Building the network: RIPESS – Solidarity Economy Europe

RIPESS uses the term social solidarity economy (SSE) to cover both the solidarity economy and the historical view of the social economy. Defining the framework of the social solidarity economy is a long and ongoing process.

Political, cultural and historical realities on each continent and in different countries call for a flexible approach to terminology, to allow local contexts to be taken into account.

For the members of RIPESS EU, solidarity economy constitutes a foundation that covers the following dimensions : citizens’ participatory economy, democracy in the workplace, social justice, food sovereignty, respect of human rights – especially for minorities -, gender equality and sexual orientation, and finally ecological and environmental justice. Solidarity economy is considered to be the economy of the future.

The RIPESS Europe network links social economy organisations and solidarity economy networks that share these values and includes territorial organisations and sectoral networks.