« The Social and Solidarity Economy (ESS) is a model of entrepreneurship and economic development applicable to all areas of human activity, to which private-law legal entities that meet all of the following conditions may subscribe:
(1) A purpose other than the mere distribution of profits; ;
2. Democratic governance, defined and organized by the articles of incorporation, providing for the information and participation—the extent of which is not determined solely by their capital investment or the amount of their financial contribution—of partners, employees, and stakeholders in the company’s achievements; ;
3. A compliant management based on the following principles:
- (a) The majority of profits are used to maintain or expand the company’s operations; ;
(b) Mandatory reserves that have been set aside are inalienable and may not be distributed… The social and solidarity economy consists of activities related to the production, processing, distribution, exchange, and consumption of goods or services…». Excerpt from Article 1 of Law No. 2014-856 of July 31, 2014
In short, the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) refers to a group of enterprises whose internal operations and activities are based on the principles of solidarity and social utility. These companies adopt democratic and participatory management practices. They strictly regulate the use of the profits they generate: personal profit is prohibited, and earnings are reinvested.
Role and responsibilities of the Martinique Regional Chamber of the Social and Solidarity Economy:
- represent the interests of the social and solidarity economy before public authorities; ;
- support the creation, development, and sustainability of businesses; ;
- support training for managers and employees of Social and Solidarity Economy enterprises; ;
- contribute to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of economic and social data on social and solidarity economy enterprises; ;
- inform businesses about the European dimension of the social and solidarity economy and support the establishment of links with businesses in the sector based in other European Union member states; ;
- to develop and facilitate international cooperation among the relevant local governments in the field of the social and solidarity economy.
