This study proposes ‘sustainability-oriented social entrepreneurship’ as social entrepreneurship with a core mission of social sustainability that is achieved by being planet-positive with aligned business objectives. To this end, an interpretive qualitative case study research is presented of a women-run and women-led rural social enterprise in India that is bringing about social change while at the same time adopting a circular economy approach in its business. They are empowering vulnerable and marginalized women groups, integrating traditional practices of upcycling and repurposing into modern design, and creating sustainable livelihoods and business opportunities. A qualitative analysis of the contextual evidence through the lens of sustainability agency has led to insights into how social entrepreneurship can be innovative and integrative in its sustainability-orientation, even in highly resource-constrained places. The empirical evidence shows a combination of social sustainability in the form of human development and cultural preservation, environmental sustainability in the form of adoption of circular economy principles and eco-friendly practices, and economic sustainability in the form of responsible products and business opportunities. The study contributes to advancing knowledge at the nexus of entrepreneurship and sustainability by illustrating how social entrepreneurship, when sustainability-oriented, makes sustainability transitions more bottom-up and inclusive.
