This case study presents the Operational Programme for Social Inclusion and Social Economy (POISES). Between 2014 and 2020, Spain implemented POISES with European Social Fund (ESF) funding to address poverty, social exclusion, and employment access. The programme targeted vulnerable groups such as women, persons with disabilities and the Roma community. POISES supported 2 258 entities and benefited around 68 585 individuals. Key initiatives included the DInnovar and Acceder programmes, as well as 65 pilot projects employing innovative tools and methods. Despite administrative delays, regional disparities and low female participation, POISES outperformed other national programmes on implementation and impact. It complemented regional actions and reinforced Spain’s 2023–27 Strategy for the Social Economy, which promoted visibility, competitiveness and sustainability in emerging sectors. Another ESF-funded project in Spain addresses challenges in the areas of employment, social inclusion and education in the region of Murcia.
Operational Programme for Social Inclusion and Social Economy (POISES) in Spain
Abstract
Spain has a long-standing social economy tradition. In 2022, the social economy accounted for 10% of GDP and generated 12.5% of total employment (Government of Spain, 2022[1]). This area is characterised by a significant presence of co-operatives, non-profit organisations, and foundations (OECD, 2023[2]). Its policy development is overseen by the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, as well as the framework Law on the Social Economy, adopted in 2011.
The 2023-27 Strategy for the Social Economy highlights the Spanish Government’s commitment to the social economy. This strategy is divided into four different priorities: (1) social economy visibility and institutional participation, (2) improving competitiveness, (3) entrepreneurship and emerging sectors and (4) social and territorial sustainability. It also promotes social innovation in emerging sectors (e.g. care, sustainability, the digital sector, healthcare) by encouraging social economy entities to participate in social innovation platforms and forums (Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, 2023[3]).
Spain received EUR 16.2 billion in ESF funding in the 2014-20 programming period – including both EU and national co-financing – representing 21.7% of the country’s total European Structural and Investment Funds (European Commission, 2025[4]). The funding prioritised three areas: (1) educational and vocational training, (2) sustainable and quality employment and (3) social inclusion. Social innovation was included as a priority under Axis 6 of the ESF 2014-20 programming period in the Operational Programme for Social Inclusion and Social Economy (POISES) at the national level, as well as the regional operational programmes of Murcia and the Basque Country.
ESF+ is managed by one Managing Authority and 22 public and private Intermediary Bodies, who are responsible for launching calls, selecting projects and monitoring implementation. At the national level, they oversee four main programmes: ÉFESO (Employment, Education, Training and Social Economy); INCLUSION (Social Inclusion, Child Guarantee and Fight Against Poverty); Youth Employment; and BASICO (Basic Material Assistance). Spain also has 19 autonomous communities, each of which has its own regional Intermediary Body – under the national Managing Authority – and programme (see Figure 1). The national INCLUSION programme, as well as six regional programmes (Galicia, Cantabria, Murcia, Valencia, Cataluña, Navarra) have a social innovation priority, each of which demonstrates at least one socially innovative measure.
Source: Authors’ own elaboration based on information provided by Spain.
POISES addressed national priorities, such as social inclusion, fighting poverty, improving access to employment and promoting the social economy through an innovative approach. Under the ESF 2014-20 programming period, POISES was designed to strengthen social inclusion actions, focusing on vulnerable groups such as women, persons with disabilities and the Roma community. In addition to its social scope, the programme raised awareness among the private sector and the general public on the importance of using innovative approaches to address employment and inclusion challenges (Red2Red Consultores, 2019[5]).
POISES made a significant contribution to advancing the fight against poverty and social exclusion. Almost 2 258 public or private entities have supported actions promoting equal treatment, benefiting approximately 68 585 people at risk of social exclusion (Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, 2021[6]). In addition, the programme included several successful interventions such as the DInnovar project, which aimed to integrate persons with disabilities into the labour market, and the Acceder programme, which focused on the integration of Roma people. Additionally, 65 pilot projects under POISES also used innovative tools or methodologies, highlighting the importance of social innovation within the programme (Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, 2021[6]).
POISES faced challenges during the implementation phase, such as administrative delays, uneven regional progress and limited female participation. There were imbalances in the financial implementation of the different priority areas. While Axis 6 on social innovation progressed at a steady pace, Axis 7 on transnational cooperation advanced more slowly, delaying the overall implementation process. In addition, the programme had greater advancements in developed regions, while transition and less developed regions did not manage to implement the programme at the same level. The prevalence of male participants also undermined the programme’s gender equality objectives (Red2Red Consultores, 2019[5]).
POISES achieved positive results in key indicators, such as the number of beneficiaries and implementation levels, compared to other national programmes. The actions carried out under this national operational programme complemented those at the regional level, enhancing overall impact. The prioritisation of social innovation and transnational actions, applied to social inclusion and improving access to employment, for example, also provided unique contributions in these areas, which remain scarce across regional operational programmes (Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, 2021[6]).
ESF funding helped in developing several social innovation and inclusion projects under POISES. During the 2014-20 programming period, Thematic Objective 9, which aimed to promote social inclusion and combat poverty and all forms of discrimination (including Axis 6 on social innovation), received EUR 2.96 billion. Nearly 45.4% was allocated to national programmes, of which POISES received 34.3% (Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, 2021[6]).
References
[4] European Commission (2025), Cohesion Open Data Platform - Spain, https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/countries/ES/14-20.
[1] Government of Spain (2022), PERTE de la economía social y los cuidados, https://planderecuperacion.gob.es/como-acceder-a-los-fondos/pertes/perte-de-economia-social-y-de-los-cuidados#:~:text=En%20la%20actualidad%2C%20los%20actores,12%2C5%25%20del%20empleo.
[6] Ministry of Labour and Social Economy (2021), Evaluación Temática sobre Inclusión Social en las Actuaciones del Fondo Social Europeo 2014-2020, https://www.mites.gob.es/UAFSE/ficheros/FSE14_20/evaluacion/tematicas/inclu-social/eval_inclusion-social.pdf.
[2] OECD (2023), Country Fact Sheet: Spain, https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/topics/policy-sub-issues/social-economy-and-social-innovation/country-fact-sheets/country-fact-sheet-spain.pdf.
[5] Red2Red Consultores (2019), Evaluación Intermedia 2019 del Programa Operativo de Inclusión Social y de la Economía Social, https://www.mites.gob.es/UAFSE/ficheros/FSE14_20/evaluacion/informes/poises/inf_ev2019_poises.pdf.
[3] Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Economy (2023), Spanish Strategy in Social Economy 2023-2027, https://www.cepes.es/files/docs/estrategia-espaola-de-economia-social-20232027.pdf.
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