Improving the business conditions of social enterprises

The coordination project Improving the business conditions of social enterprises' is part of the national theme of the Innovation and Skills in Finland 2021–2027 programme. The project is part of Special Objective 4.1 Paths to work for Priority 4 A  Competent and Inclusive Finland that Provides Work.

The coordination project supports the implementation of the national strategy for social enterprises. The purpose of the coordination project is to strengthen the impact and performance of the activities and to promote mutual cooperation between the theme’s projects. The key task of the project is to support the work of regional and local actors at all stages of the activities.

These include:

• networking
• identification of issues to be resolved
• project planning
• piloting
• making results visible and their dissemination
• expansion (scaling) of activities and 
• the creation of new social entrepreneurship and the strengthening of operating conditions and impact.

The coordination project works in direct cooperation with the Centre of Expertise for Social Enterprises (YYO). Cooperation will ensure that the national work of the Centre of Expertise is disseminated and embedded in regional and local activities. 
The coordination project will increase the competence of social enterprises and their employees and support the collection and analysis of data. In this way, it will also implement the EU's new Social Economy Action Plan. In addition, the project will support the potential of social enterprises to produce and expand social innovations and will participate in European networks supporting these objectives.

Background factors of the coordination project 

Societal business increases trust and equality in the labour market and can help increase the employment rate. The aim of the strategy for social enterprises is to create a vibrant ecosystem of social enterprises that is an effective participant in solving societal challenges.
The strategy aims to:

• improve the operating conditions of social enterprises
• increase the number of new social enterprises; and 
• develop the competence of social enterprises.

One of the key objectives of the strategy is to employ those with partial work ability and those who are otherwise in a difficult labour market position.

The national Centre of Expertise for Social Enterprises (YYO) was established in Finland in autumn 2021. Its purpose is to improve the operating conditions of social enterprises and to network with other actors. This promotes the creation of structures and competence that support the start-up of social enterprises and the conditions for business in various manner at all stages of business.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has selected the ELY Centre for Häme, which is responsible for areas such as the implementation of project application, the activation of applicants, the selection of projects and monitoring, and communications related to the theme, as the intermediary authority for the theme.

• Read the theme description (in Finnish)