Roundtable report. Social economy coping with the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract

This report presents an overview of the discussions of the Round Table on Social Economy and the COVID-19 crisis organized on October 16, 2020, by the Center for the Research of Socially Responsible Organizations from the Faculty of Management – National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest, Romania, as part of the annual Strategica International Conference. The Round Table had eight panelists, representatives of the academia, research institutes, and social economy organizations from Greece, Poland, and Romania (Bucharest, Galați, Baia Mare, and Timișoara). The main question addressed during the round table was: “What would be the long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the social economy?” But also questions, like “Is COVID-19 crisis an opportunity to scale –up the social economy business models?” or “Has the social economy the potential to bring systemic change in the post-COVID-19 economy and society?”, were explored by the panelists in their debates.Two case studies of social services providers were presented: the Heart of a Child Foundation (Romania, Galați) and the Humanitarian Association Together for Them (Romania, Baia Mare). The representatives of the two organizations presented the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on their organizations and beneficiaries and explained the main coping strategies and results. The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the social services providers but also other types of social economy organizations (e.g., WISEs, cooperatives) was also analyzed by the academics & researchers. Interesting perspectives from Greece and Poland added an international dimension to the Round Table. The new financial resources mechanism designed at the EU level was seen as an opportunity. However, the skepticism on including the social enterprises and the social economy organizations in the supporting schemes (at least in Romania) has been a central point in the discussions. We invite the readers to explore in detail this report, which outlines the main findings of the debates following three dimensions: personal dimension, organizational dimension, and a systemic dimension. During this COVID-19 crisis faced by all of us, the social economy has proved resilience and adaptation. Let us do not forget that the social economy was resilient in economic downturns following the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, too. Therefore, now it is time to make the cause visible to decision-makers for adequate financial and legal support!