The European Union has launched a Code of Conduct for the sharing and management of data in the social economy. The Code has been developed by a committee of experts to ensure the values and principles that will guide responsible practices for the use and exchange of data within social economy enterprises and organizations. The work has been facilitated by the organizations Waag Futurelab and Commons Network, with support from the European Commission.
The document highlights how data sharing can foster efficient collaborations, promote innovation, and create new market opportunities. However, it also identifies challenges such as the lack of infrastructure, connectivity, and digital literacy in certain regions.
This initiative, backed by the European Commission, aims to align data practices with the values, principles, and objectives of the social economy. It also includes practical examples of successful projects and templates for data-sharing agreements to encourage the adoption of these practices across Europe.
The document presents numerous successful examples of data sharing within the social economy in Europe and other regions. Among the highlights are:
- Data Food Consortium: Promoting sustainability in agri-food sectors through shared data.
- Énergie Partagée: Supporting renewable energy projects and their financing.
- Saferspaces: Managing events and data in digital industries.
- Romanian Food Bank Federation: Improving food distribution.
- Nova SBE Social Database: Measuring the social impact of organizations with shared data.
- Fairbnb: Promoting responsible tourism through the ethical use of data.
These cases demonstrate how organizations have used data to address social problems, improve sustainability, and foster collaboration in areas such as food, health, education, energy, mobility, and human rights.
Ethical and Practical Focus
What makes the Code of Conduct particularly innovative is its ethical and practical approach, specifically designed for the unique characteristics of the social economy sector. The Code integrates key principles such as democracy, inclusivity, fairness, and data sufficiency. It goes beyond traditional legal requirements, proposing a standard that prioritizes social and environmental missions over purely commercial interests.
It introduces the concept of “data sufficiency”, which promotes the collection and minimal use of data necessary for a specific purpose. This not only protects privacy and reduces risks but also addresses the environmental impact of massive data storage.
The Code also proposes that shared data be managed through democratic and collaborative structures, using a model that includes all key stakeholders (users, communities, organizations) in decision-making processes, ensuring that data is used for everyone’s benefit.
Furthermore, the Code is not purely theoretical. It provides practical tools such as templates for data-sharing agreements tailored to specific sectors and checklists for establishing ethical data-sharing relationships.
This effort is part of the European Data Strategy and key policies such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Governance Act. Although the Code is not binding, it aspires to become a reference for the development of ethical standards in data management both within and beyond the social economy.
