The social economy plays an essential role in economic and social development, based on values such as solidarity, participation and sustainability.
This economic model is made up of organisations that combine their business activity with a clear social commitment, distancing themselves from traditional profit-making factors. The Social Economy Law includes different organisations where their operation methods have democratic and social interest in common.
Types of organisations in the social economy
Amongst the main organisations in the social economy, we can find the following:
- Cooperatives. Organisations managed democratically, where the members take an active part in the decision-making processes and the profits are shared out fairly. The cooperatives may operate in sectors such as agriculture, consumption, housing or work.
- Mutual societies. Organisations that offer welfare and protection services to their members, such as life or healthcare insurance, based on the principle of mutual aid without any financial gain.
- Foundations. Organisations that carry out activities with general interest purposes, such as education, research or culture. The foundations reinvest their resources to achieve their social aim.
- Associations with economic activity. These are non-profit making groups which, in addition to pursuing social purposes, also carry out economic activities to fund themselves and to be able to meet their goals.
- Worker-owned companies. Companies in which most of the share capital belongs to the workers. They promote stable employment and the participation of the employees in the company management.
- Integration companies. These are aimed at the social and working integration of people at risk of social exclusion, combining training and employment with personalised accompaniment.
- Special employment centres. Their aim is to provide employment for disabled people, adapting the working environment to their needs and promoting their integration on the work market.
- Fishermen’s guilds. Associations that group together workers from the fishing sector in order to defend their economic, social and professional interests.
- Agricultural Processing Companies (APC). Companies devoted to improving the production, transformation and marketing of agricultural and livestock products, using a social economy model.
- Singular organisations. Regulated by Specific Regulations These are unique organisations, created by specific legal provisions, which are ruled by the social economy principles established in article 4 of the Law on Social Economy.
