Insights from social and solidarity economy data

The social and solidarity economy (SSE) is gaining traction in public policy at subnational, national and international level. However, despite increasing interest, available data on the SSE remain limited. Collecting data on the SSE helps better understand its reach and contribution to the total economy, while also helping policy makers to design effective policies for its promotion and SSE actors to access new audiences, markets and finance. The OECD produced country fact sheets for 34 countries to provide a snapshot of their social and solidarity economy at the national level, collating information on official definitions, number and size of entities, employment patterns, sectors of activity and economic contribution as well as surrounding legal frameworks and social impact initiatives. This paper looks at commonalities across these countries in their SSE ecosystems to present overall insights and trends.