Drivers of Sustainability: Social Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst for Sustainable Enterprise Growth

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship integrates economic viability with social and environmental value creation, yet sustainable growth depends on how organizations preserve mission integrity while scaling. This study examines the organizational and ecosystem drivers that enable social enterprises to achieve sustainable enterprise growth, with particular attention to the Philippine context. Using an integrative qualitative literature review and secondary case synthesis, the study analyzes peer-reviewed scholarship, policy documents, institutional reports, and selected Philippine social enterprise cases. The synthesis identifies seven interdependent drivers: mission-driven innovation, hybrid business models and governance, stakeholder engagement and community embeddedness, impact measurement, access to finance and impact investing, ecosystem support, and technology-enabled scaling. These drivers operate through legitimacy, resource mobilization, organizational learning, innovation capability, and replicability. Findings indicate that sustainable scaling emerges from complementary capabilities rather than any single driver, while weak governance can generate mission drift, impact dilution, and stakeholder exclusion. The study contributes an integrated management framework linking drivers, mechanisms, outcomes, and risks, and offers practical guidance for entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, universities, and support organizations pursuing inclusive and resilient sustainable development.