A Look Back at the 2025 Social Economy Summit: Making the Social Economy a Driving Force for Socio-Ecological Transition
There are more than 1,600 participants·and nearly 700 organizations that gathered··at TOHU on May 14 and 15 to discuss, share ideas, and work together to identify concrete actions aimed at strengthening and transforming the social economy. A look back at this unifying event, a cornerstone for making the social economy a central driver of the socio-ecological transition (SET).
Often seen as the Achilles’ heel of our movements, the social economy took center stage at this unifying summit, driven by stakeholders from all walks of life: cooperatives, nonprofits, citizen groups, researchers, and elected officials. Together, they outlined the framework for an economy of the common good, capable of addressing the climate, social, and democratic crises we are currently facing.
Transition en Commun was there, represented by our co-general coordinator Bertrand Fouss, who came to present the work of the “Economies in Transition”group—the result of a collaboration between Multitudes and TEC. Today, this group has a clear ambition: to rethink our economic models to align them with social justice and sustainability, moving away from extractivist approaches that deplete territories and communities, as detailed in their vision statement “ Toward an Economy of the Common Good .”
Statement of Commitment Eight networks representing nearly 6,900 organizations and 47,000 workers took advantage of the event to sign a declaration committing to adopt more inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace practices. To view it, click here.
Government Action Plan for the Social Economy (PAGES) 2025–2030 In conjunction with the Summit, the Minister Delegate for the Economy, Mr. Christopher Skeete, unveiled a new version of the government’s plan to support the social economy in several strategic sectors, including housing, elder care, and environmental protection, increasing funding from $136 million to $142 million over five years.
These concrete advances confirm the crucial importance of the social economy in building a more just and environmentally friendly society. They pave the way for the social economy to become firmly embedded at the heart of the socio-ecological transition, the major challenge of our time.
To view the official statement from Chantier de l’économie sociale, the summit’s organizer, as well as the vision document fromÉconomies en transition, click below.
