Sustainability development, planning, implementing, measuring and communicating processes of green transition –  what does or should this mean from the perspective of a micro or small social economy enterprise ? How should it be put in practice, allowing for a combination of both – environmental considerations and the values and principles of the social economy ?

Partners of the transnational project SKI.F.T. « Skills for Transition – Increasing the impact of micro and small social economy enterprises » had the occasion to dive deeper into these and related questions during their second transnational capacity-building seminar which took place on 23 and 24 April 2024 in Bologna (IT).

The objective of the event was to give further inspiration as well as to share knowledge and know-how for the upcoming advisory and coaching activities SKI.F.T. partners – social economy intermediary organisations from Denmark, Italy and Poland – will provide to micro and small social economy enterprises wishing to (further) engage in green transition processes.

The agenda included discussions on tools and procedures that might be used in the different stages of green transition-related initiatives within the enterprise. One of the key questions raised here concerned ways and means to adapt existing instruments such as those provided for example by the Open -ES platform to the reality and capacity of micro and small social economy structures, integrating concrete indicators and questions that would relate more specifically to the characteristics of the social economy. Partners also highlighted the necessity and discussed possibilities to move from mere reporting processes to real (long-term) strategies and concrete action for change. All these elements finally also led to reflections on how to better involve stakeholders all along the value chain in these processes.

Local experts and representatives of social economy enterprises and intermediary organisations from Emilia-Romagna shared valuable insights into their own (transition) practices, related challenges and opportunities : How to combine green transition strategies of an enterprise, SDGs and territorial sustainability plans ? How to involve cooperators, employees and other stakeholders in transition planning and the realisation of related strategies and actions ? How to use the development and implementation of green transition-related actions as an opportunity to better connect with different actors in a territory, set up new partnerships, contribute to the development of social green value chains and therewith strengthen the impact of the enterprise ? How to communicate the efforts and positive impact of an enterprise to the outside world ?

SKI.F.T. partners intend to launch the first advisory activities related to the project in early summer.

SKI.F.T., launched in October 2023, is co-funded by the EU SMP-COSME programme. It brings together social economy intermediary organisations and training providers from Denmark, Poland and Italy, as well as two European networks: Kooperationen (DK), FISE (PL), CSA COESI (IT), Demetra Formazione (IT), Legacoop Emilia-Romagna (IT), REVES aisbl and CECOP.

Through SKI.F.T. project partners will provide specific advisory and coaching services to micro and small social economy enterprises, enabling the latter to review their business model towards stronger environmental sustainability. Moreover, beneficiary enterprises will have the opportunity to receive direct financial support to purchase additional coaching and mentoring responding to their specific needs and fields of interest (e.g. creation of local social green value chains, communication, use of digital tools to facilitate certain type of processes, etc.). Specific attention will be paid to a collective approach, which will encourage stronger cooperation between micro and small social economy enterprises as such as well as between the latter and their different partners and stakeholders.

For more information: https://skift.kooperationen.dk/forside/