Today, digital technologies play an increasingly important role in our society. As the ability to connect and interact quickly and efficiently becomes essential, digital skills are ever more relevant for companies and citizens alike.
The social economy and social enterprises have to make the most of the possibilities that digitalisation creates so as to achieve their social and environmental objectives. To unlock (and fine-tune) the growth potential of both the digital single market and the social economy, attention should not only be directed on the ways social economy actors could use the digital economy, but also on ensuring that social economy actors can participate in the Digital Single Market and help shape the way in which it functions.
The opportunities and challenges emerging around potential synergies between digitalisation, new technologies and social economy actors are manifold and should be thoroughly examined and addressed. Social economy and social enterprises must use digitalisation and digital technologies as a lever for economic and social transformation and increased social impact across Europe.
The European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee held a joint workshop on "the impact of digitalisation and new technologies on social economy" on May 12, 2017 in Brussels.