Social Firms Europe CEFEC

28/04/2026

We're proud of our Swedish member JaMå for their strong contribution to the E-LOCUM project and youth engagement across Europe😊

://e-locum.eu ://socialfirmseurope.eu/

28/04/2026

On April 27, WG7 gathered for the final ‘last touch’ meeting ahead of the Conference in Bled. Ready to move forward😊🔜🇸🇮

24/04/2026

From Finland to Slovenia 🇫🇮➡️🇸🇮
Our long-time member and colleague, Jukka Linberg, will join this panel at the 40th CEFEC Conference, contributing insights on financial tools for circular and socially responsible business models.
Looking forward to meeting at the CEFEC Conference 2026 in Bled! ☺️

23/04/2026

📍 Today, CEFEC was pleased to participate in the 3rd online webinar organised by Social Economy Europe, under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026, with Felicitas Kresimon representing our network.

The webinar on the mid-term review of the Social Economy Action Plan offered a very interesting programme and a rich Q&A discussion.

One important message stood out clearly: implementation of the SEAP is moving forward successfully in many EU Member States, but important next steps are still needed.

The discussion also highlighted concrete some of the following priorities for future work: the MFF, accessibility, support in public procurement, better data collection, practical toolkits for regional and local social economy policies, and effective ESF+ financing.

More information is available on the EU Social Economy Gateway:
https://social-economy-gateway.ec.europa.eu/index_en

21/04/2026

Our General Secretary, Felicitas Kresimon, will be one of the speakers at the 40th CEFEC Conference in Bled 🇸🇮✨
🎤 Panel discussion: Who are the key players in the social economy of the European Union?

20/04/2026

🌟 Welcoming Dr. Harri Kostilainen
We are happy to announce a new addition to our network! Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Harri Kostilainen from Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diak), Finland.
🔍 About Harri
Harri serves as a Senior Advisor (RDI), specializing in the vital intersections of:
Social Entrepreneurship
Social Innovation
Social Enterprise Ecosystems

His work combines research, collaboration and practical development to support more inclusive and socially sustainable solutions in the social, health and employment sectors.

At Diak, this work is closely linked to values of human dignity, inclusion and positive social impact. Harri is currently involved in initiatives such as the Centre of Expertise for Social Enterprises and the European Social Innovation Campus, and has contributed to several European studies on the social economy and social enterprises.

We are delighted to welcome Harri to the network and look forward to sharing knowledge, ideas and inspiration together. 🤝🇫🇮

17/04/2026

📌 As we are impatiently waiting for the 2026 CEFEC Academy from Bled/Slovenia (1-5 June), we remind you that between 28 June-02 July 2025 it took place the 5th edition, in Mainz/Germany. With the help of Organizatia Institutul Bucovina and the Green Leaders project we recorded a series of Podcasts with the participants.

📣 So, we continue by sharing with you the recording, with: 📌 Ela Petra Kiric from Slovenia.

🤩 Ela is 19 years old, she has an internship with of our CEFEC member Center Ponovne Uporabe & her motivation for participating in the Academy was 👉

"to gain practical knowledge and connect with like-minded professionals to drive impactful sustainability initiatives. This training will help me strengthen my leadership in circular economy and social entrepreneurship."

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/04/2026

📣 Discover what’s new in the Social Firms Europe CEFEC Newsletter #39!

Dive into the latest updates, including:
🖊️ News on the 2026 Conference
🖊️ SFE CEFEC Award
🖊️ World NGO Day
🖊️ Networking & Projects
🖊️ Linz Appeal
🖊️ Recent episodes of the SFE CEFEC Podcast

The Newsletter is also available on our website, so check the link in comments! 👇

07/04/2026

Reminder: Apply by 10 April 2026 – SFE CEFEC Award 2026! 🌟

🌟 SFE CEFEC Award 2026 - Call for Applications! 🌟
We are proud to continue the SFE CEFEC Award tradition! This award is an opportunity for social enterprises, social firms, and social cooperatives to present and share their good and best practices across Europe!

🏆 The CEFEC Award 2026 celebrates innovative social enterprises that:
✔ Create real and measurable social impact
✔ Offer meaningful and inclusive jobs
✔ Support people facing exclusion or discrimination
✔ Successfully combine sustainability and entrepreneurship

📝 How to apply
To participate, please complete the online Award Application Form by 10 April 2026.
👉 Application link in the comments or scan the QR code in the image.

📍 Award Ceremony
The Award will be presented during the 40th CEFEC Conference in Bled, 4-5 June 2026.

Let’s continue showcasing the strength, creativity, and impact of our social economy. We look forward to your applications!

03/04/2026

Congratulations to our members from Slovenia and organizers of the 2026 CEFEC Annual Conference, Center Ponovne Uporabe 🎊

03/04/2026

Easter greetings from Social Firms Europe CEFEC 🌸
Wishing all our members and friends a joyful and peaceful holiday!😊🐰

30/03/2026

💫 We join 124 other organisations in calling for a new EU Disability Employment and Skills Guarantee as part of the updated Disability Rights Strategy.

The European Commission will present this Strategy on the 6th of May 2026. We need the Guarantee to be a key action of it.

📌 Only 52.7% of persons with disabilities in the European Union are employed. Our research shows that this is mainly due to lack of necessary adjustments, insufficient offer of assistive technology and lower digital skills.

We need allocated funding from the EU to:

🔹 Give access to mainstream employment opportunities, apprenticeships or training.

🔹 Grant job opportunities in the open labour market (not in sheltered workshops).

🔹 Offer support to assist companies and organisations in providing necessary adjustments for the person at work.

🔹 Ensure access to certification that can attest to the skills acquired by participants with disabilities.

Read the call of 125 organisations 👉 https://www.edf-feph.org/publications/for-a-disability-employment-guarantee-as-flagship-initiative-of-the-enhanced-disability-strategy/

European Disability Forum