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The social economy

The purpose of an Entreprise d'insertion is to help those with little in the way of qualifications and the long-term unemployed to find a way into work.
The social economy is present in various sectors in the Brussels-Capital Region. The Direction de la Politique de l'Emploi et de l'Economie Plurielle (employment and mixed economy policy directorate) of the Ministry of the Brussels-Capital Region supports businesses that subscribe to the principles of solidarity, economic democracy and the general interest by working with jobseekers who find it especially difficult to find work.

The social economy is an alternative to the traditional economy, working to improve the prospects of jobseekers who generally experience more difficulties getting into employment, such as the long-term unemployed and those on benefits.

Not exclusively profit-based, this alternative economy is driven by a deep-seated desire to achieve economic development in a socially sustainable and responsible way. It is founded on a number of essential principles, such as:

  • Services for members or the community rather than for profit
  • Management independent of the public authorities
  • Priority of people and work over capital
  • Environmentally responsible production in a sustainable development perspective
  • Democratic decision making

The social economy: working for social inclusion

The social economy is chiefly made up of small and mid-sized profit and non-profit businesses. All of them share the same social integration goals:

  • Providing long-term employment to low-skilled jobseekers
  • Providing these low-skilled jobseekers with opportunities to acquire work experience and so improve their employability, through transitional jobs
  • Providing vocational training opportunities to people in socially disadvantaged situations, in the form of apprenticeships among other things

Getting a grant for your social integration enterprise

If you would like to get official recognition and funding for your profit or non-profit business, contact the Direction de la Politique de l’Emploi et de l’Economie plurielle of the Ministry of the Brussels-Capital Region and ask for help to the specialised bodies.

For French speakers

FeBISP
An employers federation that provides full information to employers in the social integration and social economy sector.
Galerie Ravenstein 3 box 4, 1000 Brussels
Phone: + 32 (0)2 537 72 04
Fax: + 32 (0)2 537 84 04
Email: huybrecht@febisp.be
Online: www.febisp.be (FR)

For Dutch speakers

Tracé Brussel asbl
Boulevard d'Anvers 26, 1000 Brussels
Phone: + 32 (0)2 412 02 85
Fax: + 32 (0)2 511 98 27
Email: ellen.christiaens@tracebrussel.be
Online: www.tracebrussel.be (NL)

These pages contain information on:

The Cellule Economie sociale (social economy unit) at the Service public de programmation (SPP) Social Integration, Combating Poverty, Social Economy is responsible for preparing and implementing federal social economy policy.

Boulevard Roi Albert II 30 (WTC II), 1000 Brussels
Phone: +32 (0)2 508 85 86
Fax: +32 (0)2 508 86 72
Email: question@mi-is.be
Online: www.socialeconomy.be (FR/NL)

Ministry of the Brussels-Capital Region

Administration de l'Economie et de l'Emploi
Direction de la Politique de l’Emploi et de l’Economie plurielle
CCN Brussels-Nord station
Rue du Progrès 80, 1035 Brussels
Phone: + 32 (0)2 204 13 89
Fax: + 32 (0)2 204 15 29
Email: emploi.eco@mrbc.irisnet.be

Activity cooperatives

The purpose of activity cooperatives is to help people who wish to create a job for themselves. They aim to make it easier to start up a business and learn how to run it in a secure setting. Activity cooperatives help to combat unemployment by offering an alternative to the traditional start-up, supporting motivated jobseekers with a plan of their own to gradually grow their business. A special legal form is provided for aspiring entrepreneurs, giving them the chance to test the market before taking the plunge.

There are two activity cooperatives in the Brussels-Capital Region:
Download a guide on the Order of 18 March 2004 on the recognition and funding of profit and non-profit social integration enterprises.

Download the practical guide (.pdf) (546K) to the Ordinance of 18 March 2004 on the recognition and financing (FR) of profit and non-profit social integration enterprises and its Execution Order of 22 December 2004 (FR).

List of initiatives locales de développement de l'emploi and entreprises d'insertion (.pdf) (595K) (FR)
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