The 5th Edition of the Global Social Economy Forum (GSEF) explored the role of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in eradicating inequalities. Held on 4-8 October both in-person in Mexico City and virtually, GSEF was a unique opportunity to call for dialogue and action.
The importance of cooperative statistics
The programme included a session on the current state of statistics of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) which featured the ICA’s Director of Research, Hyungsik Eum.
During his presentation at the GSEF, Mr Eum explored key issues that could advance the development of cooperative statistics.
“What we need at global level is to have common, basic standardisation of statistics on SSE and the different families of the SSE,” he said.
Mr Eum encouraged those involved in cooperative statistics to look at existing standards produced by the UN and the ILO but warned that these do not work in every context, so their suitability needs to be assessed first.
Every year the International Co-operative Alliance produces the World Cooperative Monitor in collaboration with Euricse – and this research is crucial, said Mr Eum.
“Without practice there is no empirical base to have solid stats,” he said.
The SSE is not a priority for national statistics offices, which means limited resources are being mobilised for this type of work. To remedy this, Mr Eum called on the various SSE actors to mobilise and form alliances with different stakeholders to push for the production of statistics on the sector.
Another challenge is the focus on impact rather than the nature of actors. “The SSE sector is in danger because now the discourse is on social impact. This can be made by everybody – if we follow this trend we show our impact but forget our nature,” warned Mr Eum.
Social finance post Covid-19
Silvia Schiavon, Development Program Coordinator at the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), also took part in a session on social finance and its future in the post COVID-19 era. In her presentation she talked about the Global Cooperative Impact Fund (GCI Fund), a project the ICA is developing with the support of Inpulse.
The GCI Fund would provide long term financing to cooperatives in developing countries so that they may be established, grow and flourish.
“While cooperatives foster stability and progress in developing countries, they have a hard time attracting funds to grow or get access to loans. The GCI Fund, sponsored by cooperatives for cooperatives, would like to answer those needs by providing financial and non-financial mechanisms of support, promoting cooperative values and identity,” explained Ms Schiavon.
The panelists concluded that social finance is playing a crucial role promoting solidarity and creating new hope.
