Closing Date: 16 June 2025
Call for Aplications for the European Social Economy Awards 2025
Do you have an outstanding initiative in Housing, Clean Energy, Social Economy Training & Education, or Social Integration Innovation? Are you a local or regional government supporting Social Economy?
Gain visibility across Europe and the EU institutions! Since 2021, the European Social Economy Awards have recognized remarkable Social Economy (SE) initiatives, giving them visibility to key SE actors and institutional representatives.
European Social Economy Awards Categories:
SOCIAL ECONOMY TRAINING AND EDUCATION
This category aims to award entities that provide outstanding and possibly innovative training or education curricula linked to skills needed specifically to develop a SE initiative or for people who work (or would like to work) in the SE ecosystem.
This category is open to both educational institutions and VET providers, either public or private entities educating or training on SE. Therefore, this category is focused on education for professionals, workers with already certain expertise related with Social Economy or for people who have a clear willing to work in the ecosystem.
lOCAL GOVERNMENTS QUALITY SOCIAL ECONOMY ACTION PLANS
This category aims to award cities and regions that develop strong strategies to cater the full potential development of SE on their territory, as a pilar of its functioning. Candidates must be local governments (city or regional level) with proven track record of concrete policies and practices that embed SE actors in their territorial development for both economic and social matters.
HOUSING
This category aims to award SE initiatives that provide affordable housing solutions, providing an inspiring model against the ongoing housing crisis in Europe. Candidates must be Social Economy organizations or enterprises, as for instance social housing, cooperative houses, community land trust models…
CLEAN ENERGY
This category aims to award initiatives that provide solutions to the energy crisis in Europe by offering clean energy solutions run by consumers. Candidates must be SE organizations or enterprises that provide energy locally, thus participating to the EU energy autonomy and solutions against profit-driven price inflation. Both Social Economy energy producers and energy suppliers are targeted in this category
Innovation in Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) – with the support from ENSIE
This category aims at awarding innovative practices promoted by Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) in fostering social inclusion and integrating vulnerable individuals into the labour market.
This category is promoted by ENSIE, the European Network of Social Integration Enterprises. Aligned with ENSIE’s mission, it highlights WISEs’ role in providing employment, skills, and tailored support to those facing barriers such as long-term unemployment or disabilities. Celebrating best practices—from pioneering training to digital and green transitions—the award showcases impactful strategies that enhance WISEs’ effectiveness in creating sustainable, high-quality opportunities for disadvantaged individuals across Europe.
Who is eligible?
The typology of eligible organization or enterprise depends on the category.
- The category of SE training & education is open to both educational institutions and VET providers, either public or private entities.
- The category Local governments quality SE action plans is open to municipalities and regions from any country in the list below of eligible countries.
- Both categories Housing and Clean energy are open only to Social economy enterprises and organisations, such as cooperatives, mutuals, associations, foundations, social enterprises…
- The category of Innovation in Work Integration Social Enterprises is open to all Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs), a specific type of Social Economy Enterprise. WISEs take diverse forms across Europe, but ENSIE defines them by three key principles. They are enterprises with a social mission to integrate vulnerable individuals into society and the workforce. Their primary goal is the social and professional inclusion of those facing exclusion and disadvantages. Through ongoing training and support, WISEs equip individuals with the skills and experience needed to access sustainable employment and regain their status as active workers. As previously indicated in this concept note, the category aims at awarding innovative practices promoted.
In terms of geographical scope, to be eligible candidates’ head office must be located in an EU-27 Member State or in the following regions: the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia), the Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine), Turkey, Southern Mediterranean Countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia), the UK and the EFTA Member States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).
A balanced jury formed by social economy experts, researchers, and representatives of EU Institutions will select three finalists for each category. One member of each organisation selected as finalists will be invited to the Gala of The Awards on the EU Social Economy week that will take place on September 15-18th in Murcia (Spain).
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