State of play of the Social Economy in Wallonia and Brussels 2024: a new edition

A new edition of the État des lieux de l’économie sociale provides updated figures on social economy enterprises and employment in Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region.

What is new in this edition

The report introduces several important updates and additions:

1) A refined statistical perimeter
Building on new data made available by the National Bank of Belgium, the report proposes an adjusted statistical perimeter designed to better reflect the 'DNA' of the social economy.

2) A thematic focus on cooperatives
In light of 2025 as the UN International Year of Cooperatives, the report includes a dedicated focus on social economy cooperatives, highlighting their role, dynamics and contribution within the broader social economy landscape.

3) A European perspective
To situate regional developments in a wider context, the report also draws on European-level evidence, including results from the recent Special Eurobarometer on the social economy in the lives of Europeans (2025).

An open invitation to cooperate

Statistics are at their most valuable when they stimulate discussion and collective interpretation. The Observatory of the Social Economy is open to cooperating to extend analysis, explore explanatory factors and promote a shared understanding of the social economy at work.

Read the publication