Social Economy and Innovation
Social economy and social innovation contribute to create more inclusive, creative and sustainable societies and economies. How? By providing innovative solutions to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of individuals, communities and places while addressing socio-economic and environmental challenges, including those emerging with the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
The second High-level Summit, Inspiration, innovation and inclusion: Shaping our future with the social and solidarity economy, of the OECD Global Action on Promoting Social and Solidarity Ecosystems, funded by the EU, will be hosted in person at the OECD Headquarters in Paris and on line on 20-21 March 2023.
This international policy guide provides step-by-step guidance to help policy makers i) assess why and when legal frameworks for the social and solidarity economy are needed; ii) select legal options and involve stakeholders; iii) evaluate the performance of laws, and, iv) foster international peer learning on this topic.
This international policy guide presents how policy makers can support social impact measurement for the social and solidarity economy by: (i) improving the policy framework, (ii) delivering guidance, (iii) building evidence and (iv) supporting capacity.
Building on many data sources and country examples on women’s employment in the social and solidarity economy (SSE) this report: i) analyses women’s employment in the SSE, ii) explores challenges to gender equality in the SSE and, iii) provides policy recommendations to recognise women’s work and leadership in the SSE and in the wider economy.
Promoting Social Economy Ecosystems
In 2020, the OECD launched the Global Action “Promoting Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystems”, funded by the European Union’s Foreign Partnership Instrument, to support the development and internationalisation of the social and solidarity economy.
AREAS OF WORK
Social Economy
Social economy organisations traditionally refer to the set of associations, cooperatives, mutual organisations, and foundations whose activity is driven by values of solidarity, the primacy of people over capital, and democratic and participative governance.
Social Entrepreneurship & Social Enterprises
Social entrepreneurship is the process through which specific types of actors – the “social entrepreneurs” – create and develop organisations that may be either social enterprises or other types of organisations.
Social Innovation
Social innovation refers to the design and implementation of new solutions that imply conceptual, process, product, or organisational change, which ultimately aim to improve the welfare and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
VIDEOS & BLOGS
What's the impact of the social economy?
Social economy organisations put social and environmental concerns at the heart of their business model, prioritising social impact over profit maximisation. Social impact measurement can help assess this impact and its social value.
Mainstreaming the social economy
The social economy has often been at the margins of the political discourse. To reach its potential, we need to recognise its value, raise its visibility, and establish its place within our economies.
Daring to do: Young social entrepreneurs doubling down on business with impact
Jonathan Van de Gronden, James Hermanson and Natalie Laechelt tells us about how around the world young people are prioritising careers that make a difference.
Assess your social entrepreneurship ecosystem
The interactive Webtool on Social Entrepreneurship allows you to assess whether current policies and programmes enable and support social enterprises to start -up and scale -up. The assessment includes seven modules with thought-provoking question statements, covering different action areas within the social entrepreneurship ecosystem.
All Publications
*The publications marked with an asterisk have been produced with the financial support of the European Union.
International guides
The Global Action funded by the European Union to “Promote Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystems” in more than 30 countries in 2020-2023 which lead to the publication of two international guides.
- Policy Guide on Legal Frameworks for the Social and Solidarity Economy (2023)*
- Policy Guide on Social Impact Measurment for the Social and Solidarity Economy (2023)*
Thematic papers
- Beyond pink-collar jobs for women and the social economy (2023)*
- Unlocking the potential of youth-led social enterprises (2023)*
Other reports providing guidance for policy makers:
- Report on legal frameworks for the SSE (2022)
- Designing Legal Frameworks for Social Enterprises: Practical Guidance for Policy Makers (2022)
- Social impact measurement for the SSE (2021)
- Weaving together Policies for Social Inclusion in Ireland (2016)
- Job creation through the social economy and social entrepreneurship (2013)*
Milestone publications
The publications provide foundational knowledge on the historical development of the field of non-profit sector, the social economy and social entrepreneurship. The research notably highlights their contribution to local development and examines the critical areas where further support is needed to unlock the potential of these organisations. Policy recommendations are provided for national and local policy makers along with a set of international best practices.
- The changing boundaries of social enterprises (2009)
- The Social Economy - Building inclusive economies (2007)
- The non-profit sector in a changing economy (2003)
- Social enterprises (1999)
- Reconciling Economy and Society: Towards a Plural Economy (1996)
In-depth policy reviews
Social Entrepreneurship in Europe: In-depth country reviews
The reviews aim to help policy makers at national, regional and local levels to improve the ecosystems for social entrepreneurship and social enterprise development. They analyse the policy framework for social entrepreneurship and social enterprises and develop tailored and actionable policy recommendations.
- Boosting social entrepreneurship and social enterprise development in Slovenia. In-depth policy review* (2022) | English - Slovenian
- Boosting social entrepreneurship and social enterprise development in Brandenburg, Germany. In-depth policy review (2021)
- Boosting social entrepreneurship and social enterprise development in Estonia. In-depth policy review (2020)*
- Boosting social entrepreneurship and social enterprise development in the Netherlands. In-depth policy review (2019)*
- Boosting social entrepreneurship and social enterprise development in Lithuania. In-depth policy review (2019)*
- Boosting social entrepreneurship and social enterprise creation. Unlocking the potential of social enterprises in Czech Republic (2016)*
- Boosting social entrepreneurship and social enterprise creation. Unlocking the potential of social enterprises in Croatia (2016)*
- Boosting Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise Creation in the Republic of Serbia (2013)
- L’entrepreneuriat social en France: Réflexions et bonnes pratiques (2013)
In-depth reviews on social economy
A series of policy reviews examines the policies of selected countries and regions to support the social economy, and provides tailored recommendations to promote and enhance the contribution of these organisations to job creation and social inclusion at the local level.
- Improving social inclusion at the local level through the social economy - Synthesis report (2014)
- Improving social inclusion at the local level through the social economy – designing an enabling policy framework (2014)
- L'économie sociale au service de l'inclusion au niveau local - Rapport sur deux régions de France : Alsace et Provence – Alpes – Côte d'Azur (2010)
- Improving social inclusion at the local level through the social economy: report for Korea (2010)*
- Improving social inclusion at the local level through the social economy: report for Slovenia (2010)
- Improving social inclusion at the local level through the social economy: report for Poland (2009)
Policy briefs
A series of policy briefs examines issues and policies related to social entrepreneurship, such as social impact measurement and scaling up. The main goal of these briefs is to provide concrete examples of successful and tailored policies and practices that can provide inspiration for future policy design.
- Policy Brief on Improving the Effectiveness of Inclusive and Social Entrepreneurship Training Schemes (2023)*
- Policy Brief on Access to Finance for Inclusive and Social Entrepreneurship. What Role can Fintech and Financial Literacy Play? (2022)*
- Policy Brief on Making the Most of the Social Economy's Contribution to the Circular Economy (2022)*
- Policy Brief on Scaling the Impact of Social Enterprises (2016)*
- Policy Brief on Social impact measurement for social enterprises (2015)*
- Policy Brief on Social Entrepreneurship (2013)*
Compendium
This compendium derives policy lessons for boosting social enterprises from the analysis of 20 initiatives in several EU member-countries, covering a range of policy areas from legal frameworks, finance, market access, and support structures, to education and skills.
Working papers
The Working Papers describe preliminary results or research in progress by the author(s) and are published to stimulate discussion on topics ranging from social innovation, social entrepreneurship, social economy organisations, and social enterprises.
- Social Vouchers : Innovative Tools for Social Inclusion and Local Development (2021)
- Building local ecosystems for social innovation: A methodological framework (2021)
- Social Economy and the COVID-19 crisis: current and future roles (2020)
- Regional strategies for the social economy: examples from France, Spain, Sweden and Poland (2020)*
- Understanding Social Impact Bonds (2016)
- Social Impact Bonds: State of Play and Lessons Learnt (2016)*
- Entrepreneurial activities in Europe – Social entrepreneurship (2013)*
Workshop highlights
Other
Capacity building & Peer learning
Social entrepreneurship policy toolkit
Better Entrepreneurship Policy Tool
This OECD/EC online policy tool aims to help policy makers to design, implement and assess strategies, policies and programmes to boost social entrepreneurship and social enterprise development through a self-assessment, dedicated guidance material and good practices examples. For more information, click here.
- Ambassador’s Network
The Ambassadors Network was launched in 2020 to raise awareness about the Better Entrepreneurship Policy Tool among key inclusive and social entrepreneurship policy stakeholders. Ambassadors are building a community of users across the EU with the aim of increasing the use of the tool in the policy development process and fostering the development of good practices in inclusive and social entrepreneurship policy in all EU Member States.
Capacity building seminars and workshops
Seminars are held for policy makers and relevant stakeholders to facilitate mutual learning and build capacity in order to assess their ecosystem for social innovation, social entrepreneurship and social economy and reflect on the best policy approaches to support the organisations in these fields to develop. If you are interested in a workshop, please contact socialeconomyandinnovation@oecd.org
Examples of workshops
- Boosting the Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Luxembourg – Better Entrepreneurship Policy Tool Workshop (Luxembourg 2019)
- Boosting Social Entrepreneurial Skills, LEED Capacity Building Seminar “Designing Strong Local Strategies for Better Jobs and Skills” (Venice 2017)
Peer-learning partnerships
The Global Action, funded by the European Union to “Promote Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystems” in more than 30 countries in 2020-2022 will lead to peer-learning partnerships. These will be developed among countries to exchange knowledge and experiences on the social and solidarity economy (SSE) and social entrepreneurship.
Events
Here you will find an overview of all upcoming and past events.