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| The Work Integration Social Enterprises Network | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Work Integration Social Enterprises Network |
| Abbr | WISE |
| Formation | 2000 |
| Type | International network |
| Headquarters | Lyon, France |
| Region served | Europe, Global |
| Membership | Social enterprises, NGOs, municipalities |
The Work Integration Social Enterprises Network is an international association linking social enterprises, nonprofit organizations, public authorities, and researchers focused on employment for people facing social exclusion. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Lyon, France, the network operates across Europe and beyond, engaging with municipal, regional, and supranational institutions to promote work integration through enterprise models. Its activities intersect with labour market policies, social policy research, and enterprise development initiatives led by public and private actors.
The network was established in 2000 following dialogues among actors involved in social inclusion at the turn of the millennium, including practitioners from Association pour la promotion de l'insertion par l'activité économique, policymakers from the European Commission, and researchers affiliated with institutions like Université Lyon 2 and Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Early convenings brought together representatives from ILO, OECD, and national ministries such as the Ministry of Labour (France) and regional authorities including the Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Over subsequent decades the network expanded membership through cooperation with organizations like Emmaüs, Caritas Europa, Fondation Abbé Pierre, and municipal actors from Barcelona, Milan, and Bristol, while engaging with funding bodies such as the European Social Fund and philanthropic foundations associated with Fondation de France.
The network's mission frames work integration social enterprise as a tool for inclusion, aligning with policy instruments promoted by the European Union and standards discussed at forums such as the World Social Forum and the Social Economy Summit. Objectives include promoting employment pathways for marginalized groups through partnerships with actors like ILO, advocacy to institutions like the European Parliament, diffusion of practice via collaborations with universities including University of Oxford and Università Bocconi, and support for capacity-building with development agencies such as Agence Française de Développement.
Governance has combined a secretariat based in Lyon with a board composed of representatives from member organizations, municipalities, and research centres such as Centre d'études de l'emploi and European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises. Membership spans social enterprises, worker cooperatives, nonprofit associations including Befriending Networks, municipal employment services from cities like Paris and Lisbon, and research partners from Sciences Po and University College Dublin. The network interfaces with legal instruments and registries within national systems such as France's Code du travail and Italy's Third Sector Code through member advocacy.
Initiatives have included capacity-building workshops, peer-learning exchanges with partners like Social Enterprise UK and Impact Hub, pilot projects funded by the European Social Fund and philanthropic donors including Open Society Foundations, and research platforms co-produced with academic partners such as University of Oxford and Université Libre de Bruxelles. Program strands addressed vocational training in collaboration with vocational institutes like IFAPME, green job transitions with European Environment Agency stakeholders, and digital inclusion pilots in partnership with Cisco Systems-supported initiatives and local actors such as Fondazione Comunità Milano.
Independent evaluations, commissioned by funders and academic partners including teams from INSEE and Observatoire National de la Pauvreté et de l'Exclusion Sociale, have assessed employment outcomes, social return on investment, and scalability of models promoted by the network. Case studies spotlighted member organizations such as Emmaüs France and Co-operative Group affiliates, reporting placement rates and retention metrics compared with regional employment services like those of Pôle emploi and Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE). The network's influence on policy debates was noted in parliamentary hearings before delegations from the European Parliament and in white papers circulated to ministries including the Ministry of Solidarity and Health (France).
Funding and partnerships combined EU structural funds, grants from foundations such as King Baudouin Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York, contributions from municipal partners like City of Lyon and City of Barcelona, and research grants from agencies including Agence Nationale de la Recherche and Horizon 2020. Strategic partnerships have included alliances with ILO, OECD, Social Enterprise UK, universities such as Université de Genève and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and networks like Euclid Network and European Anti-Poverty Network for policy advocacy and program delivery.
Critiques have focused on tensions between social enterprise models and public employment services represented by institutions like Pôle emploi and debates in academic forums such as European Urban and Regional Studies. Observers from trade unions including Confédération Générale du Travail and Unite the Union have questioned labour standards and subcontracting practices, while scholars from London School of Economics and Université Paris Nanterre have highlighted measurement difficulties in attributing outcomes to network activities versus broader market trends. Financial sustainability challenges were documented in audits submitted to funders such as the European Commission and donor foundations, and geopolitical shifts in funding priorities at agencies like Agence Française de Développement posed strategic risks.
Category:Social enterprises Category:Non-profit organizations based in France