In December 2021, the European Commission published the Social Economy Action Plan, a comprehensive set of measures aimed at enhancing social investments, supporting social economy organizations and social enterprises in launching and scaling their activities, driving innovation, and creating jobs.

What are social economy enterprises? Social enterprises focus on integration employment by hiring individuals from vulnerable groups, providing them with safe jobs and a comprehensive package of socio-professional integration services such as counselling and on-the-job training. This personalized approach transforms people traditionally seen as recipients of social aid into active and valuable members of their communities.

The state of the social economy in Romania: According to a study conducted by ADV Romania based on data from the National Employment Agency (ANOFM)’s Registry of Social Enterprises (December 2021):

2,440 active social enterprises were recorded in December 2021. 1,841 enterprises obtained certification that same year. A total of 2,485 social enterprises are listed in the registry, of which 45 had their certification suspended or withdrawn. As of December 2021, these enterprises employed 975 people, including 223 individuals from vulnerable groups.

By attending this webinar, you will learn about:

  • Social Economy Action Plan Overview: The Social Economy Action Plan aims to enhance the role of social enterprises in fostering inclusive growth and tackling societal challenges. It highlights the importance of sustainable development, entrepreneurship, and social innovation.

  • Strategic Objectives: The plan focuses on three main objectives: supporting the creation and scaling of social enterprises, improving social investment, and promoting an enabling regulatory framework for social economy actors at national and EU levels.

  • EU Funding and Support Programs: Several EU programs support the social economy, such as LIFE Calls for Proposals, Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, and the EU4Youth initiative. These programs focus on fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities, particularly for young people and marginalized communities.

  • Key Policy Areas: The Action Plan supports interconnected innovation ecosystems, societal transformation, and inclusive economic growth. It emphasizes sustainable development, education, and the integration of social economy principles into broader policy areas like employment, skills development, and entrepreneurship.

  • Monitoring and Implementation: The plan includes mechanisms for monitoring progress, evaluating outcomes, and implementing best practices across the EU. It fosters cooperation between stakeholders, governments, and social economy enterprises to drive long-term societal change.

About the guest speaker

Angela Achiței has been leading the "Alături de Voi" Romania Foundation (ADV) for over 20 years, one of the largest organizations specialized in social economy. She is one of the promoters of the social economy law in Romania and social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova. Over time, she has developed three social enterprises under the foundation's umbrella: UtilDeco, JobDirect, and WISE.travel. Additionally, she established the ADV Academy as a professional development tool in the field of social entrepreneurship and the Social Enterprise Accelerator, through which she has contributed to the development of 42 social enterprises in Romania, 5 in the Republic of Moldova, and 3 in Ukraine. She is also a founding member of AFIN IFN S.A., the first non-banking financial institution with Romanian capital dedicated to the social economy sector.

In 2016, she won the EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year award, and in 2021, the organization she leads was one of the finalists in the European "Social Economy Award" competition.

In life, she is guided by the principle: "What we do every day practically defines our future!"

Devino membru

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