Social Firms Europe CEFEC

13/11/2025

On 11th November, the Social Firms Europe CEFEC team visited Bled, the destination that will host the 40th CEFEC Annual Conference and the 6th CEFEC Academy in 2026. 🇸🇮✨

The 40th Conference will bring together members, partners, and collaborators from many places to reflect on our shared achievements, exchange knowledge, and look ahead to the future of social enterprises, inclusive employment, and sustainable growth. 🌱

We also had the pleasure of visiting the Etri skupina facility, where we were warmly welcomed and enjoyed lunch together. 🍽️

Thank you to Center Ponovne Uporabe for hosting us and see you soon, Bled! 😊

13/11/2025

11/11/2025

On 10th November, the Social Firms Europe CEFEC Executive Committee met in a hybrid format, with in-person participants gathering in Ljubljana, Slovenia. 🇸🇰🤗

It was a great opportunity to meet for preparations to the upcoming CEFEC Annual Conference and to visit Center Ponovne Uporabe CPU Slovenia, the main conference organizer with Etri skupina , an important local partner.

The work continues as we move forward and we’re excited to share more news soon about the 40th CEFEC Conference in 2026! 🤩

07/11/2025

🥁 In 2023 & 2024 we managed to develop a series of podcasts with several Social Firms Europe CEFEC members, and we are very happy to continue with this tradition in 2025, with the help of Organizatia Institutul Bucovina and the Green Leaders project.

So, we are excited 🤩 to share with you the SFE CEFEC Podcast recording with:

📣 Mr. Raymo Bucher, who works as the Ecological Advisor for Oeko Service GmbH from Switzerland.

✅ Oeko Service is an innovative company providing services in the area of cleaning, domestic maintenance and gardening on an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable basis.

✨Raymo has a master's degree in ecology at ETH Zürich and is responsible for the ecological requirements of the company and its CO2 neutral policy.

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

03/11/2025

🌍 GSEF 2025 – Bordeaux
The Global Social Economy Forum (GSEF) is the leading event bringing together cities, networks and organisations from around the world working on social and solidarity economy (SSE). Since its first edition in 2016, it has been held every few years — this time in Bordeaux from 30 October to 1 November 2025.
💬 Felicitas Kresimon, Secretary General of CEFEC, joined the Forum to highlight how the social economy is fundamentally an economy of peace, participation and justice.
📌 Around 4 000 participants from five continents gathered to connect, reflect and build together.

Important themes included:
"Profit with purpose" — aligning economic activity with social impact.
Global partnerships and cooperative financing models supporting SSE actors.
Community democracy and territorial regeneration, especially through education, inclusion and local dialogue.

✨ The message was clear: building a more just, inclusive and sustainable world means empowering people and communities.

30/10/2025

Another productive coordination meeting with our ALL4JOBS partners!😊

📢 ALL4JOBS Online Coordination Meeting – October 29th, 2025 🌍

We’re excited to gather once again with all our amazing partners for the All4Jobs project — working together to enhance competences and employability prospects of disadvantaged and disabled youth through digital innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability in youth work. 💪✨

Together, we continue shaping an inclusive future where every young person has equal access to digital and professional opportunities. 🌐🤝

Shannara Cooperativa Sociale Ίδρυμα Χρίστου Στέλιου Ιωάννου Social Firms Europe CEFEC Asociación Amicos Asociatia GAL Napoca Porolissum .hub4learning

27/10/2025

🌍During the first day of our Multilateral Workshop, held in Gorizia (IT) – Nova Gorica (SI) as part of the Erasmus+ project E_LoCUM, our CEFEC member Ulla Landenmark took part in the session “The Narrative of Local Authorities.”

Speaking to more than 20 young participants from 8 different countries, she shared valuable insights, also bringing the perspective of the Municipality of Östersund, Sweden.

A heartfelt thank you to Ulla for her inspiring contribution! 👏

24/10/2025

🥁 In 2023 & 2024 we managed to develop a series of podcasts with several Social Firms Europe CEFEC members, and we are very happy to continue with this tradition in 2025, with the help of Organizatia Institutul Bucovina and the Green Leaders project.

So, we are excited 🤩 to share with you the SFE CEFEC Podcast recording with:

📣 Mr. Richard Mehmed, founder and managing director of Community Wood Recycling, the biggest social franchise in the UK.

✅ He is a member of the Board of CEFEC, active member of Working Group 7 on Green economy and trainer in the Green Leaders project.

✨Most of Richard's career (40 years) has been in sales, marketing and business development. He has lots of experience helping small enterprises (including social enterprises) to grow.

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

23/10/2025

What an inspiring first day in Gorizia! 🙌

Young people and partners from across Europe joined forces to share ideas on inclusion, mobility, and participation🤗

20/10/2025

📌 In case you missed this news in the Social Firms Europe CEFEC Newsletter #37, 👉 Part B of the Linz Appeal was updated!

📝 The Linz Appeal is CEFEC’s call to action for more Social Firms and Social Enterprises across Europe, creating meaningful employment for disabled and disadvantaged people.

Many thanks to our 👏Senior Consultant, Mrs. Christiane Haerlin, for coordinating again this update of the Linz Appeal and also we thank all the CEFEC 🤩 experts who contributed to this document!

📲Check out the updated PART B - Country Reports here on our website: https://socialfirmseurope.eu/social-firms/research/

17/10/2025

🥁 In 2023 & 2024 we managed to develop a series of podcasts with several Social Firms Europe CEFEC members, and we are very happy to continue with this tradition in 2025, with the help of Organizatia Institutul Bucovina and the Green Leaders project.

So, we are excited 🤩 to share with you the SFE CEFEC Podcast recording with:

📣 Mr. Stéphane Willems, who has been working for over 20 years at AIGS - Association Interregionale de Guidance de la Sante asbl, Belgium.

✅ He is a trained social engineer. His work involves analyzing public policies and the societal context in order to apply them within systems that support the population in areas such as disability, mental health, and training.

✨Stéphane is 43 years old, and social work is his passion. He is also completing a training program in social innovation in Brussels, which will allow him to deepen his expertise in this field and adapt his practices to current and future challenges.

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