Social and Solidarity Economy Social innovation in the world of work 27 – 31 July 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa

Social Innovation & Decent Work

Social and Solidarity Economy The Social Economy and Decent Work The 5th ILO Social and Solidarity Economy Johannesburg, 27 – 31 July 2015

Social and Solidarity Economy The social economy gives prominence to a business model that cannot be characterized either by its size or by its areas of activity, but by its respect for common values. European Parliament, 2009

Social and Solidarity Economy Attempt of a definition “The social economy is a concept designating enterprises and organisations, in particular cooperatives, mutual benefit societies, associations, foundations and social enterprises, which have the specific feature of producing goods, services and knowledge while pursuing both economic and social aims and fostering solidarity.”

Social and Solidarity Economy Wikipedia Five million articles in English alone; equivalent to 2,000 print volumes; 288 language versions; The test: does Wikipedia belong to the social economy? people over capital: yes Flexible and innovative: yes solidarity, mutuality, reciprocity, cooperation: yes social, socio-political and economic benefits: yes voluntary participation, member empowerment and commitment: yes Local identity: no

Social and Solidarity Economy Social Economy & Decent Work Labour standards Employment creation Social protection Social dialogue … the concept: how the social economy is related to this decent work component … examples: how concretely the social economy has advanced this component

Social and Solidarity Economy Standards: the concept Congruence between the objectives of standard-setting and the values of the social economy; Social economy as subject of standard-setting: Rec 193; Rec. 204 Social economy as promoter of standards: see examples

Social and Solidarity Economy Standards: examples Cooperatives and the fight against child labour in the cocoa industry in West Africa [C 182]; Village associations promoting the emancipation of indigenous people in Cameroon [C 169]; Social enterprises and the quest for social justice in South Africa [Constitution, Declaration of Philadelphia].

Social and Solidarity Economy Employment: the concept Economies of scale and scope; Innovation and creativity: Access to markets, finance and inputs; Diversification and division of labour.

Social and Solidarity Economy Employment: examples Social cooperatives in Italy: 40,000 jobs; Germany’s 320 shared service cooperatives support small businesses with a turnover of 490 bn €; Coffee marketing cooperatives in Oromia, Ethiopia: livelihoods, jobs.

Social and Solidarity Economy Protection: the concept Social economy as one of three complementary strategies to implement the Social Protection Floor: Broadening access to formal social security institutions; Upgrading traditional systems of mutual social assistance; Cash transfers. Upscaling, modernizing and formalizing traditional systems.

Social and Solidarity Economy Protection: examples The tontines and rotating savings and credit associations; The “mutuelles de santé” of West Africa; The burial societies of Southern Africa; Micro-insurance schemes for crop protection and risk taking.

Social and Solidarity Economy Dialogue: the concept The double nature of the social economy: business and association; Bargaining power, voice and representation through joint action; Propensity to establish horizontal networks and vertical structures;

Social and Solidarity Economy Dialogue: examples The self-employed women’s association of India (SEWA): a hybrid between trade union and social economy organization; The SYNDICOOP programme: organizing informal economy workers through joint trade union-cooperative action. Global organizations: ICA, WOCCU, ICMIF, AIM, COPAC, IRU  the International Year of Cooperatives.

Social and Solidarity Economy The social economy: a pioneer Green jobs and environmental protection; Fair and equitable trade; Local identify and local products; Slow food; Social finance; Corporate social responsibility.

Social and Solidarity Economy The triple triangle: why the ILO promotes the social economy Opportunity EmpowermentProtection Government WorkersEmployers Economic Societal Social