Global SSE Forum
Bordeaux GSEF 2025
Bringing the transition economy to life and making it grow
From 29 to 31 October 2025, the 7th Global Social Solidarity Economy Forum will be held for the first time in France, in Bordeaux, following on from the previous editions in Seoul, Montreal, Bilbao, Mexico City and Dakar. A major biennial international event, it brings together all the players in the Social and Solidarity Economy ecosystem and opens the doors to a variety of themes linked to the major societal issues and the values of the SSE.
“The SSE, a precondition for a just transition towards resilient territories1 and the well-being of their inhabitants“
The scientific committee, made up of national and international researchers and players has defined, for this year's Global SSE Forum, a general theme opening the door to various sub-themes, the content of which has been fed by contributions from all over the world.
Workshops and round tables at the Palais 2 l'Atlantique and at the other Bordeaux GSEF 2025 sites will address these issues:
ACTING FOR THE TERRITORIES
Just transition
- Commons, conflicts and democratic governance
- Ecological transition, nature based solutions and SSE sectors
- Agri-food systems, transition and sovereignty
- Energy transition equity
- Digital commons and data collection
- Sustainable and inclusive tourism
Financing
- The blended finance of SSE (sponsorship, CSR, private sector/SSE partnerships, etc.)
- The role of public and local authorities in financing the SSE (subsidies, public procurement…)
- Sustainable finance and SSE (solidarity finance, impact finance, ethical finance, inclusive finance, etc.)
Co-construction and innovations of public policies
- Public sector/SSE partnerships, development of networks and public policies from local to international level
- Territorial Responsibility of Enterprises and place-based strategies
- International partnerships, NGOs and capacity-building
ACTING FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS
Inclusive prosperity
- Dialogue construction, peace and migrations
- Solidarity, social justice and fight against inequalities
- Health, social protection and care services
- Housing
Decent work
- Workplace democracy
- The job guarantee and creating decent jobs
- From informal economies to SSE
Empowerment
- Education, training and economic citizenship
- Gender and SSE
- Knowledge and capacities of vulnerable people
- Collective empowerment of young people
- The media
FORESIGHT
Foresight and research
- Social innovations and participatory research
- Socio-environmental indicators, measuring and monitoring social impact and SSE
- Post-growth scenarios, utopias and SSE narratives
To help you find your way around the Forum's programme, a series of themes will be proposed.
- Territory: a space which can be on different scales, covering various dimensions such as economic, political, cultural, geographic and demographic ↩︎
The formats offered
- 1 opening plenary session placing the 7th edition of the Bordeaux GSEF 2025 World Forum on the Social Solidarity Economy in a context of international events that will be decisive for the future of transitions. A keynote speaker will follow this introductory session.
- 7 political plenary sessions bringing together panels of political figures and representatives of major SSE institutions or networks to express the issues, visions and conditions for sustainable, inclusive development rooted in the regions.
- 4 themed plenary sessions featuring leading personalities, invited to discuss the major issues of the day for those who make the SSE work.
- 1 closing plenary session which will present the final Political Declaration and a roadmap to the next forum, as well as the International Youth Declaration on SSE.
- 157 workshops or round tables based on the call for contributions issued in July 2024 to all SSE players and stakeholders. The aim is to provide a forum for the cross-fertilisation of experiences from a wide range of geographical and sectoral backgrounds, as well as a rich exchange of views between participants with both practical initiatives and expertise.
- A networking dimension with spaces and tools for networking.
- A stand area for institutions, networks, SSE players and partners in the central building at the Forum venue.
- A live radio broadcast from the Forum with programming in partnership with several media and the Bordeaux Aquitaine Institute of Journalism.
In conjunction with ESS France, the Forum will also provide an opportunity to launch the Month of SSE 2025, which takes place every year in November to shine a spotlight on the social and solidarity economy throughout France.
Organisation of the days
In practice
Registration fees have been set to suit the different profiles of participants in a spirit of solidarity and fairness, and include (unless otherwise stated):
- 1 3-day PASS to all Forum venues;
- 3 lunches on site;
- 1 TBM PASS for free use of public transport (bus, streetcar, BATO/boat-bus);
- admission to Espace Bodega and Hangar 14 exchanges.
- A special focus on people with disabilities.
- An online community with a Forum social network before and during the event.
- A sober and eco-designed Forum.
- A major proportion of service providers are SSE players.
SSE in the regions
On the eve of the Global SSE Forum Bordeaux GSEF 2025, the Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Département de la Gironde and the CRESS Nouvelle-Aquitaine are offering 9 pathways to discover the dynamics and local initiatives of the Social Solidarity Economy.
Each itinerary will invite participants to immerse themselves at the heart of innovative and meaningful projects, embodying the values of cooperation, solidarity and sustainable local development.
4 pathways will take place in Gironde – Médoc, Bassin d’Arcachon & Val de Leyre, Libournais and Sud-Gironde – and 5 others in neighbouring departments, in Charente, Charente-Maritime, Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne and Landes..
Registration required – limited capacity
The other Forum site, Hangar 14
Forum participants will be able to extend their days at Hangar 14 in Bordeaux city centre, on the banks of the river, with opportunities for dialogue with players in the conventional economy, as well as areas for socialising.
• From 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm A committed marketplace, to discover the activities of regional SSE players and buy products ranging from handicrafts to reuse or artistic creation.
• From 6.30pm to 9.00-9.30pm – free access for Bordeaux GSEF 2025 participants and open to the general public (with free online registration)
"Social and Solidarity Economy / Conventional Economy, cooperation for the benefit of territories"
- pitches - ‘express’ presentations to kick-start discussions;
- duo meetings - themed dialogues between players from the SSE and the conventional economy;
- summit conferences.
• Depending on the day
- Presentation of the Bordeaux Métropole 2025 "Coup de Cœur de l'ESS" Awards
- Presentation of the NGO ‘Reporter d'espoir’ Award
- Presentation of the City of Bordeaux "Financer Demain" Awards
A bodega area will be open until 10pm, where you can nibble and toast the strength of the collective.
• From 9pm to midnight – The Espace "Garonne" (reserved for those registered for the evenings or by invitation only)
In a relaxed and musical atmosphere, with a view over the Garonne, it will provide an opportunity to continue the day's discussions and initiate new encounters with other participants and speakers. Drinks and snacks available.
The SSE, the economy that wants good for us!
An area dedicated to the Social and Solidarity Economy for the general public
4pm to 8pm - free admission
For 3 days, Hangar 14 will be transformed into a friendly, lively village, illustrating all the ways in which the social and solidarity economy can contribute to our daily lives. It's a highly practical and immersive way of exploring the SSE's alternative to conventional methods of producing and consuming material goods, services, culture and information.
- A programme of events (murals, collaborative workshops, committed games, etc.) and exhibitions, including some based on contributions made by young people or SSE players, to learn, question and interact.
- A big screen area, where highlights of the Forum can be replayed and inspiring videos shown, to open up and enrich your thinking.
- Shows on the forecourt to engage, attract and make people smile.
Elsewhere in town
Other venues will be getting into the SSE spirit by offering events for participants and the general public alike. There will be something to suit all tastes and energies, with, for example, the Forum's ‘Parties’ at the Cité Bleue and Darwin, and events for young people and families at Chapitô (Bègles)!
Guided tours "In the footsteps of the Social Solidarity Economy" in Bordeaux and the surrounding area will be organised in conjunction with the Bordeaux Metropolitan Tourist Office and partner SSE structures.
The SSE Youth Hub
Delegations of young ambassadors are expected at the Forum and will be supported by a number of partners. They will be helping to build and bring together continental pleas in the form of an " International Youth Declaration for the SSE ", to be presented at the closing ceremony of the Forum. The hybrid and committed site of the Cité Bleue will host the SSE Youth Hub during the Forum.
A complementary programme for the Palais 2 l'Atlantique has been put together with Chapitô (Bègles) around 10 themes of freely accessible activities.
And because the SSE is also about partying, afterworks and festive evenings will be part of the fun!
Satellite events
Two international events concerning the Social and Solidarity Economy will take place in the same week as the Forum. Participants in these events benefit from a preferential rate for Bordeaux Gsef 2025.
The 10th International Social Economy Research Conference organised by CIRIEC (International Centre of Research and Information on the Public, Social and Cooperative Economy) and the TerrESS Chair (Territories of the Social and Solidarity Economy) at Sciences Po Bordeaux - on 27 and 28 October 2025 at Sciences Po Bordeaux (Pessac) and on 29 October at the Palais 2 l'Atlantique on the Forum site.
The European Meeting of Local Currencies organised by the Mouvement Sol (French federation of local currencies), the RTES (Network of Local Authorities for a Solidarity Economy) and the City of Bordeaux - on 27 and 28 October 2025 at the Athénée Municipal (Bordeaux).
