If last September’s Social Economy Week in Murcia showcased a country — Spain — where the social economy has now reached the top of the national political agenda and become integrated into both government and local authorities’ priorities, the Global Social Economy Forum (GSEF) held in Bordeaux (29–31 October) offered a different but equally eloquent picture: that of France, where the social and solidarity economy (SSE) has achieved deep roots within regional and local institutions, even in a context where the central government plays a less prominent role.
Many French regions are now active players in the social and solidarity economy (SSE), with wide-ranging programs and initiatives such as the “Months of the Social Economy” — held every November in regions including Grand Est, Bourgogne–Franche-Comté, and Hauts-de-France — as well as the extensive network of regional chambers of the social and solidarity economy, which act as true hubs connecting institutions, enterprises, and citizens.
What stood out most during the three days of the summit was the record attendance, over 9,000 delegates from 100 countries gathered to discuss the social economy not only as a global development model but also as an antidote to the crisis of democracy. Unfortunately, Italy’s presence was limited, with only a few delegates, including Torino Social Impact.
A Forum Between Politics and Practice
The GSEF Bordeaux represented a successful combination of political positioning and the exchange of concrete practices. On the main stage, in front of thousands of delegates from around the world, high-level speakers — from institutional figures to international experts — alternated to outline a global agenda for the future of the social economy.
Bordeaux’s mayor, Pierre Hurmic, opened the summit with a clear statement of intent: “This forum is not the anti-Davos, but the post-Davos,” thus defining the social and solidarity economy (SSE) as an economic model capable of combining development and solidarity.
Among the most applauded interventions was that of Benoît Hamon, former minister and promoter of France’s 2014 Law on the Social and Solidarity Economy, now president of Social Economy Europe France. Hamon stated that “The SSE is one of the means through which we expand the field of democracy. It is an antidote to the dehumanization of society — one of the most inspiring models for the centuries to come.”
Juan Antonio Pedreño, president of Social Economy Europe, emphasized the urgency of bringing the social economy back to the center of European economic policies, rather than relegating it solely to the sphere of welfare.
In the same vein, Simel Esim, head of the Cooperatives Unit at the International Labour Organization (ILO) and chair of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE), urged that the impact of the social economy be measured “beyond GDP”, highlighting its cultural and civic contributions and calling for it to be embraced as a new mindset for business and economic policymaking.
Finally, Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, director of the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, stressed the need to integrate the SSE into urban and territorial development models, making it an essential component of local innovation policies.
In addition to dozens of high-level speeches, the forum was an extraordinary opportunity for international discussion of practices, tools, and approaches, with over 169 parallel round tables organized around seven major themes: financing the transition: what tools to support the social and solidarity economy; acting for ecological transition: energy, food, waste; developing decent work: employment, democracy, and inclusion; working together: cooperation, territories, and public action; developing the power to act: autonomy for all; caring: the social and solidarity economy as a key player in the provision of social services; inventing a desirable future: innovation, impact, and new narratives.
Equally moving were the words of Issa Kassis, mayor of Ramallah, who emphasized the human value of the SSE as a tool for peace, and Ahmed Galai, Tunisian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who called on territories to assume collective responsibility in building democracy and resilience, during a session dedicated to the role of the SSE as a vehicle for peace.
The World Social Economy Summit concluded with a strong sense of global belonging, expressed through the International Youth Declaration, presented by fifty young delegates, and the Bordeaux Declaration.
The Bordeaux Declaration: Context, Role, and Commitments
The document recognizes that the world is going through a dystopian phase, marked by increasing inequality, conflict, and democratic decline. In this context, the social and solidarity economy is internationally acknowledged for its role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — as a stabilizing force and an economy of dialogue and democracy, resilient in the face of crises, capable of contributing to prevention, reconstruction, and reconciliation; an economy that defends economic and social rights and helps address the climate crisis.
The declaration commits to strengthening local practices and accelerating the development of the SSE, raising awareness and recognition of the social economy, promoting inclusive civic participation — especially among youth — and building international alliances for a unified global SSE voice.
It issues several calls to action directed at:
- The United Nations and international organizations, to continue research and policy support for the SSE and to create a multi-stakeholder organization for fair exchanges;
- The European Union, to uphold the commitments of the Social Economy Action Plan and develop a coherent legal and fiscal framework;
- National governments, to legally recognize the SSE, co-design public policies, and finance the ecological transition through inclusive tools;
- Local governments, to strengthen co-governance and partnerships with the SSE in tackling current social and environmental challenges.
In conclusion, Bordeaux established the social economy as a global force for democratic renewal, one that not only generates economic value but also redefines the very meaning of development, placing people, territories, and the planet at its center.
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