The meeting brought together the directors general from all Spain’s autonomous communities, representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, and Social Economy organisations to present ASETT’s main areas of work and explore opportunities for cooperation.

The meeting provided an opportunity to share ASETT’s progress in research, foresight and social innovation, as well as the experience of Catalonia joining the project.

Madrid, 6 November 2026. – ASETT (Arizmendiarrieta Social Economy Think Tank) brought together all the directors general responsible for Social Economy from Spain’s autonomous communities, representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, and organisations representing the sector at the headquarters of the Spanish Business Confederation of the Social Economy (CEPES) in Madrid. The aim was to strengthen institutional cooperation and explore new opportunities to promote the Social Economy across the different territories.

The meeting provided an opportunity to present ASETT’s main areas of activity. ASETT is an international public-private collaboration initiative that connects public administrations, businesses, organisations and knowledge centres to anticipate major economic and social challenges and develop solutions through the Social Economy.

The event featured contributions from Juan Antonio Pedreño, President of CEPES; Aicha Belassir, Director General for Social Economy and Corporate Social Responsibility at the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy; Jokin Díaz, Director of Social Economy of the Basque Government; and Íñigo Albizuri, Director General of ASETT.

The meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation between public administrations and organisations in order to make better use of the knowledge and experience developed across different territories, identify shared challenges and encourage the implementation of joint initiatives.

Íñigo Albizuri, Director General of ASETT, emphasised that: “The Social Economy in Spain has an enormous wealth of experience, knowledge and capabilities that we need to make better use of. Our aim is not to create parallel structures, but to connect what already exists, make it easier to share good practices across territories and help successful solutions reach further. Cooperation with the autonomous communities and organisations in the sector is essential to achieving this.”

Juan Antonio Pedreño, President of CEPES, expressed his gratitude to ASETT’s Board of Directors for holding the meeting at CEPES headquarters, bringing together all the directors responsible for Social Economy from Spain’s autonomous communities. Pedreño stated that “the Social Economy is a strategic agent for the future of territories”. He also added that “raising the visibility of the Social Economy and securing institutional recognition are essential, particularly at this time, in view of the forthcoming approval of the next European Financial Framework”.

Furthermore, Pedreño highlighted that the meeting had confirmed ASETT’s role as a crucial tool for the future of the Social Economy.

From knowledge to action to address future challenges

One of the main topics of the meeting was the presentation of ASETT’s working model, conceived as a space that combines knowledge generation, strategic foresight and the development of solutions to strengthen the contribution of the Social Economy to major economic and social challenges.

Its activities are structured around three complementary areas: Think Tank, Foresight and Social Laboratory. These areas connect research and analysis with experimentation and the implementation of concrete initiatives through the generation and transfer of knowledge.

An open project built together with the territories

The meeting placed particular emphasis on opportunities for cooperation with the autonomous communities. Their knowledge of local needs and their respective Social Economy ecosystems is essential for identifying priorities and developing joint projects.

The directors general from the different autonomous communities also had the opportunity to exchange perspectives on the challenges facing the Social Economy and explore possible ways of participating and cooperating in research, foresight and social innovation.

The event also included a presentation on Catalonia’s experience of joining ASETT, delivered by David Bonvehí, Director General for Social and Solidarity Economy and Cooperatives of the Government of Catalonia. His contribution provided an opportunity to share this experience of institutional cooperation and demonstrate how the priorities and capabilities of different territories can be incorporated into the project’s areas of work.

A connected, innovative Social Economy with an international outlook

Territorial cooperation is one of ASETT’s main areas of focus. Its work also seeks to connect the knowledge and initiatives developed in Spain with other international Social Economy ecosystems.

In this regard, ASETT works to facilitate the exchange of experiences between institutions, universities, businesses and organisations from different countries, with the aim of identifying solutions that can be adapted to different economic and social realities. One example is the visit to the United States, which took place last June in New York and Boston to open up new opportunities for cooperation between the Social Economy ecosystems of Europe and the United States.

Through this meeting in Madrid, ASETT reaffirms its commitment to a more connected Social Economy, capable of sharing knowledge, anticipating change and bringing innovation to different territories through cooperation between public institutions, businesses and organisations in the sector.

About ASETT

ASETT (Arizmendiarrieta Social Economy Think Tank) is an international public-private collaboration initiative that promotes knowledge, innovation and cooperation to strengthen the role of the Social Economy in addressing major economic and social challenges.

Based in Donostia-San Sebastián, ASETT is a think & do tank that connects public institutions, businesses, organisations, universities and national and international networks.

Its activities are structured around three complementary areas — Think Tank, Foresight and Social Laboratory — to connect knowledge, anticipate change and develop solutions that contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable and participatory economy.

More information: www.asett.org