It is an honour for me, as Minister of Employment and Social Economy, to welcome, within the framework of the activities of the European Social Economy Capital of Toledo 2020, the launch of the first issue of the newsletter ‘Social Economy News’ and to address to its readers.
Social Economy News, promoted by CIRIEC-Spain in association with CIRIEC-International, aims to be the world’s leading electronic newsletter on the social economy, with the expectation of reaching more than 50,000 people and organisations.
This initiative could not come at a more opportune moment.
One of the lessons learnt from the crisis arising from the pandemic is that people must be placed at the centre of public action. The European Union and the Spanish Administration are making an unprecedented effort to alleviate the effects of the crisis and place ourselves in a scenario of improved recovery, with proposals aimed at increasing the sustainability of the business and social fabric.
The Social Economy entities have behaved in an exemplary manner during this health crisis, showing once again that the values of solidarity, commitment to local development, equal opportunities and sustainability that govern them are more valid than ever.
The Social Economy shows that another way of doing business is possible, precisely by placing people at the heart of its activity, with democratic management and the generation of stable and quality employment.
In short, the creation of decent employment, based on rights, adapted to people’s real needs and respectful of the environment, contributes to the achievement of greater economic, social and territorial cohesion.
In this context, the year 2021 is called to be the Year of the Social Economy. The tasks of recovery open up a unique field of opportunities that will undoubtedly be taken advantage of by the social economy entities to support the construction of a more inclusive, sustainable and fair society.
The bulletin ‘Social Economy News’ will serve as a privileged watchtower to observe the advances related to the social economy in public policies, in legislation and in projects, plans and programmes of governments and administrations, European institutions, international organisations and bodies and entities representing the sector, contributing to their dissemination. It will also be a valuable forum for opinion and an instrument for generating alliances. And all this with the guarantee of the research and scientific rigour provided by CIRIEC.
I would like to end by expressing the commitment of the Ministry that I lead with the promotion of the social economy and with this initiative of dissemination and promotion of the sector, in the conviction that it will be extremely useful to the people and entities that subscribe to it, and with the desire that it will reach the highest levels of success.
Yolanda Díaz Pérez, Minister of Labour and Social Economy of the Government of Spain
