Federal cabinet adopts National Strategy for Social Innovations and Social Enterprises

The federal cabinet adopted the National Strategy for Social Innovations and Social Enterprises today. It was drawn up under the lead responsibility of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck said:

“The strategy sets out key policies for the transition to a socio-ecological market economy. Social enterprises not only play an important role as drivers of social innovations: as a key factor in the economy, they also use entrepreneurial methods to resolve societal challenges. In order to increase their impact, we are improving their access to financial support, investing in the expansion of the ecosystem, and improving the legal framework.”

Federal Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger added:

“This strategy at last gives social innovations the priority in our innovation policy that they deserve. They are an integral part of a modern, forward looking country of innovation like Germany. We need creative and entrepreneurial solutions for the big challenges facing society. Social innovations offer the potential to make our economy and our society sustainable and fit for the future. To this end, the new strategy sets out key policies and opens up new funding possibilities.”

Background

In the coalition agreement, the Federal Government announced its intention to launch a national strategy to boost social enterprises and social innovations. This strategy has now been drawn up by the entire Federal Government: it sets out seven guidelines and eleven fields of action for the main goals and measures, in order to mobilise all the societal and economic forces by means of an improved policy environment and appropriate support, and to develop solutions for the major challenges facing society.

More information

You can find the Strategy (in German) here.