Strengthening the Social and Solidarity Economy Knowledge Base

The Proposal

Seoul National University Asia Center (SNUAC)

July 21, 2021

The International Labour Organization Project supported by the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labour

Seoul National University Asia Center (SNUAC)

SNUAC’s Vision

Project team from SNUAC

Project director

Research lead Junior researcher

Capacity building

leadJunior researcher

Program

development lead

Research

Capacity Building

Dr. Lee

Dr. Kim

+ 6 regional experts

Baegyoon PARKDirector of Center for Asian Urban Cities at SNUAC

contents

•Project Title•Time frame•Target Countries•Budget•Purpose•Definition of SSE•Stakeholders•Project Aim related to the SDGs Targets•Outputs

Project brief

•Project Components•Theory of Change •SDGs and Gender consideration•Specific plans for each activity

Project strategy

Project budget

Project briefStrengthening the SSE Knowledge Base

Project Title

July 2021 to December 2023 (30 months)

Time frame

Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos and Cambodia

Target Countries

Budget

Project brief

To refine the analytical research framework to capture SSEOEs operating in the informal economy in addition to those that are formally registered.

To describe and analyze the organizational landscape and ecosystems of the SSE in the six countries and to identify legal and policy constraints affecting the SSE, as well as opportunities to strengthen the SSE at national and regional levels.

To make a more substantive and more visible contribution of social and solidarity economy enterprises and organizations (SSEOEs) to the SDGs in Asia.

Purpose

Project brief

•Although there is not an official definition proposed by ILO yet, the ILO Regional Conference on Social Economy, Africa’s Response to the Global Crisis (October 2009) defined the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) as a “concept designating enterprises and organizations, in particular cooperatives, mutual benefit societies, associations, foundations and social enterprises, which have the specific feature of producing goods, services and knowledge while pursuing both economic and social aims and fostering solidarity”. (https://www.ilo.org/empent/areas/WCMS_546299/lang--en/index.htm)• Guided by the principles and practices of cooperation, solidarity, ethics and democratic self-management, they typically include cooperatives, mutual benefit societies, associations, foundations, social enterprises, self-help groups, community-based savings and loan schemes, complementary currency schemes, alternative food and fair trade networks, associations of informal economy workers and NGOs transitioning from donor dependency to earned income. • SSE is fundamentally about crafting a form of economy that is centred on social protection, equity and equality.

(Utting 2015, cited in UNTFSSE 2014)

Definition of SSE

Project brief

•Government authorities regulating the SSE•workers’ and employers’ organizations•coop federations, SSE organizations and their national networks•relevant CSOs and NGOs•universities and research centres specialized in SSE

Stakeholders

1)RESEARCH•To measure, to recognize and to visualize the contribution of the SSEOE to the SDGs targets2) CAPACITY BUILDING•To help the SSEOS play their role as means of implementation of the SDGs by making policy-makers invite ILO constituents and SSE stakeholders at the table where national and local sustainable development strategies are being negotiated and/or reviewed

Project Aim related to the SDGs Targets

1)Research on SSE carried out in six Asian countriesTo provide •a) a comprehensive picture of the SSE landscape in those countries•b) a common normative model for the SSE in Asia•c) an SSE knowledge-sharing mechanism2) Capacity built on SSE promotion, policymaking and networking•a) To develop a comprehensive SSE-SDGs capacity building program for Asian countries•b) To create an Asian SSE community to strengthen SSE policy in Asian regions

Outputs

Project strategy:

1. Project Components

1. Project Components

Research

• to use the best research pool of SNUAC (lead researcher, junior researchers, and six regional experts) • Led by Seoungwon LEE• Expertise: democratic empowerment

and local transition• close cooperation with The Asia

Regional Information Center (ARIC) and regional experts• Efficient and effective data and inform

ation collecting technique

Capacity building

• to develop a phased capacity building program for countries in Asia aiming at achieving the SDGs• Led by GoWoon KIM • Expertise: local resilience and sustaina

bility • close cooperation with the Asia Regional

Information Center (ARIC)• To develop Asian-context capacity buil

ding program and to spread it through various channels

Project strategy:

2. Theory of Change

Strengthening the SSE knowledge base in Asia in the context of sustainability

July – Dec 2021 Jan – Dec 2022 Jan – June 2023 July – Dec 2023

Research activities

Capacity building activities

1. Refine the analytical SSE research framework

1. Design and implement SSE capacity building activities

2. Carry out six country studies on the SSE and SDG relationship

3. To elaborate a normative model of SSE which can be identified across all twelve countries

4. To establish a mechanism for SSE knowledge sharing in Asia

2. To establish a regional SSE community of practice of SSE researchers and promoters

3. To implement national follow-up activities to facilitate the co-creation of SSE policies

Comprehensive analytical SSE research framework in the context of sustainability

Implementation of SSE-SDGs workshop

Development of one year SSE-SDGs workshop program in the Asian Context

Creation of an Asian SSE community of SSE researchers promoters

First report on the SSE of six countries

International conference on the Asian SSE-SDG

Papers publication

Final report and Policy brief to ILO

Follow-up SSE-SDGs workshop among twelve countries

advisory committee meetings

Consensus of SSE knowledge and strengthened SSE-related policy in Asian regions and relevant contributing to the 17 SDGs

Effective use of advisory committee

• Each national post should consult with national advisory committee every six month and report the progress to SNUAC.

• After collecting progress reports from six posts every six month, global advisory committee will be held within a month.

Project strategy:

3. SDGs and Gender consideration

SDG Targets Gender Consideration

• Women’s participation in, and leadership of, SSEOs will be assessed through the compilation and analysis of sex-disaggregated data and qualitative information.

• Gender analysis will be incorporated in formulating policy recommendations for decision-makers, practitioners and SSE actors to ensure women’s needs and aspirations are appropriately reflected in capacity-building programmes and in national SSE policies.

• SDG target 1.3: Extension of social protection (mutuals)• SDG target 2.3: Enhancement of agricultural productivity

(agricultural marketing and supply cooperatives, credit unions)• SDG target 3.8: Universal health coverage (community-based health

insurance)• SDG target 5.1: Gender equality (women’s groups, associations and

cooperatives)• SDG target 6.1: Access to drinking water (community-based water

supply systems)• SDG target 7.1: Access to drinking water (rural electric cooperatives)• SDG target 8.3: Formalization of MSMEs (informal economy

associations)• SDG target 8.5: Full employment (workers’ cooperatives, self-help

groups)SDG target 9.1: Reliable and sustainable infrastructure (labour-contracting cooperatives)

• SDG target 10.1: Income equality (SSE networks, federations and advocacy groups; fair trade initiatives)

• SDG target 11.1: Affordable housing (housing cooperatives)• SDG target 12.3: Food losses (slow-food movements, community-

based cereal banks)• SDG target 12:5: Waste (waste-pickers associations)• SDG target 16.7: Inclusive, participatory and transparent decision-

making (SSE apex organizations)

Project strategy:

4. Specific Plans for each activity

Research activities

1. To refine the analytical research framework

2.To carry out six country studies on the SSE and SDG relationship

3.To elaborate a normative model of SSE which can be identified across all twelve countries

4.To establish a mechanism for SSE knowledge sharing in Asia

Capacity building activities

1. To design and implement SSE capacity-building activities

2.To establish a regional SSE community of practice of SSE researchers and promoters

3.To implement national follow-up activities to facilitate the co-creation of SSE policies

Activity 1. To refine the analytical research framework to capture SSEOEs operating in the informal economy in

addition to those that are formally registered

Duration: 07/2021~01/2022

Work: ① establish operational SSE advisory committees in six countries, and form a common understanding of the project

objectives and outcomes with them

② Review and analyse the first phase research to refine the research framework

Workshop required: establish a common understanding of the present project objectives

and outcomes with stakeholders from the six countries

Research Framework1. Refine the previous analytical framework by capturing genuine SSEOEs

that exclude capital-based and profit-oriented organizations and

enterprises

2. Capture and analyse the characteristics of the genuine SSEOEs that are formally registered and organizations operating in the informal sector within Asian contexts.

3. Find out the role of the SSE in four agendas: ① promoting employment, ② extending social protection, ③ ensuring food security and ④facilitating the transition from the informal to the formal economy

4. Analyse the SSE ecosystem including legal and policy constraints affecting

the SSE in the six countries in attaining specific SDGs targets

5. Elaborate a normative model of SSE which can be identified across all

twelve countries in Asia

6. Establish a mechanism for SSE knowledge sharing in Asia

Research Framework

1. Refine the previous analytical framework by capturing genuine SSEOEs that exclude capital-based and

profit-oriented organizations and enterprises

2. Capture and analyse the characteristics of the genuine SSEOEs that are formally registered and

organisations operating in the informal sector within Asian contexts.

3. Find out the role of the SSE in four agendas: ① promoting employment, ② extending social protection,

③ ensuring food security and ④ facilitating the transition from the informal to the formal economy

4. Analyse the SSE ecosystem including legal and policy constraints affecting the SSE in the six countries in

attaining specific SDGs targets and gender equality

5. Elaborate a normative model of SSE which can be identified across all twelve countries in Asia

6. Establish a mechanism for SSE knowledge sharing in Asia

Activity 2. To carry out six country studies on the SSE and SDG relationship

by describing the national SSE ecosystem including legal and

policy constraints affecting the SSE in the six countries and visualizing how the SSE

ecosystem in the six countries have contributed to the

achievement of the specific SDGs targets

Duration: 02/2022~10/2020

Work: ① Literature review, data collection & analysis, policy-

makers/researchers/practitioners interviews

② Study on the relationship between SSEOEs and the specific SDGs targets in the

six countriesWorkshop required: sharing diverse (legal, institutional and collaborative) cases and

experiences of the SSEOEs among participants and developing a common

understanding of SSE in the Asian context

Activity 3. To elaborate a normative model of SSE

which can be identified across all twelve countries

by providing a definition for the SSE in Asia,

determination of the SSE values and principles in the context of Asian tradition, types of SSEOEs, the most

SSE-relevant SDG targets in the Asian context

Duration: 11/2022~6/2023

Work: ① Literature review, data collection &

analysis, policymakers/researchers/practitioners

interviews

② Study on the relationship between SSEOEs

and the specific SDGs targets in the six countries

Workshop required: elaborate a conceptual

consensus on a normative model of SSE in Asia

(definition/values/principles/types/SDG targets of

SSE)

Activity 4. To establish a mechanism for SSE

knowledge sharing in Asia

by envisaging a form of a web-based knowledge-

sharing platform contributed by

collaboration of SSE promoters, researchers and

practitioners in the Asian region

Duration:

02/2023~08/2023

Work: ① Literature review, data collection &

analysis, policymakers/researchers/practitioners

interviews

② Study on the relationship between SSEOEs

and the specific SDGs targets in the six countries

Workshop required: knowledge-sharing

collaboration

Activity 5. To design and implement SSE capacity-

building activitiesBy developing a comprehensive

SSE-SDG workshop program based on preliminary research on

the current status of Asian SSE policy and activities.

- this may involve and be builtbased upon ontological,

functional, operational, and ecological perspectives of SSE-

SDGs concepts (Quiroz-Niño, C., & Murga-Menoyo, M. Á. 2017).

Duration:

07/2021~12/2021

Work: ① Literature review and study on previous

SSE capacity building activities, the relationship

between SSE and sustainability, and the current

landscapes of Asian SSE including the six target

countries

② Program development of SSE-SDGs workshop

Workshop required: knowledge-sharing

collaboration

Quiroz-Niño, C., & Murga-Menoyo, M. Á. (2017). Social and solidarity economy, sustainable development goals, and community development: The mission of adult education & training. Sustainability, 9(12), 2164.

Partner countries?- Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, and Cambodia

• SSE exists in all sectors of the partner countries’ economy, including traditional forms of cooperatives, mutual associations and NGOs as well as fair trade organizations, social enterprises, women’s self-help groups, and associations of informal workers.

• Considering their contribution to economic, social, and environmental spheres, SSE activities and its impacts from Southeast and Central Asian perspectives are worth being collected, studied, and shared.

• South-South partnerships between SSE stakeholders can reinforce the impact of SSE in both national and regional contexts.

Organized by Capacity Building Programs Location (Date)

ILO/CIRD Enhancing Entrepreneurship Skills in Cambodian Cooperatives

Cambodia(2 - 3 November 2016)

ILO Strengthening Agricultural Cooperatives in Viet Nam Hanoi, Vietnam (13 - 17 February 2017)

ILO The 8th Edition of the ILO Academy on Social and Solidarity Economy

Seoul, South Korea(26-30 June 2017)

ILO Workshop on Strengthening SSE Policy in Asia Online (29-31 March 2021)

ASEC ASEC Online SSE Academy http://www.socioeco.org/bdf_colloque-23_en.html

Online (May-July 2020)

ASEAN Foundation/GIZ

ASEAN Social Enterprise Development Programme(ASEAN-SEDP)https://www.aseanfoundation.org/asean_social_enterprise_development_programme

February-October 2021

* ASEC: Asian Solidarity Economy Coalition

Major Capacity Building Programs on SSE

Activity 6. To establish a regional SSE community

of practice of SSE researchers and promoters

By having a bi-monthly SSE-SDGs workshops online as well as

offline when necessary. Well-known experts of SSE-SDGs will be invited as a guest speaker of

relevant workshop every two workshop.

Duration:

01/2022~06/2023

Work: ① launch and proceed (Virtual) SSE-SDGs workshops

② International conference on SSE-SDGs

Workshop required on: 1) analytical framework and SSE

2) SSE data collection and approaches3) SSE report writing and analysis

4) empirical evidence of SSE-SDGs relationship

Capacity building strategy

Workshops for capacity

building

International conference

field trips to six

countries

Activity 7. To implement national follow-up activities

to facilitate the co-creation of SSE policies

By hosting an event involving stakeholders from 1st and 2nd

phase (12 countries total) to share feedback on their recent

outputs and challenges, and share perspectives on SSE policy

development

Duration:

07/2022~12/2023

Work: ① follow-up workshop on SSE-SDGs

among twelve countries

② sharing of outputs via online Asian SSE

community channels

Workshop required:

1) follow-up workshop on SSE-SDGs

2) Workshop on SSE policy development (based on feedback from follow-up workshop)

July 2023 –Dec 2023

• Final report and national brief to ILO• Conceptualization of Asian SSE normative

model• Mechanism for knowledge sharing • Advertising and spreading final outputs of

the project • Follow-up activities for each country • Brainstorming and proposing of next Asia

SSE projects based on insights gained from the project

What’s next?

August 2021

Early Aug: List of candidates for six countries’ posts and national/global advisory committee(Recommendation by both SNUAC and ILO)Late Aug: Finalized list

September 2021

Contacting final candidates of each national post and advisory committeeContracting with the research posts of each country

October 2021

Early Oct: preparation of Kick off meetings with each national postLate Oct: Kick off meetings with 6 posts

November 2021

Kick off meetings with global advisory committee