(Madrid, November 23, 2015) .- The Spanish Social Economy is made ​​up of companies of all sizes, and create and maintain employment, active in all economic sectors. This is one of the main conclusions of the "relevant companies of the Social Economy"prepared by the Spanish Business Confederation of Social Economy (CEPES).
This report aims to give value to society and to project this business model comprised of cooperatives, labor companies, mutual societies, integration enterprises, special employment centers and fishermen's associations. This is a report that presents information from a total of 870 companies on different variables of the more than 42,800 existing businesses.
"The Spanish Social Economy ceased to be a temporary solution in times of crisis, to become a structural reality of job creation and wealth, representing through its business sector 10% of GDP and 12.5% ​​of employment with 2.2 million jobs direct and indirect, "he stressed the president of CEPES, Juan Antonio Pedreño.
"A feature of social economy companies is operating in all economic sectors and are of all sizes, from micro-enterprises and SMEs to large corporations world-renowned" Pedreño indicated.
The report confirms the presence of significant brands Companies in the Social Economy in different sectors: credit unions (Cajamar, Laboral Kutxa or some Caixas and rural banks), distribution and consumption (Eroski, Consum or Unide...), health (Cooperative Lavinia ASISA...) food industry (Coren, DCoop, Central Lechera Asturiana, Feiraco...) or education (Gredos San Diego...), construction (Larcovi...), industrial and automotive, among other companies.
Other sectors in which firms operate social economy are industry, automotive, tourism, transport, services, engineering, trade, elevators, consulting, textile or care for people.
Besides Cooperatives and labor companies, the report also highlights the economic and social importance of the Mutual (Lagun Aro, General Mutuality of Lawyers...) of integration enterprises (Engrunes, Formació and Work ...) of the Special Centers job (Ilunión...) which integrate in their workforce to more than 70% of people with disabilities, disability associations (ONCE, CERMI) and the Fishermen.
Large business groups
The report includes eight major business groups in the social economy which employ more than 128,000 people: Espriú (health) Grup Clade (multisectoral), Unide, Grupo Cooperativo Cajamar (credit unions), Atlantis Group (insurance) Foundation, MONDRAGON Corporation (multisectoral), ILUNION (multisectoral) and GroupGredos San Diego (services).
The evolution of these projects confirms the competitiveness of the social economy, a different model of doing business that is based on the prominence of the people to adapt to the global business context, innovate and contribute to the development of society.
Values
CEPES president has stated that "all these companies, many of which are leaders at local, national and even international level,They show that it is possible a new economic model which concerns people occupy center stage, with a strong commitment to the territory and innovative thinking to adapt and look to the future with hope. "
"The Social Economy companies are competitive in their markets, are managed democratically, redistribute its benefits equitably and show that economic rationality and social progress are compatible," said Pedreño.
