Answer:
The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the vulnerabilities of individuals, societies and economies, calling for a rethink of how economic and social activities are organised. The crisis calls for strong responses based on solidarity, co-operation and responsibility. Social economy organisations (associations, co-operatives, mutual organisations, foundations and social enterprises), whose business models are built around such principles can help reshaping the post-crisis economies and societies. This note presents the role the social economy and its actors have played in the COVID-19 crisis. It further explains the current challenges faced by the social economy and highlights selected policy instruments and recommendations to support social economy actors in their efforts to “repair” and “transform” societies.
