• This follows from the Report ´The contribution of the Spanish Social Economy to the SDGs. IV Report on the experience of Social Economy Companies in Development Cooperation 2017-2019 ', prepared by CEPES.
• The report collects data and more than 50 business experiences that confirm the commitment of the Spanish Social Economy to the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations.
• The role of the Social Economy in the Spanish Development Cooperation is verified, as a transversal axis of the Agenda, which dedicated in 2016 and 2017 at least 19 million euros of its Official Aid to finance 224 interventions in 37 countries in which Social Economy participates.
• The Social Economy represents 7% of GDP and global employment and generates 8% of the GDP of the European Union through 2.8 million companies and 13.6 million jobs.
Madrid, December 20, 2019 - The Social Economy is a central actor in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development approved by the United Nations, as can be seen from the study “The contribution of the Spanish Social Economy to the SDGs. IV Report on the experience of Social Economy Companies in Development Cooperation 2017-2019 ” , prepared by the Spanish Business Confederation of Social Economy (CEPES) and which has been supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation and the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Social Affairs for public presentation.
The report evidences the commitment of this business fabric to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a greater impact on employment-related issues, the reduction of economic and social inequalities, local development, gender equality, access to quality education for all people or the inclusion in the labor market of groups in exclusion.
The president of CEPES, Juan Antonio Pedreño , declared during the presentation of the report in Madrid that "Social Economy companies are committed to the objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda". Pedreño recalled that CEPES understands that “this Agenda makes us participants and also responsible for achieving one of the most ambitious challenges of the next decade: building a better future for generations to come, based on economic growth compatible with the health of the planet to ensure a more equitable distribution of wealth and to offer better life opportunities to all people ”.
The CEPES report, which is available at https://www.cepes.es/files/publicaciones/117.pdf , includes more than 50 social economy business initiatives that contribute to achieving each of these SDGs and that improve the environmental sustainability and to reduce inequalities.
Importance to fulfill the 2030 Agenda
The general director of the Autonomous Work, Social Economy and CSR of the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Social Security, María Antonia Pérez León , highlighted “the importance of the report, which shows the added value that the Social Economy performs for the achievement and implementation of the SDG of the 2030 Agenda ”.
Likewise, Pérez León announced that the Government “will continue betting on the alliance with the Social Economy” and recalled that “next year Spain will hold the presidency of the group of EU countries committed to the social economy”.
The adviser of the high commissioner of the 2030 Agenda of the Presidency of the Government of Spain, Isabel Garro , stressed that“The time has come to show that in Spain we have a very strong social involvement. In 15 days the so-called 'decade of action' begins
For her part, the Deputy Director General of Planning and Policy Coherence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Eva del Hoyo , indicated that “the study allows us to see the important goals, and the close correlation between the SDGs and the Social Economy "." Seeing the results, "he added," many of the SDGs and goals in which the Social Economy operates coincide with the priorities of the Spanish Cooperation. "
Experience Panel
During the presentation ceremony, five business experiences of the Social Economy were framed within several Sustainable Development Goals.
The first was carried out by the president of the Arroyo Bodonal housing cooperative of Tres Cantos, Francisco Martín Arteaga , responsible for the first residential building in Spain with geothermal energy that eliminates the production of CO2 waste, thus responding to SDG 11 of sustainable cities and 13 action for the weather.
The head of CSR and SDG of the cooperative teaching group Gredos San Diego, Juan José Barrera , presented his commitment to SDG 8 for decent work and economic growth, SDG 5 for gender equality, SDG 4 for quality education that fosters a socially responsible citizenship, SDG 15 for ecosystem protection as well as with SDG 1 for poverty eradication through the Educate a refugee child of UNHCR project. Barrera also reported the launch since 2018 of a solidarity school in Cameroon for vulnerable children.
The deputy director of the Espriu Foundation, José Pérez , showed how this cooperative entity works intensively in the health field to guarantee a healthy life and promote the well-being of citizens, as required by SDG 3. In addition, health cooperatives are promoting the SDG 8 for decent employment, SDG 5 for gender equality, SDG 4 by training health cadres to improve their skills. It also has an impact on the incorporation of sustainable production processes (SDG 12) and the creation of alliances to promote sustainable development (SDG 17).
The director of AERESS (Spanish Association of Recovery of Social and Solidarity Economy) , Laura Rubio also participated. AERESS is a Social Economy entity composed of 40 entities dedicated to the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste with the objective of facilitating the socio-labor insertion of people at risk of exclusion. Rubio said that these actions contribute to a high number of Objectives (SDG 8, SDG 1, SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 12, SDG 13) and devoted special attention to exposing how social economy recuperators achieve SDG 10 reduction of inequalities and SDG 13 to combat climate change. The business fabric represented by AERESS has managed to avoid the emission of 106 thousand tons of CO2, which is equivalent to 51,000 cars removed from traffic in one day and 15 million trees absorbing CO2 in one day.
Finally, the Social Economy technique of the RAIS Foundation, Vilma Herrera , showed how this entity promotes social integration, developing programs and projects in Madrid specifically aimed at homeless people and immigrants at risk of social exclusion in line with another large number SDG (fight against poverty, employment and inclusive economic growth, gender equality, education or fight against inequalities).
These 5 expEriencias exposed are an example of all that includes the report.
CEPES commitment to Development Cooperation and the 2030 Agenda
The Social Economy moves its values of solidarity and work in favor of economic and social cohesion to other countries in a situation of vulnerability through its actions in Development Cooperation.
In the last 20 years the associative fabric of CEPES has executed 160 cooperation projects in 46 countries. Thanks to this work, since 2014 the living conditions of at least 210,000 people and 27,000 families have been improved. The execution of these projects has involved the management of 73.6 million euros between 1998 and 2018, of which Social Economy organizations have co-financed 22% (16.1 million euros).
The report shows how the Spanish social economy has a strong specialization in cooperation projects aimed at creating employment and supporting the creation of enterprises by vulnerable groups (farmers, small producers, among others) and women, in order to increase their economic resources, improve their socioeconomic environment and promote greater equality of opportunities.
19 million euros in 37 countries in 2016 and 2017 of the Official Development Assistance of Spain
The study carried out by CEPES reveals that the Spanish Cooperation dedicated at least 19 million euros of Official Development Assistance for the years 2016 and 2017 to finance 224 interventions in 37 countries in which the Social Economy participates, which in general contributed to achieve 16 SDGs and 63 of its 169 goals.
The aid disbursed was provided by 51 public departments and 11 universities, specifically, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), 15 autonomous communities, 11 councils and 20 municipalities, which places the Social Economy as a priority of cooperation funds managed by all Administrations.
