in 2024 for about EUR 1.3 m): 'national programme dedicated to SE, run by government'. · source 1 - E2 · Territorial coverage: 67 (several regions)
'Nachhaltig wirken' funds support projects selected from applicants in various Länder; only Module II is described as 'potenziell für alle Unternehmen und Start-ups bundesweit nutzbar', and no national network of support centres is described: 'several regions'. · source 1 - E3 · Public funding of support: 67 (mixed national and EU/donor)
EUR 110m are available to 31 Dec 2028, of which 'circa die Hälfte' is co-financed by the ESF Plus, the rest federal: 'mixed national and EU/donor'. · source 1 - E4 · Continuity: 33 (under two years)
Applications ran in 2024 with projects starting in early 2025 (REACT with Impact of Feb 2023 was a separate, ended programme): 'under two years'. · source 1 - E5 · Range of services: 33 (one)
The programme fact sheet (23 Jan 2025) documents individual analyses, advice and qualification, 'Akzelerator-Programmen', mentoring, networking and workshops; of the listed service types only incubation or acceleration is documented (no finance, legal, impact-measurement or market-access service): 'one'. · source 1
| 60.0 |
| EU funds mobilised for SE 5.1.1 F1100F2100F3100F433 Criteria and evidence- F1 · Programming: 100 (a dedicated SE measure or priority with an allocated budget)
'REACT with Impact', launched by the BMWK in Feb 2023 'with EU funding' (REACT-EU), offered free consultancy to social entrepreneurs; ESF Plus also funds Rueckenwind3 for the Sozialwirtschaft: 'a dedicated SE measure or priority with an allocated budget'. · source 1 - F2 · Calls and instruments: 100 (recurring dedicated calls, or an EU-funded financial instrument for SE)
The ESF Plus programme 'Nachhaltig wirken - Förderung Gemeinwohlorientierter Unternehmen' is dedicated to common-good-oriented enterprises and had run 'zwei Antragsrunden' by Jan 2025 (a third call followed to Apr 2026); Rückenwind3 issues successive Förderaufrufe for the Sozialwirtschaft: 'recurring dedicated calls'. · source 1 - F3 · Channel: 100 (managed by national or regional authorities as part of national SE policy)
The SE strands are run by federal ministries (BMWK for REACT with Impact, BMAS for Rueckenwind3) within the federal ESF Plus programme and the national strategy: 'managed by national or regional authorities as part of national SE policy'. · source 1 - F4 · Evidence of take-up: 33 (anecdotal)
The programme pages give the budget (EUR 110m) and call rounds but no number of funded enterprises or projects; no other count was found: 'anecdotal'. · source 1
| 83.3 |
| Dedicated national funding 5.2.2 N133N20N30N40 Criteria and evidence- N1 · Dedicated line: 33 (only general SME/employment programmes open to SE)
The strategy relies on opening general federal instruments to non-profit and social enterprises (ERP-Gründerkredit StartGeld, Mikromezzaninfonds, INVEST, KfW loans; from Nov 2024 non-profit start-ups can borrow up to EUR 125,000), and the dedicated 'Nachhaltig wirken' line is ESF Plus co-financed (5.1.1): 'only general SME/employment programmes open to SE'. · source 1 - N2 · Instrument types: 0 (none)
N1 at 33: 'none, or N1 ≤ 33'. · source 1 - N3 · Continuity: 0 (none)
N1 at 33: 'none, or N1 ≤ 33'. · source 1 - N4 · Execution: 0 (no evidence)
N1 at 33: 'no evidence, or N1 ≤ 33'. · source 1
| 8.3 |
