Jornal.cat has published an opinion article by Laia Bonastra, President of Suara Cooperativa, on the role cooperatives should play in the economy and in the management of essential services such as care.
The article in Jornal.cat focuses on the need for the Social and Solidarity Economy to gain scale and greater influence, while advocating for a business model capable of competing, innovating and generating social value.
A highly valued model that still needs a stronger presence
Cooperatives are highly regarded in Catalonia, but this recognition is not yet reflected in their presence in people's everyday lives. In her article, Bonastra highlights the gap between the positive perception of the cooperative model and people's actual knowledge and experience of it.
“We need to gain scale and business capacity without losing our democratic spirit.”
This challenge is particularly relevant in sectors such as care and social services, where increasing corporate concentration and the entry of investment funds are changing the landscape of public procurement. In response, the article argues that criteria such as quality, local roots and social value must play a meaningful role in the management of public services.
Scale, innovation and business capacity
According to Bonastra, the Social and Solidarity Economy must also challenge perceptions that still associate it with small, traditional organisations with limited business capacity. The challenge is to demonstrate more clearly the impact it generates and its ability to innovate and respond to complex social needs.
The article identifies three major challenges: gaining scale and business capacity through alliances and strong cooperative groups; connecting with younger generations; and moving towards public procurement that effectively incorporates social criteria and mechanisms such as social concertation.
Would you like to read the article? Find it at this link
Laia Bonastra
President of Suara Cooperativa.
Specialist in cooperatives, social economy, democratic governance and social transformation.
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