11th Mont Blanc Meeting on Social and Solidarity Economy: Key Insights and Recommendations for Advancing the SDGs

Leaders from Global SSE Organizations Convene at the ILO Headquarters to Address Financing, Collaboration, and the Role of Private Sector in Supporting Sustainable Development.

The 11th Mont Blanc Meeting on the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) took place on January 16, 2025, at the International Labour Organization (ILO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. This significant event marks a key moment at the start of the 2025 United Nations International Year of Cooperatives, a global initiative aiming to promote the role of cooperatives and SSE in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Organized by the SSE International Forum (SSEIF), the Mont Blanc Meetings serve as a global platform for leaders of SSE organizations to collaborate on essential issues related to sustainable development. This year’s theme focused on the role of finance and economic pluralism in advancing the SDGs and fostering social development through the SSE. Two engaging roundtable discussions explored how SSE enterprises can scale and how private sector practices can better align with SSE values.

SSE's Human-Centered Mission Takes Center Stage

In his opening remarks, Alain Coheur, Chairman of SSEIF, emphasized the need for SSE organizations to shift from being perceived as peripheral entities to becoming integral players in shaping the global economy. He highlighted that SSE enterprises are driven by human-centered goals, where the focus is on social impact rather than profit maximization.

Following his speech, a video message from Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the ILO, reinforced the growing recognition of SSE’s transformative potential. Houngbo reaffirmed ILO's commitment to supporting the SSE through its leadership of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the SSE (UNTFSSE) and stressed that the SSE could play a vital role in creating productive employment and decent work in the evolving platform economy.

Simel Esim, Head of the ILO's Cooperative, Social, and Solidarity Economy unit, continued the discussions, emphasizing that while significant progress has been made, there are still gaps in aligning international frameworks with local contexts. Esim called for increased collaboration between governments, UN agencies, and development partners to create favorable policies, legal frameworks, and financial solutions to ensure the SSE thrives.

Keynote Address: SSE as an Opportunity for Ecological and Social Transition

H.E. Nicolas Schmit, the former European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, delivered an insightful keynote on the potential of the SSE to drive both ecological and social transition. He outlined how SSE initiatives, particularly in sectors like energy and agriculture, can restore social rights and foster inclusive economic development. Schmit also stressed that the SSE’s participatory models offer innovative solutions to tackle environmental and social challenges.

Roundtable 1: Financing SSE for Sustainable Development

The first roundtable, moderated by Claude Dorion, General Manager of MCE Conseils (Canada), focused on sustainable financing channels for the development of SSE. The session underscored the necessity of broadening financial access and fostering partnerships between governments, private investors, and SSE entities to ensure the sector’s growth and resilience.

Chantal-Line Carpentier, Head of the Trade, Environment, and Sustainable Development Branch at UNCTAD, emphasized that international platforms like the World Social Summit and the Financing for Development Conference should prioritize discussions on SSE financing. She also called for clear public mandates and robust capacity-building efforts to bridge the gap between traditional financing models and SSE needs.

Other notable speakers included Hilde Vernaillen, CEO of P&V Assurances (Belgium), who shared how her organization helps SSE enterprises through innovative financial models, and Marc Picard, General Manager of Caisse Desjardins (Canada), who discussed their financial initiatives to support vulnerable communities in Quebec.

Roundtable 2: Private Sector and SSE: Aligning Values and Practices

The second roundtable discussed how private sector companies can align their operations with the principles of the SSE. Speakers like Antoine Détourné of ESS France and Arnaud Breuil of Up Coop (France) called for deeper collaboration between SSE and private enterprises to address global challenges effectively.

Victor Mesenguer, from Abacus (Spain), stressed the importance of integrating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within core business strategies for successful partnerships. Meanwhile, Valérie Tiacoh of Orange (France) shared how the company collaborates with SSE entities to promote inclusive digital innovation and empower local communities, especially through projects like training programs in Mali that prioritize human rights.

German Mejia, from Fondation COACEHL (Honduras), highlighted the challenges posed by restrictive legislative frameworks but also pointed out how partnerships and awareness-building efforts can create opportunities for growth. Jules Gouhan, President of RIESS (Côte d'Ivoire), stressed the importance of mapping the contributions of SSE activities to GDP to boost visibility and influence.

Concluding Remarks and Forward-Looking Commitment

As the event came to a close, the participants affirmed their commitment to continuing to work together to advance the SSE agenda and the SDGs. The recommendations from this edition of the Mont Blanc Meeting were shared with key stakeholders, setting the stage for future discussions on enhancing the SSE’s role in sustainable development, as outlined in key resolutions from the International Labour Conference (2022) and the UN General Assembly (2023, 2024).

The 11th Mont Blanc Meeting served as a critical step forward in shaping the role of the Social and Solidarity Economy in achieving a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable global economy. The continued dialogue and collaboration among SSE leaders, policymakers, and private sector actors promise to create lasting, impactful change for communities worldwide.