The social market is the network of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services (flows), which works with social, ecological and democratic criteria in a given territory, and that is constituted, both by social companies and by individual and collective consumers ( García, Jordi, 2002). According to García, the members of the social market are: (1) a market of goods and services that operates with currency and barter, in turn integrated by (1.1) companies of l’ESS (Social and solidarity economy) producing (1.2) companies de l’ESS distributors, (1.3.) individual and collective consumers; (2) Support markets such as (2.1.) The financial market for savings and credit and (2.2) the labor market of people who want to work in l’ESS: and (3) support services, such as (3.1. ) social movements, (3.2) representation and support organizations such as federations or media, and (3.3) training and advisory centers such as ESS promotion centers, observatories or social audits (García, Jordi, 2002).
According to García, the social market operates on the basis of four principles: (1) Collective and individual consumers seek to consume to the maximum the goods and services produced by other components of the social market. (2) The goods and services that circulate in the social market fulfill the criteria of l’ESS that can be summarized in three: social (socio-labor integration and promote local development), ecological and are produced with equity and democracy. (3) Each component contributes to create new companies with criteria of l’ESS, in order to close the productive circles, by means of a contribution from the surpluses and participating in the financial mechanisms of the social market. (4) The Social Market, in addition to goods and services, generates collective learning, technological innovation, projects, culture, values, social relations. (García, Jordi. 2002).
The name given to exchanges between the production, marketing and consumption of the Social Market is what we call intercooperation. These exchanges can be of products, services, knowledge, values, and care. It is from the intercooperation that the Social Market is created. For there to be intercooperation, it is necessary that there be a knowledge of what entities offer that meet the criteria of the social economy and their needs, as well as their georeferencing.
It can be said that in Catalonia the external factors of the Social Market that have influenced the generation of inter-cooperation and construction of the Social Market have been: (1) the economic crisis that worsened in 2007, (2) the historical trajectory of the social movement , associative and cooperative, (3) the existence of associations / federations such as the XES, the Federación of Treball Cooperatives, the Confederation de Cooperatives, and the Taula d’entitats of the third social sector, (4) current public policies of various Municipalities and the Generalitat of Catalonia aligned with the 14 measures recommended by the XES to promote l’ESS. The budgets in Barcelona and Catalonia to promote l’ESS for the current government period are € 14 million respectively (Press conference to present the impulse Plan of l’ESS of the City Council of Barcelona and consult the Generalitat of Catalonia and Consultation with the Generalitat of Catalonia on the policy to promote the SSE: Data d’emissió: 02/15/2017 Generalitat de Catalunya. Code response: C94P326YR-1).
Taking into account the above, the associations or federations of l’ESS in Catalonia have developed methodologies and tools to promote intercooperation and the Social Market, such as: (1) to carry out audits of compliance with social and environmental criteria (Balanç Socialde the XES, pamapam interview, Valor Social of the Federation of labor cooperatives, Balance of the common good of the Association of the economy for the common good, and that of Coop57), (2) for the georeferencing of l’ESS initiatives ( pamapam), (3) fairs of entities of l’ESS (Fesc) and intercooperation meetings (those of the inteerop committee of a XES), (4) online directories (From the XES, the Social Balance of the XES, of Coop 57, and that of Barcelona + Sustainable), and (5) technological tools for the exchange without the need for money (Xarxa eco Tarragona, EcoXarxa del Bages, and the social currency of the Catalan Integral Coop). The associations or federations that have developed these methodologies and tools should exchange experiences on their use to contribute to permanent improvement.
If you want to know the status of the 2016 social market in Catalonia published by the xes: look here.
Greenevents was born to encourage intercooperation and consolidation of the social market in Catalonia, Its intention is to complement services of social and solidarity economy entities that serve to offer a comprehensive service of sustainable events.