Key points
The EESC considers that:
- it is crucial that Member States and the European Institutions fully recognise and promote "fairer" business models, which are centred on delivering innovation for social development by integrating social impact measurement in parallel to reporting economic progress;
- Member States and the Commission must ensure that social innovation is fully mainstreamed in innovation programmes;
- Member States and the EU Institutions must mainstream the principles of innovation in enterprise policy to ensure an enabling culture which promotes, welcomes, rewards and disseminates innovation;
- the EU must put greater focus on supporting and protecting SMEs, in particular, social economy enterprises, microenterprises and family businesses, and all types of start-ups in innovation policy initiatives to improve the conditions for sustainability and replication/scaling;
- the Commission should fully incorporate these new business models in the upcoming review of the Single Market strategy, due in 2017.
Other relevant EESC opinions:
- Social Impact Investment (INT/747 - CESE 3794/2014)
- Crowdfunding in the European Union (INT/741 - CESE 2102/2014)
- Social Impact Measurement (INT/721 - CESE 6135/2013)
- European Social Entrepreneurship Funds (INT/623 - CESE 1294/2012)
- Social Business Initiative (INT/606 - CESE 1292/2012)
- Social entrepreneurship and social enterprise (INT/589 - CESE 1584/2011)
- Diverse forms of enterprise (INT/447 - CESE 1454/2009)
- Financial ecosystem/social enterprises (INT/770 - CESE 3146/2015)
- Research and innovation as sources of renewed growth (INT/749 - CESE 4694/2014)
- Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative - Innovation Union (INT/545 - CESE 524/2011)
- Innovation investment package (INT/704 - CESE 4572/2013)
For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat