Following the Opening Session,the first day of the Academy continued with a High Level Panel on the role of the SSE for a human-centred recovery from the global COVID-19 crisis. The panelists of this High Level Panel were Mr. Gabriel Bastos, Portuguese State Secretary for Social Security, Mr. Fernando Elísio Freire, State Ministry for Family, Inclusion and Social Development of Cabo Verde, Ms. Santina Bertulessi, Deputy Head Of Cabinet of European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Ms. Sharan Burrow, Secretary-General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Mr. Luis Rodrigo Morales, Senior Adviser of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE). The Panel was moderated by Mr. Victor Meseguer, Director of Social Economy Europe (SEE), and facilitated by Mr. Nuno Castro (ITC-ILO).

In relation to the role of SSE in the COVID-19 recovery, Mr. Gabriel Bastos, State Secretary for Social Security at the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security in Portugal reflected on the need to reconsider the importance of “profit” in the socio-economic systems, that should not be elevated to a goal of the systems, but rather employed as a tool at the service of human development and environmental sustainability. According to Mr. Bastos, this change of vision must be reflected in policy-making.From this perspective, the presence of social actors such as SSE organisations is essential to avoid the environmental collapse and to maintain and restore social cohesion. This is on account of their ability to guarantee essential services and to maintain employment, which once more has proven effective during the pandemic. The values and features embedded in the SSE should influence the wider economic and political institutions, to make them more resistant and resilient to face future crises.

Mr. Fernando Elísio Freire, State Minister at the Ministry of Family, Inclusion and Social Development of Cabo Verde, shared insights on how SSE is contributing to boosting sustainable development in his country. He noted that in recent decades, the SSE has been important for development in Cabo Verde. Without the SSE it would not be possible to promote social inclusion and social protection while also taking environmental concerns into account. These challenges are difficult to address especially due to the high rates of informality in the country. The promotion of a transition to the formal economy was essential, and it was possible to foster it thanks to support of SSE organisations and networks. According to the State Minister, SSE is an important tool for their national sustainable development as it supports: the achievement of social and territorial cohesion; reduction of inequalities; ensuring gender empowerment and workplace safety; and the creation of networks of training and re-skilling. To untap the potential of the SSE in Cabo Verde, Mr Freire concluded, the Government is currently working to create an institutional and legislative framework to support it.

Ms. Santina Bertulessi, Deputy Head of Cabinet of European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights at European Commission (EC), reflected on the potential of the SSE for a fair recovery and a just transition in Europe and beyond. She noted that the pandemic provided an impetus to shift toward a fairer and more sustainable economy. It has helped many stakeholders to change their perspectives. The SSE contributes to this shift by creating and retaining jobs, boosting social inclusion in the labour markets, providing key social services and revitalising rural areas. To support this role, a new European Action Plan for the Social Economy in Europe will be published soon. The plan aims at framing the SSE better, in order to scale it up in terms of the business models, institutional conditions, sectors of operation and other relevant areas. The Plan was drafted through an intensive consultation process with the main SSE stakeholders, who will be involved in its implementation across levels.

Ms. Sharan Burrow, Secretary-General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), discussed the lines of convergence and potential for alliance between the SSE actors and trade unions. Ms Burrow noted that the main common ground is the fight to boost social security, the transition to the formal economy, and the achievement of a minimum income for unemployed people. Among the SSE actors, cooperatives have traditionally played an important role in engaging with these challenges, and they have their roots in the workers’ movements around the world. Other important examples are the mutual societies that are established by workers to provide essential services in contexts where the State is absent. “The SSE is not a second-class market, but a valid, prominent economic sector and it should be treated as such. The SSE and trade unions must side with each other and build a common new framework for the economy”, Ms. Burrow said. Finally, the ITUC SG called for a better inclusion of SSE actors in social dialogue, driven by an increased commitment and capacity of trade unions to reach and represent workers in the SSE.

Mr. Luis Rodrigo Morales, Senior Adviser of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), brought to the table the perspective of employers’ organizations and “traditional” corporations on the possibility of cooperation with SSE organisations toward more sustainable business practices. According to Mr Morales, a sustainable recovery from the pandemic requires strong enterprises. In doing so, cooperatives play a crucial role to help marginalised people during the crisis, especially in the transition to formality. To unleash this potential, it is essential to create an enabling environment for cooperatives and other economic actors of the SSE, and to increase the cooperation with traditional businesses. Four elements are important to foster cooperation: the recognition of the value that social enterprises represent for the wider economy; the development of policy frameworks that reconcile SSE with the market economy and that create enabling ecosystems for SSE economic actors; tackling informality, especially in developing economies. SSE actors are strong allies to achieve this goal, and they should be supported in the task. Among the types of support needed are: the enhancement of productivity of SSE organisations, which is normally lower than average due to their inability to achieve efficient economies of scale; and the incorporation of new management models drawn from the traditional business environment which can be helpful to overcome this productivity constraint.

Click here to watch the recording of the session in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.