Social Business: Business as usual?

Dear Commissioner Barnier,

Thanks for inviting me to the first ever event on social enterprise organised by the European Commission. I’m really impressed with your work. You really believe in Europe as a source of prosperity and solidarity for Europeans and beyond.

The social business initiative is one of the most promising policy initiatives initiated by the European Commission. It has the ambition to combine growth and jobs with social cohesion and sustainability.

Is this a new recipe for old problems or a new vision for society?

Inspired by Nobel Prize laureate Mohammed Yunus – father of microcredit – you are developing a social strand within your plan to relaunch economic liberalization across Europe (Single Market Act).

You are one of, if not the most senior Commissioner being from France and in charge of 2 main economic reforms: single market and financial services.

It was unexpected that you launched one of the most visionary social policies but it means the EU is taking this seriously.

On 25 – 26 May 40 experts of social economy, social enterprise and social investments from across Europe – mainly from the UK, France, Germany and Italy – were invited to join European officials from several departments to discuss how the EU can foster an enabling environment for social business.

I’ve never seen such an open and lively discussion in Brussels with experts even from non EU countries, such as the US and China. You could feel the buzz!

Several topics were covered but the focus was on definition, funding, impact, capacity building and visibility.

It’s a good start but we must see the delivery. The social innovation initiative will be launched in Brussels on 18 Nov. In the meantime we will keep on feeding and influencing the officials in charge.

In my view the social business initiative faces clear challenges:

– to open a third way between coporations and civil society combining the skills of both sectors exploring all possibilities not just job insertion of marginalised groups

– to go beyond the rethorics of big society – public spending cuts – and invest in the emerging wave

– to mobilize European resources to foster a new class of entreprenerus starting with the reform of funding rules

– to tackle specific challenges in New Member States especially Eastern Europe

– to open up such possibilities to all European programmes including Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership and Mediterranean

I would also try to better connect social busiess to the European Social Innovation Initiative and the upcoming initiative on social enterprise led by Commissioner Andor in charge of social policies. Such a mushrooming of overlapping policies is confusing for people. I’ve already spoken to the Cabinet of Commissioner Tajani and written to Commissioner Andor offering help to better connect and communicate externally.

Please thank your colleagues Gregoire, Emmanuel 1 and 2 – not the porno cult movie but the European officials in DG Market – Gerhard and all of the other officials who took part.

We are also preparing a surprise with some friends in Amsterdam: The Art of hosting Europe. You will enjoy it.