Home » Context » SSE

The Social and  Solidarity  Economy

The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) has a major role to play in favor of just transition, to strengthen the resilience of territories and the well-being of their inhabitants. This economy is characterized by the primacy of people and social or environmental objectives over profit, by democratic or participative governance, and by the principles of cooperation and mutual aid. This makes it particularly well adapted to the ecological and social transformations of our systems, redefining wealth and building sustainable, democratic and inclusive societies. To achieve these ambitious goals, it needs to mobilize citizens more broadly, receive greater support and be at the core of major coalitions between private and public players, social classes and countries in both southern and northern countries.

Existing on every continent, the SSE takes on different forms according to each country’s history and culture, but is not always represented at the institutional and political levels.

However, what these different forms do have in common is that they place the economy in a local context, as a means of development that is genuinely geared towards local people, and not as an end in itself. Many countries around the world have recently adopted a legislative framework or support policy for the SSE, or are considering doing so. Local governments have defined proactive policies to give the SSE a place.

The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) is a reality in Europe, accounting for 19.1 million jobs in the European Union (EU), 9% of the EU’s working population and 10% of European GDP, according to a report by the European Economic and Social Council. A quarter of all companies created in Europe are SSE companies. The sector’s potential is increasingly recognised by the different Member States, but only certain countries have adopted a comprehensive legislative framework for the SSE (France, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Sweden).

A wide range of activities and legal forms

SSE organizations cover a wide range of activities, backgrounds, sizes and projects. Everyone benefits collectively and on a daily basis from the services and products produced by the SSE sector, often without even realizing it: personal and business services, medical and social services, agriculture, energy, transport, construction, industry... all human activities are represented by:

  • cultural and social associations
  • employee cooperatives
  • integration structures
  • mutual health and insurance companies
  • commercial companies
  • sports clubs
  • agricultural cooperatives
  • cooperative banks
  • medico-social foundations...

Facts and Figures


In France 1

  • 164,540 companies
  • 222,331 employer organisations
  • 2.4 million employees, 68% of whom are women
  • 14% of private employment
  • 21 million volunteers

In Nouvelle-Aquitaine 2

  • 19,840 employer organisations
    (10% of private establishments)
  • 3rd region in France in terms of the volume of SSE jobs
  • 246,065 employees (16% of private-sector employment)
  • 1.2 million volunteers
  • €6.3 billion in gross payroll
  1. Source ESS France ↩︎
  2. Source Insee Flores 2020 – Mouvement Associatif ↩︎

Choisissez votre langue / Choose your language / Elige tu idioma

Composition of the Scientific Committee:

chaired by Timothée Duverger, Doctor of History and lecturer at Sciences Po Bordeaux, where he heads the TerrESS chair.

National researchers

  • Eric Bidet – ADDES
  • Eliabetta Bucolo – RIUESS
  • Timothée Duverger – CIRIEC France
  • Marilyne Filippi – RECMA
  • Xabier Itçaina – ScPo Bx
  • Francesca Petrella – EMES
  • Nadine Richez-Battesti – ADDES

International researchers

  • Marie Bouchard – CIRIEC International – Québec – Canada
  • Rafael Chaves-Avila – CIRIEC Spain
  • Cheikh Gueye – Think Tank Network - Senegal
  • Marguerite MendellKarl Polanyi – Québec – Canada – Institute member of the Advisory GSEF committee
  • Sybille Mertens – EMES – Belgium
  • Leandro Morais - University of Sao Paulo (UNESP) –  Brazil - member of the Advisory GSEF GSEF
  • Amadou Ndiaye – French-speaking network of the SSE City of Dakar and Amadou-Mahtar-M'Bow University – Senegal 
  • Sambou Ndiaye – Saint Louis GB University – Senegal – Chairman of the Dakar GSEF2023 Scientific Committee 
  • Ilcheong Yi – UNRISD – Switzerland

National players

  • Alain Arnaud – CIRIEC France
  • Ghislain Brégeot – IFAID
  • Mahel Coppey – RTES
  • Mélissa Gentile – Coop Tiers lieux
  • David Le Norcy
  • Jérôme Saddier – ESS France
  • Hugues Sibille – Labo de l’ESS
  • Claire Thoury – Le mouvement associatif
  • Mélanie Thuilier – CRESS NA

International players

  • Bérénice Alcade Castro – INAES – Mexico – Continental Co-Chair GSEF
  • Fabrice Adelphe Balou – PoJET – Ivory Coast – GSEF Africa Youth Pole
  • Alain Coheur – International Forum SSE - Belgium
  • Malick Diop – Platform of Non-State Actors Senegal – Continental Co-Chair GSEF
  • Laurence Kwark – GSEF Advisory Committee – South Korea
  • Denise Fatoumata Ndour – INAISE – Senegal – member of the GSEF advisory committee
  • Mireille Pelchat – Chantier de l’ESS du Québec – Canada – Continental Co-Chair GSEF
  • Yvon Poirier – RIPESS – Quebec – Canada
  • Emilio R. Rabasco – FAMSI/CGLU – Spain
  • Barbara Sak – CIRIEC International – Belgium
  • Denis Stokkink – Consultant – Belgium