The cooperative movement at the service of social medicine
The social economy is highly represented both in Catalonia and Spain through cooperatives and other companies, mutual societies and other enterprises that put people at the centre of their activities.
The social economy plays an essential role within the Spanish and Catalan economy. This sector not only promotes social cohesion and sustainable development, but it also is a key driver for the generation of employment and wealth in the country.
In Spain, the sector brings together over 43,000 companies; it employs over 2.5 million people and it represents over 10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to data from CEPES, (the Spanish Business Federation of the Social Economy).
Cooperatives stand out as the main driving force for the social economy in Spain, representing 75.7% of the companies in the sector. In Spain, there are cooperative companies registered that operate in areas as different as agriculture, education, industry and services, contributing to economic revitalisation and to local development.
The next group are fishermen’s associations, which play a crucial role in the primary sector, particularly in the sustainable management of marine resources; labour companies, which allow the workers to become partners and to take an active part in the decision-making processes of their companies; and insertion companies, which are aimed at integrating people who find themselves in a vulnerable situation to the labour market, promoting equal opportunities and social inclusion.
The social economy in Spain brings together 2.4 million people and it represents over 10% of the GDP
Spain is one of the proponent countries for the social economy, a model that takes into account people’s inclusion and well-being. The construction of this sector in Spain has been carried out thanks to the cooperative movement and the country is the home to some of the largest cooperatives in the world.
The social economy in Spain is also backed up by a solid legislative framework that promotes and protects it. The Law 5/2011 on Social Economy was one of the first specific laws in Europe, and it is used as a benchmark for other countries interested in developing this economic model. In addition, autonomous communities such as Catalonia, the Basque Country and Andalusia have implemented regional policies that strengthen the sector.
The entities of the Espriu Foundation form the third largest cooperative healthcare group in the world
Within the recovery plan following the Covid-19 pandemic, Spain has designed a Strategic Project for the Recovery and Economic Transformation (PERTE in its Spanish initials) of the social economy.
This project includes the creation of a State-of-the-art Hub for social economy, an international benchmark centre that will boost the sector by way of knowledge and international dissemination.
The main objective will be to study their role in the reduction of inequality and the creation of a more inclusive work market.
In 2023, the General Assembly of the UN adopted the first resolution in its history for Social Economy, in which it recognises its importance in order to be able to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In recent years, the term ‘social economy’ has become popular, consolidating itself as an alternative to the current market economy and a response to contemporary challenges, such as the environmental crisis.