DIESIS COOP European Research and Development Service for the Co-operatives and the Social Economy Conference TESSEA 22/05/2015, Prague Diesis coop scrl-fs Square de Meeûs , 18 1050 Bruxelles Tél : +32 (0)2/543 10 43 www.diesis.coop
Mission Since 1997 DIESIS has supported the development of the social economy in Europe through the implementation of knowledge-based activities, such as training , project design , consultings and advisory services , technical assistance and research . Members 15 social economy organisations from 6 European Countries Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Poland, Germany
Network and Partnership • DIESIS members benefit from a network of more than 80,000 social economy enterprises all over Europe. • Diesis works in partnership with like-minded European networks/platforms such as CECOP , EMES , EAPN , REVES Social Economy Europe . • DIESIS is member of the OECD Local Economic and Employment Development Programme (LEED), SEN (Social Entrepreneurship Network), the European Alliance for Innovation and EARTH (European Alliance for Responsible Tourism and Hospitality).
Members • AITR (IT) • Scuola Nazionale Servizi • LEGACOOP Servizi (IT) • CONFESAL (ES) • CGM (IT) • COCETA (ES) • ELABORA (IT) • CG SCOP (FR) • INFORCOOP (IT) • Pour la Solidarité (BE) • LEGACOOP Sociali (IT) • INNOVA eG (DE) • Consorzio Nazionale • FISE (PL) Meuccio Ruini (IT) • DROM (IT)
Fields of Action Social Innovation Active citizenship Social enterpreneurship Participatory democracy Social dialogue Sustainable mobility Sustainable social tourism Sustainable energy Gender equality Local development Fighting poverty/discrimination Social housing
Services at European level Networking and partnerships: exchange Information and communication (Study Visits, Organisation of events: conferences and seminars, Business to business contact, Contact with European institutions) : visibility Research: knowledge EU projects: ( Identification of client’s needs, Drafting of projects and budget proposal, Administrative support and coordination of projects, Partners’ research, Evaluation ): expertise Training: skills and competences
« BENISI » Building a European Network of Incubators for Social Innovation Aim: to identify and scale 300 of the most promising, impactful and employment-generating social innovations. Countries: IT, BE, NL, UK, SE, RO, AT Partners : i-propeller, The Impact Hub, Diesis, European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA), Fondazione Cariplo / Pôle Européen des Fondations de L’économie Sociale (PEFONDES)… Web site: www.benisi.eu
SEN “ Social Entrepreneurship Network” led by the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and Developm ent 2013-2015 Aim: The Social Entrepreneurship Network (SEN) project seeks to build the capacity of the actors who form part of the ESF system to achieve the objectives of the ESF and of the Europe 2020 strategy. Countries: PL, UK, CZ, BE, GR, SE, FI, IT, CY Partners : ESF Managing Authorities and intermediate bodies from 9 EU Member States and regions (PL, UK – England and Scotland, IT – Trentino and Lombardy, BE Flanders, CZ, GR, CY, SE and FI) and associated partners: Diesis, FISE, Consorzio Light, Social Firms Scotland, Reves network, P3, Coompanion Web site: www.socialeconomy.pl.
Issues (1) Definition What is a social enterprise? • The General Regulation does not define social enterprise • Concepts and definitions vary widely across Europe • The Social Business Initiative and the PSCI refer to a definition of social enterprise that tries to take into account the diversity of economic structures, cultural traditions and legal frameworks across Europe: Trading on the market Main objective: achieve a social impact rather than a profit for owners or shareholders Surpluses are mainly used to achieve social goals Participative governance structures that involve workers, customers and stakeholders accountable and transparent, innovative and entrepreneurial management
Issues (2) Scope What are the economic activities of social enterprises? Facilitate work integration Provide/improve social and health care for disadvantaged people Deliver social and care services of general interest Produce services and products that meet collective needs, such as: Organise and finance community development , Produce and distribute healthy and affordable food, Facilitate access to and deliver education and lifelong learning, Nurture culture and arts, Provide inclusive and sustainable facilities for tourism, recreation and well- being Strengthen democracy and enable participation in the digital society, provide public services such as community transport, utilities, reduce emissions and waste, use natural resources efficiently, or promote fair trade
Issues (3) Justification Why promoting social economy and social enterprises? Social entrepreneurs are innovators and drive social change : They generate sustainable jobs, facilitate social and work integration, provide inclusive social services and improve the quality of social and health care; They introduce efficient ways to reduce emissions and waste, and to use natural resources and energy more efficiently; They focus on innovation and the participatory use of the internet The investment priority on promoting social economy and social enterprises is strongly linked to EU2020 and social innovation, the Social Business Initiative, the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan, and the Social Investment Strategy
EU policy messages (1) SBI Communication • EU policy framework that recognises the business model of social enterprises in a pluralist social market economy. • The definition of Social Enterprise tries to take account of the range of economic structures, cultural traditions and legal frameworks across the EU. • Social enterprise support needs to be embedded in a comprehensive ecosystem for social entrepreneurship and social innovation. This principle needs to be applied both at national and at EU level. • The Commission has asked the Member States and regions to step up their efforts to promote social enterprises.
EU policy messages (2) Key challenges to be addressed in ESF support actions 1. The crisis calls for reengineering Europe's economic and social fabric, and for reprogramming public policies and actions. Social enterprises are drivers in social innovation. 2. The guiding principle for further developing the single market is the social market economy. Social enterprises often lack capacity and opportunity to work across national borders. 3. Social enterprises face specific barriers in access to finance, markets and ressources. Need a level playing field with all economic actors. 4. Cohesion policy instruments are to tackle economic, social and territorial disparities which the Single Market does not reduce by itself. Many Social enterprises have a mission that falls into the ESF and ERDF scope of intervention. 5. The economic crisis is also a crisis of values. Social enterprises are the vanguard of responsible business.
Barriers to start, develop and scale social enterprises to be addressed by public policies • Lack of awareness and recognition of the social value which social enterprises generate; • Education and training system not developing the necessary mind-sets, skills and competences; • Inadequate support services, networks and infrastructures; • Lack of seed finance and support; • An underdeveloped finance system - throughout the life cycle of a business.
Key objectives of support to Social Enterprise speeding up and increasing the rate of creating sustainable social enterprises direct support for capacity building of teams starting a social enterprise address societal challenges through developing new business models and innovative solutions Support transfer of expertise, cooperation and start-ups stimulating the development of a supportive eco-system delivery of high quality supply of business development and support services (education, training, networking, coaching, tendering etc.) facilitating access to finance Set up financial instruments
Strategic policy framework Capacity building (pre-start up) Social values & challenges Social of social entrepreneurs needs & opportunities Awareness, education Capacity to assess Innovation Business development services Access to finance for enterprise Level consolidation & growth playing field Access to markets Financial market Learning & networking platforms; fora and pacts of stakeholders regulations Objectives in line with the national employment strategy Good Design & implementation in partnership with stakeholders governance Simple administration rules & delivery procedures Synergetic actions of different depart. & levels of government Mechanisms for monitoring, impact measurem ´ t and evaluation
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