The digital transformation of our society is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, touching every sector, from business to public services, from education to social impact initiatives. For social enterprises (SEs), businesses that prioritize people and the planet over profit, digital skills are no longer optional. They are essential for operational efficiency, competitiveness, and delivering meaningful social impact.
Euclid Network (EN), the European Social Enterprise Network, represents organisations that support social enterprises (SESOs) across Europe. Our members work to strengthen SEs, which form the backbone of the social economy—an industrial ecosystem centered on social inclusion. Notably, education is a key sector for SEs: 22% of those surveyed in the 2021–22 European Social Enterprise Monitor identified education as their primary area of activity.
Why Digital Education Matters for Social Enterprises
The ongoing digital transition has reshaped how SEs and the organisations supporting them operate. SEs need digital competencies to participate in the European Single Market, provide inclusive opportunities for disadvantaged groups, and offer access to digital education themselves. This aligns directly with the European Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan (DEAP), which aims to foster digital skills across society.
Social enterprise support organisations play a crucial role in this process. By helping social entrepreneurs and their teams develop digital skills, SESOs empower SEs to deliver stronger social outcomes in their communities. Key areas where SEs need to build capacity include:
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Digital competences for operational efficiency and competitiveness
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Green and digital transitions to meet broader European ambitions
In this sense, the DEAP is not just relevant for SEs, it is central to their ability to grow, adapt, and deliver social value.
Beyond Formal Education: Lifelong Digital Learning
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital technologies in both education and work. Today, digital tools are integral to delivering services for vulnerable populations and those distanced from the labor market. However, access to technology alone is not enough. Workers with lower levels of digital competence must receive ongoing support, ensuring that services remain inclusive and accessible.
Digital education must be understood as a lifelong endeavour. It should not be limited to youth or formal educational contexts but extended to employees, employers, and individuals in professional and non-formal learning settings. Normalising continuous digital skills development is essential for building resilience and inclusion across Europe.
Addressing Uneven Starting Points Across Europe
Digital skills and education provision vary widely across European countries. While the DEAP provides an overarching ambition, it is important to recognise these disparities. Tailored approaches, supported by SESOs and SEs, can help bridge gaps and ensure that all communities benefit from the digital transition. Initiatives like EU3Digital, which developed a competence framework for the social economy, demonstrate how non-formal digital education can be systematised and recognised through micro-credentials.
Social Enterprises as Drivers of Inclusion and Gender Equity
Social enterprises are uniquely positioned to promote lifelong learning and digital inclusion. They frequently provide training for disadvantaged groups and create pathways to employment. Importantly, SEs are often led by women, offering a model for gender inclusion that can inform broader efforts to close gaps in the digital economy.
The DEAP’s ambition to improve gender equality in digital contexts aligns closely with the social economy’s track record of inclusive leadership, offering lessons that could benefit both formal and informal education systems.
Connecting Digital Skills, Industrial Policy, and Tech for Good
The social economy also intersects with the Tech for Good movement, which develops inclusive, accessible digital solutions. Linking these innovations to the DEAP and industrial policies can create synergies that benefit European citizens, SEs, and the wider economy.
A Call for Continued Collaboration
Digital education is not an abstract goal, it is a practical necessity for the social economy and for a more inclusive Europe. By aligning the DEAP with industrial strategies and social enterprise development, the EU can support SEs in upskilling their teams and the communities they serve.
Euclid Network welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with the European Commission to advance the DEAP’s vision. Together, we can ensure that the digital transition is inclusive, empowering, and capable of delivering lasting social impact.
