RREUSE president Matthias Neitsch, and RREUSE director Michal Len met with EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius and had a conversation on the social value in the circular transition, as part of the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of RREUSE. The main goals of the meeting were to identify the meaning of social value for the Commissioner, to discuss the role of the Circular Economy in delivering social value, as well as to locate opportunities for mutual support between the Social Economy Action Plan and the Circular Economy Action Plan.
The Commissioner emphasized that the newly published Social Economy Action Plan supports social enterprises and aims at benefiting the Circular Economy, saying that social enterprises are in the fabric of our society: they currently represent around 6% of the workforce but have a significantly broader outreach. Their work in the Social Economy contributes to the green transition by developing sustainable practices and promoting inclusive solutions that foster short value chains and facilitate local production and consumption. The potential of the Social Economy Action Plan in supporting the Circular Economy can be further promoted by raising awareness of the scope for greater uptake of such practices, and encouraging partnerships with mainstream businesses, public authorities, and research institutes.
Watch the full video here.
