European Economic
and Social Committee
EESC RENEWAL: Ariane Rodert, new Vice-President of the EESC Civil Society Organisations’ Group
EU Member State responsible for her nomination as EESC member:
Sweden
Nomination as representative of:
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden
Educational background and professional experience:
I have worked in the civil society sector for 25 years, firstly for Forum, a Swedish civil society umbrella organisation, and recently for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden, the country’s largest civil society organisation, representing over 5.5 million members. As Head of Policy, I lead a team of policy advisers covering areas such as climate, forestry, culture, social work, democracy and fundamental rights, civil defence and preparedness. Beyond the EESC, my career has spanned the private and public sectors. I have worked with national governments and parliaments, the EU institutions and civil society partners across Europe. As an EESC member since 2010 I have held various positions of responsibility: Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT) Section President, Vice-President of Civil Society Organisations' Group, Vice-President of the Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC) and EESC Bureau member. I have a Master of Science degree in Business and Economics from the University of Stockholm.
Motivation for the Vice-Presidency:
We face a complex societal landscape that calls for all resources in society to be mobilised, where civil society must be seen not just as a partner but as a cornerstone of resilience and defender of our common values. I firmly believe that the contributions of organised civil society, and the Civil Society Organisations' Group in particular, are more vital than ever and that our Group must ensure that the voices of Europe’s citizens, associations, SMEs, social economy actors, NGOs and voluntary organisations are not only heard but shape the future of Europe. I hope my experience and deep knowledge of civil society in Europe can be of help to our Group as it shoulders this task. As part of the Group presidency team, I hope to improve our working methods in order to better facilitate our work on the basis of openness, structure and transparency. Together we can make the Civil Society Organisations' Group an even stronger driving force, with real impact that will make civil society in Europe even stronger.