Last November 12 2009, at the CGM convention in Genova, Italy, through the likes of a seminar, and on November 24, at a round table, WISE (Work Integration Social Enterprises as instrument for social inclusion) project was concluded. The project, which lasted two years and was part of the PROGRESS programme of the European Commission, saw CGM as its promoter and leading partner.
The project enabled the WISE set of connections and social enterprises, organisations representing eight EU member countries, European networks, institutions and experts to discuss the contribution of WISEs when it came to policies tied to occupation, entrepreneurship, and inclusion as well as the role that these play in national action plans for inclusion, national reform programmes and operational programmes for structural funds.
A wise way of working, was the final verdict given by this recently completed European research on the realities of work integration social enterprises working in a context of social economy and solidarity. The research included eight countries (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Romania and Spain) and four Italian regions (Lombardy, Marche, Campania and Lazio). This proved to produce stimulating and informative material for those interested in following the transformation processes of European welfare systems, from a well-being state to a well-being society, in a specific sector dedicated to the activities of work integration for vulnerable groups.
The choice of countries meant being able to follow this route from two different perspectives:
1) that of the welfare system with strong public impact, with a strong cultural structure and power from the capitalist market – prevalent in Western European and Northern European countries.
2) That of countries and communities where in the last few decades, the weakness of state welfare systems, the malfunction of institutional practices and of the capitalist market have made the creation of bottom-up initiatives indispensable (civil society, whether religiously inclines or not) – this is the case for countries in Southern and Eastern Europe.
In the first group, the transformation going on is due to the need to give positive and diverse responses to the lives of people and communities under pressure from neo-liberalism, privatisation and policies of public cuts. This course takes advantage of a general professionalism, an acquired experience in the public sector and a diffused culture of solidarity. These however are facing up to the need to become economically self-sufficient with higher levels of autonomy and of obtaining a widespread consensus between the citizens of specific localities.
In the second group, the reaction to the same trends found a fertile terrain in the tradition of self-organisation and involvement of civil society to respond to these needs. It is adversely met by ideological obstacles and interest battles though, be it from the central or local powers, which are not organised in correct way when it comes to a respect for general well-being and to the lives of vulnerable groups. The major experiences acquired in these countries by civil society organisations when it comes to sustainability and social enterprise principals collide with the limits of the public welfare system and those of the capitalist market.
The final report, besides identifying good practices on-going in various countries, concludes with ten strategic guidelines for European policy makers. In order to have a more detailed view of the documents visit www.wiseproject.eu where you can also download the specific report concerning Italy.
Social enterprises and WISE
The project has examined the kinds of support which exist for WISE, regardless of their legal or affiliation forms. The approach to social enterprise which has been chosen has considered the literature produced on this issue in accordance with the most shared view of social enterprise today.
This approach combines entrepreneurial characteristics with social aspects. A level, which is more strictly connected to the social enterprise typology that the project was dealing with, has been added to this approach: WISE as it turns out.
WISE therefore have the following three characteristics:
• Private and autonomous enterprises operating on the market
• Enterprises where disadvantaged workers have rights governed by the national employment law
• Enterprises which core mission is integration through disadvantaged people’s work
The third characteristic mentioned which is the core mission, is fundamental because this is the reason why WISE can move thousands of disadvantages people from conventional structures in which they were simple objects of assistance, to completely reintegrate them inside the society, transforming them in producers and generators of value for themselves and for other people.
We don’t want to reduce everything to a specific set of problems but what is surely of help is giving a broad and shared concept able to activate processes of exchange, synergies and able to even perhaps orientate practices and policies.
Short extract from the final guidelines: three examples of recommendations
WISE and employment
– WISE should be actively supported through the European Employment Strategy.
– Specific guidelines on social economy, with particular reference to WISE, should be adopted for the period 2010-2020.
– WISE should be the object of specific Peer Reviews within the European Employment Strategy.
– All WISE workers must be assured quality jobs and fair salary
WISE and anti-discrimination
– Give emphasis to the particular role of WISEs in fighting the segmentation of the job market and fight against discrimination, mentioning them in a relevant way in the evaluation of the national plans of action.
– Promote an integrated approach in anti-discrimination law inside and outside of the job market, which is based on all the fundamental concepts of article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, highlighting the importance of WISE as a significant tool which contributes to an inclusive job market.
WISE and public sector contracts
– Public authorities should promote social clauses and new models for a closer cooperation between public, private sectors and WISEs within the area of public sector contracts.
– Public authorities should be given training and specific assistance to include social, ethical and environmental clauses within the area of public sector contracts.
– In order to value the full contribution made by WISEs, instruments to measure the impact need to be used, such as the Social Return on Investment (SROI).
– As far as the criterion of dignified work is concerned, provisions for the sustainability of a long term job and for workers’ security should be added to technical and economic requirements in competitive bids.
– Public Authorities should receive an adequate guide for a right interpretation of the real meaning of the article 19-directive 2004/18/EC and therefore limit the risk of ineffectiveness or wrong use.
Public Authorities need to be encouraged to make sure that contractors give people with disabilities long term contracts in compliance with the National Employment Law and can demonstrate that their core mission consists in integration through disabled or disadvantaged people’s activity.
The accomplishment of this work has been made possible thanks to the precious contribution of all the partners and of Dorotea Daniele of Diesis who coordinated the project with CGM.
Pierluca Ghibelli
CGM Responsible International Area
