CONFERENCE PROGRAM

The role of social economy and Work Integration Social Enterprises in skill development and labour market (Hosted by: Ensie, Skoopi and Coompanion) Room: B22

Social economy enterprises and, in particular, work integration social enterprises (WISEs) play a major role in the provision of skills development, on the one hand by exploiting some specific factors of the sector (mission orientation, cultural openness…), on the other hand through on the job training towards vulnerable groups.

Language: English
Room: B22

Participants:

• Patrizia Bussi – director, Ensie
• Martina Paterniti – Projects Officer Ensie
• Anders Bro – Region Örebro County and author of the SALAR handbook on social enterprises
• Maria Norbäck – Associate professor and Director of the Work and Employment Research Centre, University of Gothenburg
• Lena Lago – Vice chairman of Skoopi
• Ebba Westerberg – Coompanion Gothenburg and project coordinator Bunkern Bokar
• Emma Persson, manager – Fabrikörerna
• Oscar Isidorsson Albino – manager, Vägen ut! Aspektra
• Peter Johansson – manager, Villa Vägen ut! Solberg
• Angelica Lindblad – social franchise manager, Vägen ut! kooperativen
• Mari Odenbjörk – manager, Social trade
• Camilla Carlsson – CEO Coompanion, Östergötland

Social economy as driving force for green and digital transition (Hosted by: Social Economy Europe and CECOP) Room: B24

No one can deny that green and digital transition is essential or even vital for European enterprises. But what would be the social economy uniqueness in those processes? How can social economy make the best of the twin transition in order to create a more sustainable, inclusive, fair, and democratic society? How can that be compatible with community engagement and quality work conditions? The session will look at the best practices and innovative management models, and address necessary support measures social economy actors need in their role as facilitators of the twin transition.

Language: English
Room: B24

Participants:

• Gianluca Pastorelli – Executive President, Diesis Network
• Hanna Surmatz – Head of Policy, Philea
• Lorenzo Giornelli – Marketing & Sales Director, Ceramiche Noi Cooperative
• Petter Joelson – co-founder, Digidem Lab Cooperative and Collective Tools Cooperative
• Sybille Reichert – Executive Director, the International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies (AIM)

How do we improve the financial market for social economy?, (Hosted by: Mikrofonden, Ekobanken and GIVA Sverige Room: B21

The Action Plan for Social Economy stress the importance to opportunities for social economy organizations to start up and scale up as well as that social economy entities should benefit from business development support to start up and develop, as well as to reskill and upskill their workers. A crucial part of start-up and scale-up opportunities is access to finance. Access to finance for social economy actors looks very different around Europe and in some countries we face a total lack of adapted finance for the social economy. The workshop will find answers on how do we make the social economy grow in “difficult times”? How may we support a resilient social economy through the mobilization of development capital, through charity, through grants, through partnerships and collaborations as well as impact investments?

Language: English
Room: B21

Participants:
Helen Curry – Mikrofonden
Gloria-Karin Lopez – Mötesplats Social Innovation
Kristoffer Lüthi  – Ekobanken
Espen Daae – Ferd Social Entrepreneurs
Charlotte Rydh – Giva

Legal Framework & public procurement – how to support social economy progress through public purchase (Hosted by: Fremia/Coompanion) Room: B32

Creating the right conditions for the social economy to thrive, especially through improvement of good practice on socially responsible public procurement, is one important part of the EU’s Action Plan for Social Economy. There are several examples around Europe on how to promote the public purchase of social economy, through partnerships and procurement. This session aims at lifting the most challenging questions, discussing succesfull strategies and sharing best examples for public authorities to support and promote the social economy.

Language: English
Room: B32

Participants:
Patrick Schroder – Civil society coordinator, Fremia
Karin Pleijel – City Councilor, Leader of the Swedish Green Party
Patrik Zapata – professor in Public Administration, University of Gothenburg
Gordon Hahn – Chairman of Coompanion Sweden

European policy lab – Part I: social economy at the core of local circular economy development plans (Hosted by: REVES) – limited number of places – need to register.
Room: Malmstenvåningen (Dean’s Office): A, 6th floor

The RESPONDET initiative brings together regions, cities and social economy organisations to better equip local and regional policy-makers, public administration, social economy and civil society for the joint development of green transition-related (policy) initiatives. In the framework of this Policy Lab, RESPONDET partner cities and regions would like to: – share experiences they made whilst drafting – in a participatory way – local action plans promoting the role of the social economy in green transition (with a specific focus on circular economy and community energy initiatives) and – discuss possible solutions to challenges they have come across in this process or that they perceive for the implementation of planned actions. The Policy Lab addresses local, regional, but also European policy-makers, civil servants, social economy, academics and civil society organisations. It is organised with the support of the SMP-COSME programme of the European Union. Working language: English

Language: English
Room: Malmstenvåningen (Dean’s Office): A, 6th floor

Only for pre-registrants (list complete)

Participants:
Sergio Pérez García, Director General for External Action, Region of Navarra
Valeria Vacchiano, City of Turin
Paula Santaren, Chair of the Sector Group Proximity & Social Economy of the Enterprise Europe Network 
Anna Athanasopoulou, Head of Unit – Proximity, Social Economy and Creative Industries, DG Grow, European Commission
Diana Ghinea – Chair of the board/Gothenburg City Leasing (public company in charge for Gothenburg’s strategy for circular economy)
Katarina Kuzmanovic – Regional politician, Region of Västra Götaland/Swedish Green Party and REVES board member
Ricardo Rio – Mayor of Braga and Member of the Committee of the Regions of the EU

Grassroots initiatives and the Social and Solidarity Economy (Hosted by: School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg) Room: B33

This session brings together representatives from citizen-driven initiatives, public officers, politicians, researchers and other stakeholders to discuss the contribution of grassroots initiatives to the Social and Solidarity Economy. The session discusses the relevance of these innovations from below for a green and just transition, as well as the challenges and opportunities to scale them up in terms of visibility, networks, space and inclusivity.

Language: English
Room: B33

Participants:
Agnes Faxén – moderator, Science Journalist and communicator GRI/University of Gothenburg Tove Lund – Strategy Lead Sustainable Living Gothenburg
Jonas Svensson- Vice Chair, The Committee for Democracy and Citizens Service at the City of Gothenburg
Anna Zjac – Majorna Community Assosiation & Toys Library
Bruno Chies – Solidarity Fridge
María José Zapata Campos – researcher, School of Business Economics and Law

Democratizing social entrepreneurship – become a part of the solution (Hosted by: Reach for Change) Room: C34

Research shows that social entrepreneurs from socioeconomically underserved areas, as well as female founders and people with foreign backgrounds, are underrepresented when it comes to both starting social enterprises as well as having access to capital. Oftentimes the people who are closest to the problems have the best solutions. They have a unique understanding and knowledge of the issue as well as of the target group. To not support them means that society is missing out on social innovations with the potential to create real change.

What do we mean when we say there is a need to democratize social entrepreneurship and what can be done to make it happen? We invite you to be a part of the solution. Join our engaging workshop to co-create for a stronger and more sustainable society for all, and to hear directly from a diverse range of Swedish social entrepreneurs who have beaten the odds and established themselves as change leaders in their local communities.

Language: Swedish
Room: C34

Participants:
Andréa Råsberg – Head of Reach for Change Sweden
Holly Langham – Partnership and Fundraising Manager
Muna Idow – founder Mermaid Swimming school
Katja Blagodyr – founder HUG -Help Ukraine Gothenburg
Fatima Grönblad – founder The World is Here
Ester Barinaga – Professor in Social entrepreneurship Lund University – TBC