Research institutions
See below for a list of research institutions working on the social economy:
International Centre of Information and Research on Public, Social and Cooperative Economy (CIRIEC) (Liége, Belgium)
CIRIEC is a non-governmental international scientific organization. Its objectives are to undertake and promote the collection of information, scientific research, and the publication of works on economic sectors and activities oriented towards the service of the general and collective interest:
- action by the State and the local and regional public authorities in economic fields (economic policy, regulation);
- public utilities;
- public and mixed enterprises at the national, regional and municipal levels;
- the so-called “social economy” (not-for-profit economy, cooperatives, mutuals, and non-profit organizations); etc.
In these fields CIRIEC develops activities of interest for both managers and researchers, offering opportunities for mutual enrichment.
EURICSE – European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises (Trento, Italy)
EURICSE does research, training and consulting regarding cooperative and social enterprises and other nonprofit organizations.
Trinity Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) – Trinity Business School (Dublin, Ireland)
CSI is a transdisciplinary centre supporting Trinity Business School’s mission to transform business for good. It engages in research, education, and innovation through partnerships across academia, industry, and civil society, focusing on societal, environmental, and economic value creation.
AICCON – University of Bologna (Forlì Campus, Italy)
AICCON is a university-based research centre established in 1997 to advance knowledge and promote the culture of the social economy. It focuses on nonprofit organisations and cooperative enterprises, working within a wide national and international network of scholars and practitioners.
Other organisations active in social economy research
A number of other organisations are also dedicating part of their work to social economy research, such as:
Euclid Network (The Hague, Netherlands)
Euclid Network, the European Social Enterprise Network, brings together organisations that support social enterprises and social entrepreneurs across Europe.
Euclid Network's activities include conducting research and developing thought leadership on social enterprises and the organisations that support them, their needs, opportunities and impact, such as through “The European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM)” and “The State of Social Enterprise Support in Europe and Neighbouring Countries” research projects.
Euclid Network Knowledge Centre
OPEN IMPACT (Milan, Italy)
Open Impact is accredited research spin-off of the University of Milano-Bicocca, specialising in impact measurement and evaluation. It supports the social economy ecosystem with data-driven tools and research-based methodologies, helping organisations assess and enhance their social, environmental, and economic impact.
ARCO - Action research for co-development (Prato, Italy)
ARCO is a university-based organization that is active in research and consulting, and offers training services. Located in Italy, ARCO is part of the Polo Universitario Città di Prato (PIN). The organisation is present in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. ARCO works in fields such as local development, inclusive development, social economy, impact evaluation, and sustainable food commodities. ARCO aims to combine a scientific approach with practical solutions.
ASETT - Arizmendiarrieta Social Economy Think Tank (San Sebsatián, Spain)
Founded in 2024 in Spain, ASETT is intended to be a Hub for the Social Economy.The project is led by the Spanish Business Confederation of the Social Economy (CEPES) with the support of the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy of the Government of Spain. ASETT seeks to promote the social economy in Spain and Europe as a key business model in social and economic transformation. The Hub aims to promote cooperation, research and innovation within the field of the social economy.
Yunus Social Business Centre – University of Florence (Florence, Italy)
YSBCUF is the first Italian centre accredited by the Yunus Centre in Dhaka. It promotes social business theory and practice, offering strategic support and reinvesting profits to foster social enterprises in Italy and abroad.
Useful links
European Social Enterprise Monitor by Euclid Network
Launched in 2020, the European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM) is the first and most comprehensive social enterprise monitor conducted on the European level. The project seeks to close the current gap on social enterprise data and inform decision-makers in government, civil society and the economy, with the aim of communicating, supporting and promoting the needs and interests of enterprises in the social and solidarity economy across Europe. Based on social enterprise data analysed both in national reports and a comparative European report, the project generates profound insights on the social enterprise ecosystem in Europe and highlights opportunities for further development of the sector and its impact.
Find EUCLID's 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 ESEM reports here
Resources about work integration social enterprises (WISEs) by ENSIE
In 2017, ENSIE started the mapping of European work integration social enterprises (WISEs) and created its online WISEs database. This tool showcases all WISEs reunited on one online platform, to foster collaboration amongst them but also to show third parties what WISEs are operating in their are. This database also allows to increase the visibility on WISEs’ work and activities and foster a more responsible consumption and production.
ENSIE is also regularly updating its “Impact WISE study”, where it showcases the positive effects of WISEs.
socioeco.org by RIPESS
Socioeco.org is an online library dedicated to the social and solidarity economy and its associated concepts. It contains documents and 25 000 references in 5 main languages: French, English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.
OECD website on Social Economy and Innovation
Find all OECD publications on social economy and access information about past events.
OECD – Social Economy and Innovation
Social and Solidarity Economy Knowledge Hub by the UN Interagency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy
The Social and Solidarity Economy Knowledge Hub of the UNTFSSE collects relevant resources related to social economy and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Competence Centres for Social Innovation
Funded in part through the 2014-2020 European Social Fund and the Employment and Social Innovation programme (EaSI), a series of six consortia were selected to set up national competence centres and drive social innovation – locally, regionally, nationally and transnationally. Covering 25 countries and mobilising 148 organisations, the consortia aim to cultivate networks, build capacities and synergies, spotlight efficiencies and develop the tools and methods that will be essential to growing social innovation across the EU.
Competence Centres for Social Innovation
Under the ESF Social Innovation + initiative, a European Competence Centre for social innovation has been established that will collect, assess, develop, validate and disseminate suitable tools and methods for social innovation. The initiative will offer mutual learning, capacity building and networking for ESF Managing Authorities and other relevant stakeholders. The initiative will include EU-wide, multi-national projects to develop, replicate and scale up innovative solutions.