[GSEF2016]: Legal structures for the collaboration of stakeholders

Category: 
Europe
North America
SSE Organisation
Class: 
Public Policy / Legal Framework

Topic 1: The Potentials and Limits Of The Solidarity Cooperative Model As A Vehicle For Municipal-Civil Society Collaboration

Presented at: GSEF2016 Montreal 

Organisation: Coop Les 4 pôles (Social and Solidarity Economy Organization)

Date: September 7, 2016

Presenter: Jean-Pierre Girard (Lecturer at UQÀM)

Contacts: jpg282000@yahoo.ca

Summary: 

In Québec, over 60% of new cooperatives are in the form of solidarity cooperatives. One of their defining characteristics is their capacity to associate different stakeholders rather than having a single status of members, for example like consumer cooperatives, making this organizational model extremely appealing for local service providers requiring the mobilization of civil society. In Québec, municipalities are forbidden to become members of a cooperative, except for cooperatives developing in the wind energy. However, this constraint does not prevent municipalities from collaborating with these cooperatives.
The case of the Coopérative de Solidarité les 4 Pôles, with corporative and individual members, will be presented. Finally, is it possible to identify ways to improve governance and to create organizational innovations for these cooperatives?

 

Topic 2: Social Cooperatives; Governance and Coll aboration With Municipalities

Presented at: GSEF2016 Montreal 

Organisation: Université Saint-Louis 9 - Bruxelles (Academic institution)

Date: September 7, 2016

Presenter: Enzo Pezzini (Doctoral Fellow at Université Saint Louis - Bruxelles)

Contacts: enzo.pezzini3239@gmail.com

Summary: 

In Italy, more than 10,000 social cooperatives provide work-integration and socio-sanitary services. Membership of a municipality in a cooperative might give rise to questions concerning governance, i.e. regarding contract allocation (potential conflicts of interest) or the functioning of the board of directors. Italy proves that other means of collaboration are possible, such as co-programming in order to regulate partnership relationships and to implement the social function of public authorities. The Consorzio Sol.Co Città Aperta, which will be presented, is a consortium of cooperatives in the Province of Bergamo. The Consortium invests in services related to different areas and target groups (families/children/youth, mental health, job opportunities, environment, etc.). These services can be offered through public contracts or on the basis of private initiatives.

 

Topic 3: Multiple Member Categories in Community Interest Companies: A Means of Collaboration With Local Government

Presented at: GSEF2016 Montreal 

Organisation: HEC Montréal (Academic institution)

Date: September 7, 2016

Presenter: Pénélope Codello (Researcher at HEC Montréal)

Contacts: penelope.codello@hec.ca

Summary: 

This presentation will allow for a better understanding of the potential and the limits of Community Interest Companies (CIC) in France as a means for municipal-civil society collaborations. There are currently more than 500 CICs, and they are spreading in all the sectors. All types of society actors can become members, including the public sector local governments, therefore, have the chance to address a social need collectively. Although CIC statutes allow a municipality to become a member only 30% of CICs have territorial communities among their members. CIC Solidarité Versailles Grand âge, which will be presented, is a service platform for elderly people was started by the city that includes different categories of members: employees, beneficiaries, public institutions and natural or legal persons (i.e.the City hospital).