Proceedings of the International scientific and practical conference ―Modern Research and Education‖ (May 2-4, 2026) / Publisher website: www.naukainfo.com. – Warsaw, Poland, 2026. - 523 p.

26 strong socio-economic potential of circular models, particularly in recycling, repair, and reuse sectors. The transformation of social entrepreneurship within the circular economy is reflected in changes in business models and value creation approaches. Social enterprises are increasingly implementing: upcycling and recycling models; repair and product reuse services; sharing economy platforms; environmentally oriented production; digital solutions for optimizing resource flows [3, p.32]. At the same time, statistics reveal significant structural imbalances. Despite the growth of circular practices, more than 74 million people working in the circular economy are employed in the informal sector, which is associated with low social protection and income instability. This creates an additional niche for social entrepreneurship, which can formalize employment and ensure social guarantees. Moreover, global trends indicate increasing resource consumption: over recent decades, annual material use has exceeded 100 billion tons, far surpassing recycling capacities. This imbalance creates the so-called ―circularity gap‖ and requires the activation of innovative entrepreneurial models [4]. In Ukraine, social entrepreneurship is actively developing in response to the challenges of war, migration, and economic instability. As of 2024–2025, approximately 800–1,000 social enterprises operate in the country, although the exact number remains uncertain due to the lack of a legal definition. Around 4.5 million internally displaced persons create significant potential for social initiatives, particularly in the circular economy sector [5]. Practical examples of Ukrainian social enterprises implementing circular development principles include: • ―Ukraine Without Waste (No Waste Ukraine)‖ – a social enterprise promoting waste sorting culture, recycling, and environmental education. It also develops infrastructure for separate waste collection and community education initiatives. • ―No Waste Ukraine‖ and GreenHouse for Social Innovators – initiatives supporting environmental startups and social enterprises working in reuse, upcycling, and waste reduction.