The Social Economy Europe Working Group on Disability, coordinated by Fundación ONCE / Inserta, released the guide ‘From Principle to Action. Best Practices for Disability Inclusion’.

The publication presents 11 initiatives from 7 countries contributing to active inclusion of persons with disabilities in all areas of life, from quality employment to access to goods and services. These transferable practices, in line with EU’s key priorities, showcase how the interlink between the social economy and disability is delivering on innovation, the productive fabric and the just transition.

Among the solutions, Solea – an industrial cooperative affiliated with CECOP member SČMVD – stands out as a cooperative that creates stable, quality jobs for persons with disabilities in a highly competitive sector such as manufacturing. Based in Rybnik, Czech Republic, the cooperative has been producing plastics and metal components for the automotive, engineering, and electrical industries since 2000. Today, over 75% of its 180 workers are persons with disabilities, making Solea one of the country’s largest inclusive employers in industry.

Beyond social inclusion, the cooperative integrates the environmental dimension of sustainability through various practices, such as energy efficient appliances, recycling, and the use of degradable materials. Alongside industrial production, Solea plays an active role in the development of the local community, liaising with municipal authorities, supporting voluntary organisations and collaborating with stakeholders in the private sector.

This replicable model, along with other good practices outlined in the guide, illustrates the significant impact of the social economy: with their ability to combine economic performance with social impact, social economy entities including cooperatives are uniquely positioned to help translate European principles and commitments into tangible results that benefit everyone.

You can access the guide here (in English).

You can find out more about Solea here.