• It contains 11 axes and 63 measures to strengthen this business sector, which accounts for 10% of Spanish GDP, 12.5% of employment.
• The Minister of Employment and Social Security states that "the Social Economy is one of the best exponents of the Spain brand and the recovery of our country".
• The president of CEPES emphasizes that the Strategy supposes "a relevant impulse so that the Social Economy occupies a structural place in the economic policies.
• Pedreño emphasizes that Spain is the first European country to approve a state social economy strategy, which will serve as a model for other European nations that follow the trail of Spain in the field of Social Economy.
Madrid, March 20, 2018.- The Minister of Employment and Social Security, Fátima Báñez , has presented the Spanish Social Economy Strategy 2017-2020 to the CEPES Board of Directors, published today in the BOE.
Bañez explained that the objective of the Spanish Social Economy Strategy, the first that is approved in a country of the EU, contains 11 Axes and 63 Measures aimed at enhancing the growth of this economic model that represents 10% of GDP and 12.5% of Spanish employment. Likewise, he has described it as "an instrument of work at the forefront, for a business model focused on people".
The Minister of Employment and Social Security said that "the Social Economy is a priority in the Spain of social recovery, a benchmark in Europe and one of the best exponents of the Spain brand." "Their entities," he added, "create value on the basis of inclusive and sustainable growth. Thanks for everything we have done together.
"The best guarantee of our welfare and pension model is solid economic growth and the creation of quality employment. Here we need the Social Economy, being the protagonist of the recovery and putting the focus on people ", pointed Báñez.
Likewise, the minister explained that "the entities of the Social Economy are a reference in the creation and maintenance of quality employment: more than 80% of the employment is indefinite, fruit of their collective effort for inclusion, well-being and social cohesion".
In addition, Bañez stressed that the Social Economy provides opportunities for groups with difficulties accessing the labor market, such as young people or people with disabilities. He also recalled that "the destruction of employment during the crisis in the companies of the Social Economy was 8% lower than the rest of business entities."
"As Spaniards," said Báñez, "we should be proud to have created inclusive employment and to thank all the entities -of the Social Economy- that make the recovery inclusive, an employment engine and I do not want to forget" , added, "of what is a seal and reference of values of your business model: inclusion and respect for the environment".
REFERENCE IN EUROPE
For his part, the president of CEPES, Juan Antonio Pedreño , stressed that "the Spanish Social Economy Strategy 2017-2020 published today by the BOE is a relevant boost for the Social Economy to occupy a structural place in economic policies, such and as the EU demands; and not only be seen in a conjunctural way for its resilience demonstrated in times of crisis and its presentation to the secat the headquarters of CEPES ratifies it ".
"The Social Economy demonstrates that another economic model is possible, with socially and economically committed companies that create stable and quality work, which are equal and that give opportunity to people with disabilities and groups at risk of exclusion; but they are also competitive in the market and some of which are leaders in their activity, "said Pedreño.
The president of CEPES, has indicated that "it is extremely important that Spain is the first country that creates a Social Economy Strategy, which will serve to develop it in other European countries that follow in the wake of what Spain is doing in the field of Social Economy "
In addition, Pedreño stressed the importance of "the Government value and want to increase an ecosystem of Social Economy that serves for the Autonomous Communities adapt and carry out support and support plans for our economic model."
CEPES, as the highest representative Spanish entity of the Social Economy, has worked with the Government of Spain with the aim of materializing this Strategy.
In the presentation of the Spanish Strategy of Social Economy were also the Secretary of State for Employment, Juan Pablo Riesgo Figuerola-Ferretti , the general director of Autonomous Work of the Social Economy and Social Responsibility of Companies, Carmen Casero , as well as as representatives of the 26 partner entities of CEPES.
