Europe is redefining its economic priorities
Recent shifts in European priorities have placed stronger emphasis on competitiveness and economic performance. While this may appear to sideline social and environmental considerations, it also creates an opportunity: to demonstrate that sustainability, inclusion, and competitiveness are mutually reinforcing.
Across the EU, the social economy continues to grow in recognition and scale, contributing to economic resilience, social cohesion, and innovation. Increasingly, institutions acknowledge that the social economy is not a marginal or welfare-oriented sector, but a fundamental component of a modern, sustainable, and competitive economic system.
This broader context confirms the relevance of our work.
A network built on its community
Diesis Network represents one of the most dynamic communities of social and economic innovators in Europe and beyond. Our ecosystem brings together organisations of all sizes—from cooperatives and social enterprises to associations, civil society organisations, and impact-driven businesses—alongside social and technological innovators. What unites us is a shared commitment to social innovation, positive societal impact, sustainability, and a just transition.
Today, we launch our new website—an important milestone in consolidating our collective work and strengthening how we bring our shared vision into life as network.
At the core of this community are you, our members and partners: the knowledge, relationships, and capacity to act that drive everything we do.
Over the past years, we have refined our positioning, reaffirmed our values, and translated them into a clearer and more actionable strategy.
Who’s afraid of competitiveness?
Now is the moment to strengthen how we position and communicate our role. The social economy must be recognised not only for addressing vulnerabilities, but as a driver of innovation, entrepreneurship, and territorial development. It creates quality jobs, fosters local resilience, and ensures that the green and digital transitions are fair and inclusive.
We remain committed to advancing this vision. Through our work bridging policy and practice, we bring field-based evidence into European and national discussions, contributing to a stronger and more coherent ecosystem.
From vision to action
A key milestone in this journey has been our contribution to the mid-term review of the Social Economy Action Plan. This work, carried out across all Member States on behalf of the European Commission, has provided valuable insights into progress achieved and challenges ahead. The conclusions are clear: existing support has delivered tangible results, and the priority now is to reinforce implementation and scale impact.
Looking ahead, our Diesis Network 2025–2030 action plan, supported by a new multiannual programme granted by the European Commission, will guide our efforts. This initiative aims to strengthen connections within our community, showcase your work, and amplify our collective impact through capacity building, knowledge production, financial support, and advocacy.
Together with ongoing and future initiatives, we will continue to strengthen our network, support you- our members, and translate strategic priorities into concrete actions.