Report on social economy & household resilience: portuguese national report

Abstract

Current attempts to define the social economy are associated with the Charter of principles of social economy CEP-CMAF from 20021. It says that: social economy organizations are social and economic entities operating in all sectors. They are distinguished mainly by their objectives and characteristic form of entrepreneurship. The social economy includes organizations such as cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and foundations. These companies are particularly active in certain areas, such as social protection, social services, health care, banking, insurance, agricultural production, consumer issues, associative work, crafts, housing, supplies, neighbourhood services, education and training, and the area of sport culture and recreation. In the context of the fight against social exclusion, the social economy is understood as initiatives in the field of labour market policy, in particular the socio-professional integration of socially excluded groups, opposing the unjustified polarization of income societies.