Big data and analytics have received great attention from practitioners and academics, nowadays representing a key resource for the renewed interest in artificial intelligence, especially for machine learning techniques. In this article we explore the use of big data and analytics by different types of organizations, from various countries and industries, including the ones with a limited size and capabilities compared to corporations or new ventures. In particular, we are interested in organizations where the exploitation of big data and analytics may have social value in terms of, e.g., public and personal safety. Hence, this article discusses the results of two multi-industry and multi-country surveys carried out on a sample of public and private organizations. The results show a low rate of utilization of the data collected due to, among other issues, privacy and security, as well as the lack of staff trained in data analysis. Also, the two surveys show a challenge to reach an appropriate level of effectiveness in the use of big data and analytics, due to the shortage of the right tools and, again, capabilities, often related to a low rate of digital transformation.