The GreenBoost4WISEs project, led by the European Network for Social Integration Enterprises (ENSIE) has come to an end but Euclid Network’s Policy Lead, Toby Gazeley, was fortunate enough to attend the final conference. The event, held at the European Economic and Social Committee, provided the chance to listen to the various ways the project has helped social enterprises to understand their environmental impact, identify sustainability strategies and engage with their ecosystems to further the green transition. Throughout the stories from these enterprises and ecosystem enablers, the simplicity of actions was clear and even more so the positive impact embracing greener approaches and understanding the potential benefits of the green transition could have on social enterprise’ beneficiaries. Small decisions, as small as choosing more energy efficient light bulbs, can make a difference to costs and allow more money to be channeled into helping those who are vulnerable or at risk of marginalisation.
So why does hearing about the success of a European project and the positive impacts of the green transition leave a feeling of disappointment in the air?
This disappointment stems from the fact that while the GreenBoost4WISEs project was a success, no follow-up project appears to be commissioned in the near future. With the withdrawal (and disappearance) of DG GROW from the social economy, the Transition Pathway and projects like this, despite their success and value to stakeholders, look like a thing of the past.
The Transition Pathway for the proximity and social economy was a major milestone in the implementation of the Social Economy Action Plan. More than that, it drew a clear and significant line between initiatives to strengthen the twin (green and digital) transition, the then flagship (now disowned) Green Deal and the EU’s industrial strategy. The Transition Pathway was produced by DG GROW after a year-long consultation of the ecosystem, mapping out 14 action areas where initiatives would be taken to help the social economy make a success of the greening and digitalisation process. As with any new policy agenda, EU funding was central to bringing the aims contained in these 14 action areas to reality.
The initial round of funding calls under the Single Market Programme (COSME) followed quickly after the publication of the Transition Pathway. This funding programme has been a highly important funding stream for the development of the social economy through SME and industrial policy lenses, even if it has a small budget by comparison to others like Erasmus+, ESF+ or Horizon Europe.
Developing green and digital skills in social enterprises and social economy organisations was identified as key in the Transition Pathway and thus informed the first funding calls. After witnessing the positive impact of projects like GreenBoost4WISEs have had as a result of EU funding, the social economy ecosystem needs to come together to highlight the continued need for support in making a success of the green and digital transition. While the Transition Pathway may have been shelved for all intents and purposes (for now), the 14 Action Areas it identified are not going to fade away so easily.
The search continues for policy makers in DG GROW who wish to continue the decade-long commitment to the social economy. Will they integrate support to social enterprises into their work on SMEs and industrial policy? If you do not feel optimistic, you can be forgiven. For now, eyes will have to turn to DG EMPL – the last standard bearer for the European social economy.
Will DG EMPL be able to fill this gap left by DG GROW and tackle the topics like greening, digitalisation, data and social procurement? Only time will tell but in that interim, the ecosystem must come together and highlight the examples of good practice. We do not need to re-invent the wheel but we do need to follow-through on the policy frameworks that we have co-created, regardless of current political discourses.
Until the 16th July 2025, you can give your feedback in the mid-term review on the implementation of the European Social Economy Action Plan.
