Report for SEED Initiative Research Programme: Scale up and Replication for social and environmental enterprises

The report examines the challenges of scaling up and replicating social and environmental enterprises, contrasting the 'large scale' goals of international donors with the modest growth ambitions of local entrepreneurs. It identifies a gap in recognition and reward programmes, which often act as catalysts but lack proactive strategies to create the enabling environments necessary for systemic transformation. Based on SEED award winners, the report warns that forced scaling can risk over-extension or environmental degradation and recommends tailored support, longer-term engagement, and peer learning to foster sustainable growth.

• The report distinguishes between 'replication' (or 'scale out'), which is the transfer of a tested concept to a different location to repeat success, and 'scale up', which involves expanding a tested concept in terms of targets, revenues, or people served.
• There is a disconnect between the 'step change' goals of the international development community—such as national poverty reduction—and the goals of local small, micro and medium sized enterprises (SMMEs), which often focus on basic economic viability and modest local benefits.
• Most recognition and reward programmes lack concerted strategies for promoting or reporting on scale-up and replication, typically placing the burden on the winning enterprise to demonstrate its own growth.
• Scaling up can introduce significant risks for local enterprises, including the danger of over-extending organizational capacity or causing environmental harm, such as the overharvesting of wild resources seen in Nepal.
• Successful replication is not a simple matter of communication or seed funding; it requires a favorable local business environment, receptivity among beneficiaries, and specific leadership and ownership that may not exist in a new jurisdiction.
• To effectively support scale-up, the report suggests that programmes must move beyond being catalysts to becoming proactive agents that help create 'enabling environments'—including supportive policy, legal, and regulatory frameworks—which are often beyond the influence of the enterprises themselves.

APA

Creech, H. (2008). Report for SEED Initiative Research Programme: Scale up and Replication for social and environmental enterprises. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/seed_scale_enterprises.pdf

Chicago

Creech, Heather. Report for SEED Initiative Research Programme: Scale up and Replication for social and environmental enterprises. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2008. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/seed_scale_enterprises.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Creech |first1=Heather |title=Report for SEED Initiative Research Programme: Scale up and Replication for social and environmental enterprises |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2008 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/seed_scale_enterprises.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{creech2008report, author = {Creech, Heather}, title = {{Report for SEED Initiative Research Programme: Scale up and Replication for social and environmental enterprises}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2008}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/seed_scale_enterprises.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }