Social Economy in Poland
"The social economy is not only the result of legal resolutions and acts. It is not only a question of social awareness, though public support is very significant. The social economy is a social movement that should lead to a new vision for Poland’s development. The social economy is a way of involving the third sector in Poland’s economic development".
Jerzy Hausner, former Minister of Labor and Social Policy and former Vice-Premier
The Social Economy sector in Poland
Poland has progressed through a profound transformation of its social, economic and political structures since the fall of communism. The national economy has been growing remarkably: 6.5% GDP growth in 20071; however, national economic statistics do not reflect the social challenges that many Poles face in their daily lives. The unemployment rate remains among the highest in the EU, just below 11.1%2. Vulnerable social groups in particular – such as former employees of collective farms, women over 50 years of age, social minorities, the physically and mentally disabled (who have the lowest employment indicator in the EU at ~20%3) – have limited opportunities on the quickly changing and highly competitive labor market. People in vulnerable social groups do not have the skills to productively participate in economic life, face considerable discrimination from potential employers, and continue to rely predominantly on state aid as a result.
Since Poland’s entrance into the European Union in May 2004 the social economy has been accepted as an innovative and practical solution to the problem of unemployment. Social economy institutions offer creative approaches to maintaining financial self-sufficiency while fulfilling a clearly defined social mission. But Poland’s social economy sector has yet to develop its potential: it makes up 3.9% of the labor market in Poland, compared to 8.3% in France, 9% in Ireland, and 7.5% in Finland. (CIREC Report 2005)
Social Economy Institutions in Poland
The social economy sector in Poland includes a diverse range of institutions, some emerging from the traditional non-government sector and others more closely associated with the private sector: Over 17% (19,000 organizations out of a total of 60,000) of non-government organizations (NGO’s) take advantage of the possibility of running an income-generating business activity.
- An estimated 16,000 cooperatives currently function in Poland in a variety of domains ranging from housing and medical services to consumer cooperatives.
- Over 140 social cooperatives have been founded since the 2006 Polish Act on Social Cooperatives was adopted.
- Over 50 Social Integration Centers (CIS) have been established based on the 2003 Act on Social Employment by Polish NGO’s, welfare centers and local governments to provide employment for people from socially marginalized groups (especially long-term unemployed, the homeless, formerly incarcerated individuals).
- 50 Employment Activation Units (ZAZ) offer transitional employment specifically to the physically and mentally disabled with the goal of helping them re-enter the open labor market.
The Polish Social Economy Manifesto
In June 2008 during the Debate in the Gdańsk Shipyard Polish social economy sector presented The Polish Social Economy Manifesto 
See also more information about The Gdańsk Conference on Social Economy.
For a brief information about Social Economy in Poland please download:
- 4 pages leaflet - information about Social Economy in Poland.
- 30 pages pamphlet "The Social Economy in Poland".
We invite you also to see:
Information presented here were prepared within the frame of „PROMES – Promotion of Social Economy” project financed by European Social Fund as a part of EQUAL Community Initiative.
