The Global Forum for Social and Solidarity Economy (GSEF)

The Global Forum for Social and Solidarity Economy (GSEF) was founded in Seoul (South Korea) in 2013, and is an international organisation of local governments and civil society networks operating on a local, national or world scale. All its members are committed to promoting the principles and values of the Social and Solidarity Economy as a means to achieve local development which is respectful of humans and the environment.

GSEF members, present in 37 countries, represent SSE in its various forms, i.e., the social companies, cooperatives, foundations, mutual organisations, local authorities or solidarity groups which put people before profit and advocate a collective, viable and innovative economy. 

Since its creation, the GSEF has worked to build and drive a global movement to unlock the potential of SSE in forging sustainable local growth across the five continents. While 2022 and 2023 were pivotal years for the recognition of the SSE on an international, national and local scale, it must pursue its efforts to inform populations and promote the practical implementation of Social and Solidarity Economy policies.

Vision

• The GSEF strives for a fairer world with decent working and living conditions. It aims to reduce inequalities and meet fundamental needs.
• It is based on the belief that systemic changes begin on a local level, drawing on a partnership between civil society and the private or public sectors. The ultimate aim is that the SSE grows to become the economic standard of the future, incorporating collective management of shared assets.
• It is based on the sharing of international experience and inspiring innovations to address the major social and environmental challenges facing regions. It places the SSE at the service of communities and local government by providing resources and implementing SSE policies.
• It cooperates with international networks, while seeking a complementarity which is respectful of local diversity and identity. This action enables a coming-together of forces according to priorities, to promote SSE and the shift in development models it can bring about.
• It shapes a core framework for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

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Mission

Through collaboration between social economy organizations and local governments, GSEF pursues creation of quality jobs, fair growth, progress of grassroots democracy, and sustainable development. Values such as human dignity and sustainable ecology are to be the underlying principles for every GSEF activity.

The GSEF contributes to enhancing the quality and quantity of shared resources and promotes the fair approach and the use of such resources. The key to reclaiming the commons is trust and cooperation, which are the fundamentals for SSE. Ecosystem, culture, knowledge, and historical resources of all local communities are all important objectives of GSEF activities

Objectives

1. GSEF promotes both personal and material exchanges and sharing among major global social economy actors. To this end, GSEF will establish an on/off platform and create diverse programs to activate the personal and material exchanges.

2. GSEF supports local government and non-government agencies in the creation of a stable social economy network through the public-private-community partnerships

3. GSEF supports every effort to form social economy associations and social economy support bodies in each region. Through these organizations, GSEF promotes various joint projects to spread the ecology of social economy on a global scale

4. GSEF acknowledges a responsibility to support developing countries which suffer from poverty and serious underdevelopment, thereby promoting global solidarity and cooperation in the field of social economy to enhance the environment, economy, society, and culture of those countries. 

5. GSEF supports various global movements that are compatible with the social value we uphold and furthermore promotes collective actions to solve problems and global challenges that humanity faces.