• Driven by Social Economy Europe, their objective is to recognize the work of companies and organizations of this business model that make a contribution to society by addressing some of the great social, environmental, economic and technological challenges that exist today.
• Three categories will be awarded: Social Innovation, Green Transition and Digitization and Skills.
• The ceremony will take place on October 12 in Slovenia and the deadline for submitting applications is open until September 6 at 2:00 p.m.
Madrid, July 9, 2021.- Social Economy Europe (SEE), the European Social Economy Association, in collaboration with its members and partners, has convened the first edition of the European Social Economy Awards.
These awards, which will be held every two years, will recognize the work of companies and organizations in the Social Economy that support and enrich communities by making a contribution to society by addressing some of the great social, environmental, economic and technological challenges that they exist today.
The aim of the awards is to increase the visibility of the Social Economy, in all its diversity and across various sectors and countries , with a European focus including initiatives from partner countries from the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, Turkey, the southern Mediterranean and the Russian Federation).
These awards will also serve as inspiration to other agents of the Social Economy, public authorities and citizens who aspire to become entrepreneurs, activists and agents of change, and will be divided into three categories :
On the one hand, Social Innovation, which includes organizations that work for the inclusion of people at risk of social exclusion, people with disabilities, immigrants, people far from the labor market; and / or organizations that provide innovative social services of general interest and solutions to society's problems.
The second category, Green Transition, will recognize organizations that work for a Green and Just Transition, maintaining the values of the Social Economy, including renewable energy, housing, sustainable mobility, circular economy, water management, production sustainable food, environmental and ecological education and activism, among many other areas.
Digitization and skills is the last category, aimed at organizations that work on improving and recycling and updating employees of the Social Economy, potential entrepreneurs or students, among others. This category also extends to Social Economy initiatives that operate in the Digital Economy or that focus on technological innovation.
The jury for the 2021 European Social Economy Awards will be made up of Social Economy experts, researchers, policy makers and representatives of the EU institutions and will select two finalists for each category .
One member of each organization selected as a finalist will be invited to the ceremony to be held on October 12 in Slovenia, the country that currently hosts the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU.
The president of SEE and also president of CEPES, Juan Antonio Pedreño, points out: “After more than a year of a global pandemic, we continue to face a complex scenario but with many reasons to wait.za in the future. The Social Economy community has never stopped putting its energy, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit at the service of an economy that works for people and the planet and a citizen-led green and digital transition. In this context, we at Social Economy Europe believe that we have reason to celebrate our collective achievements and enhance their visibility. That is why the General Assembly of the European Social Economy employers, which I have the honor to preside, has decided to present this first edition of the European Social Economy Awards ”.
Applications for each of the candidatures can be submitted here and the submission period is open until Monday, September 6, at 2:00 p.m.
More information about the European Social Economy Awards here .
