The social economy in figures: Catalonia, Spain and the world

The social economy, in figures. The social economy has gained attention in recent times all over the world and different countries have adapted their legislation in order to boost the sector. 

In many countries, the social economy is an important factor for employment and it significantly contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The importance of employment in the social economy as a percentage of the total may vary from 1% in Bulgaria and 3% in Hungary, to 10.4% in France and 12.1% in Belgium, according to data gathered by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 

The social economy makes up 7% of the world’s GDP and employment, as informed by the Secretariat of the United Nations, and it generates 8% of the European Union’s GDP through 2.8 million companies and 13.6 million jobs. 
 

Spain and the social economy

In Spain, the social economy makes up 10% of the entire GDP and 12.5% of employment, which is above the global average, according to data from the Spanish Business Confederation of the Social Economy (CEPES). 

The fabric of the social economy is formed by 43,000 companies and organisations that generate almost 2.2 million jobs. The sample analysed by CEPES covered 3,310 companies that invoice 206.228 million euros, with up to 471,449 direct and indirect jobs. 

Type of companies

• Cooperatives: a total of 2,506 representing 75.70% of the sample.
• Fishermen’s guilds: a total of 199, making up 6.19% of the analysed sample.
• Worker-owned companies: there are a total of 178 of these, which represent 5.54% of the companies studied.
• Integration companies: there are 159 of these, representing 4.98%.
• Agricultural Processing Companies: there are 117 of these companies, making a total of 3.64% of the companies analysed.
• Special Employment Centres: these make up 3.27% of the sample, with a total of 105.
• Mutual societies: there are 20 of these societies, meaning 0.62% of the sample.
• Foundations and associations: there are a total of 15 of these, representing 0.47%.
• Business groups: this is the smallest group, with a total of 11, meaning 0.34% of the sample.

Social economy sectors

• Agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing: this is by far the largest sector. This sector makes up 74.2% of all the companies studied.
• Services: they cover 16.3% of the sample.
• Construction: these companies make up 5.4% of the analysed sample.
• Industry: with a slightly lower representation than the construction sector, the companies devoted to industry make up 4.1% of those analysed.
• Multi-sectorial: by far the sector with fewest companies. They make up 0.1% of the sample.
   

The social economy in Catalonia 

19.1% of the cooperatives in Spain are concentrated in Catalonia, with up to 4,706 cooperatives, according to the Catalan Cooperatives Register. The model has been promoted from Catalonia and it has been consolidated as a production model within the region. 

In Catalonia, social economy companies represent 3% of the business fabric, and 6% of the jobs and over 8% of Catalonia’s GDP.