Description: Social economy entities contribute significantly to sustainable and inclusive development in countries while driving job creation especially for those with limited access to the labour market. But can we put a number on this contribution? And more importantly, does social economy imply the same in all countries?

The OECD developed country fact sheets to provide a snapshot of what social economy entails in 34 countries through quantitative and qualitative data. The sheets capture the types of social economy entities, their employment patterns, sectoral activity, geographical distribution, economic contribution and many more.

Associations are often the most common legal form for social economy entities in many countries. But is this the case for all countries? Women tend to have a higher share in employment in social economy compared to their share in total employment. By how much? Country fact sheets provide national-level snapshots from countries to contribute to understanding social economy ecosystems better. 

The social economy provides  opportunities for youth empowerment and entrepreneurship through training, mentorship, and hands-on experience in social economy entities such as social enterprises.  Evidence shows that 40% of youth (18-35 year old) see a sense of purpose or an impact on society as one of the most important criteria when considering job opportunities. At the same time, many young people strive to become social entrepreneurs. By engaging in social enterprises, young people can make meaningful contributions to their communities while addressing social and environmental issues.

OECD work provides evidence and numerous examples of initiatives and policies highlight how to best support youth-led social enterprises in particular to: i) facilitate access to funding and financing, ii) enhance knowledge and skills development of young social entrepreneurs, iii) raise awareness around social enterprises, and iv) improve the evidence base in this area. The goal is to help young people expand their professional on opportunities growth while allowing them to contribute to building more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities.

Women represent a significant share of the social economy workforce, comprising more than 60% in many OECD countries and beyond. This partially highlights the alignment of the social economy with industries traditionally associated with caregiving and community support (e.g., education, childcare, household, and personal services), where women have historically played important roles. It also reflects challenges and barriers that hinder women's advancement within the social economy.

Evidence and examples from OECD work highlight the need to promote better and more access to leadership positions and resources for skills development and entrepreneurship training to address  barriers that women might face within the social economy.

The social economy can fully harness the potential of its female workforce. This not only benefits women by providing them with opportunities for professional growth and advancement but also  demonstrates the overall impact of social economy entities in driving positive social change.

In many OECD countries and beyond, women often make up more than 60% of the social economy workforce.

More women work in the social economy due to its alignment with sectors traditionally associated with caregiving and community support, where women have historically played significant roles. To help them further, targeted initiatives should focus on promoting access to leadership positions, providing resources for skills development and entrepreneurship training, and addressing systemic barriers such as gender bias and unequal pay within social enterprises and cooperatives. By fostering an inclusive environment and offering tailored support, women can fully leverage the opportunities within the social economy to advance their careers and contribute to social change.

Evidence shows that although informality might provide jobs, income and a safety net for workers, at high rates, it has significant negative impacts on businesses and workers.

At high levels, informality has broader and significant economic and social consequences such as lower tax revenues, limiting the scope for government expenditures, including for social protection systems. Addressing informality requires novel multidimensional strategies that integrate a range of policies. Supporting social and solidarity economy (SSE) development can contribute to this effort. SSE models are built around a holistic approach to human and economic development. SSE organisations typically facilitate access to training, formal work, property, information and equitable distribution of benefits to their members as well as collective entrepreneurship. The promotion of conducive and tailored SSE ecosystems can significantly help unleash the social and solidarity economy’s full potential for addressing informality and its impacts, and provide solutions to support the transition from informality to formal activity and work in many sectors.

Social procurement is vital for the social economy to enable governments and organisations to prioritise contracts with socially responsible suppliers, thus driving positive social and environmental impact. In the context of the twin green and digital transitions, social procurement facilitates the adoption of sustainable practices and technologies by incentivising suppliers to adhere to green standards and invest in digital innovation that benefits communities. By integrating social criteria into procurement processes, stakeholders can leverage their purchasing power to support inclusive growth, environmental sustainability, and technological advancement within the social economy.