The social and solidarity bioeconomy (SSB) is an adaptive strategy that facilitates collective persistence and sustainable use of biological resources under increasingly precarious socio-economic and environmental conditions. Communal living which is present across biological systems often evolves in response to environmental pressures such as uneven resource distribution, environmental stress, and predation. Similarly, human economic systems operate as an adaptive response to ecological and social conditions such as inequity and environmental degradation. Guided by principles of social and solidarity economies, the SSB prioritizes democratic governance, sustainability, and collective well-being over profit maximization of resources used in the bioeconomy. Participation in the SSB parallels evolutionary strategies of cooperative living observed across biological kingdoms where collaboration can enhance resilience under harsh conditions. Within this framework, Communities of Practice (CoPs) such as community gardens and community bio labs, serve as important sites of knowledge sharing, resource pooling, and collective innovation. By fostering cooperation around shared domains of interest, CoPs are uniquely positioned to strengthen the development of a more equitable, democratic, and ecologically sustainable bioeconomy.

Purpose This study aims to examine how collective dimensions manifest and operate in worker cooperatives with strong collaborative orientations, analyzing the dynamic tension between structured processes and emergent adaptations in their collaborative practices. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative two-phase design was implemented with ten Aragonese cooperatives from Spain’s Alternative and Solidarity Economy Network (REAS). Phase one comprised semistructured interviews with cooperative representatives, while phase two involved a focus group with 6 participants to validate and deepen initial findings. Findings Four collective dimensions were identified operating as adaptive systems: collective intelligence, collective leadership (reconceptualized as shared governance), collective action and collective impact. These dimensions enable organizations to navigate between formal structures and emergent responses while maintaining collaborative principles. The study reveals how cooperatives develop specific organizational capabilities to manage inherent tensions in collaborative processes. Research limitations/implications The sample is limited to worker cooperatives in Aragón, Spain, potentially restricting generalizability. However, findings contribute to interorganizational collaboration theory by demonstrating how collective dimensions operate as integrated systems rather than isolated elements. Practical implications The research documents specific strategies for navigating structure-emergence tensions, developing shared governance systems and creating impact evaluation frameworks that recognize both external results and internal transformations. Social implications The study demonstrates how alternative organizational forms can maintain economic viability while preserving transformative principles, offering insights for social economy development. Originality/value This research provides empirical evidence of how collective dimensions operate in practice, contrasting theoretical frameworks with organizational realities. It identifies the critical importance of contextual factors like territorial embeddedness and emotional-relational aspects previously underexplored in interorganizational collaboration literature.

Following the construction of reservoirs in the Papaloapan region of Oaxaca, the indigenous communities living there shifted their economy from agriculture to tilapia aquaculture, thereby making better use of these previously underutilized bodies of water. Today, they face major challenges related to the emergence of diseases due to high densities and excessive antibiotic use in tilapia. Despite this, several sustainable opportunities can be exploited and implemented through animal welfare, monitoring technologies, and, above all, public policies that can promote food security, a solidarity economy, and environmental resilience in this region of the state. The objective of this work is to highlight the issue of farmed tilapia welfare in these indigenous communities and to propose sustainable management strategies that balance production intensification with animal health, the environment, and regional socioeconomic development.

How development, a process of economic, political, social, and cultural transformation, is achieved and its indicators are a significant topic of debate. With the acceptance of the existence of heterogeneous societies, the combination of a human-centered perspective, and the idea that development should be realized in a participatory manner, there is a tendency towards a development approach where development can be achieved in more than one way and where the contribution of local communities is also important at the core of the process. The main purpose of the study is to identify whether there is an analogy between "Good Living (Buen Vivir)" philosophy which originate from Latin America and alternative development approaches on the success of Latin American countries which have been successful in any of the United Nations sustainable development goals. Approaches such as holistic ecological humanism, solidarity economies, worker self-management economics, cooperatives, participatory development, just transformation in production, people-centered development, microcredit, grassroots sustainable development, and sustainable livelihoods are all compatible with the “Buen Vivir” philosophy, and the successful completion of these goals has not yielded results parallel to this philosophy. A review of progress on goals reveals a focus on poverty eradication, quality education, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and societies, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and cooperation on goals and these are the subjects that can be related to the concepts in “Buen Vivir” philosophy.

The dominant agri-food system’s well-documented failures—biodiversity loss, deepening rural inequalities, and the erosion of small-scale farming livelihoods—have elevated SSE initiatives and social innovation in the agri-food sector and bioeconomy from a niche policy concern to a structural priority. This paper examines how SSE arrangements drive meaningful transformation in agri-food chains while advancing sustainable development at local and regional scales. Through a narrative review of interdisciplinary peer-reviewed literature and key institutional sources, the paper synthesizes evidence that SSE initiatives generate transformation through three interconnected mechanisms: (a) the reconfiguration of governance structures; (b) the deepening of producer–consumer relationships through spatial proximity and relational transparency; and (c) the more equitable redistribution of value across agri-food territories. These findings suggest that place-based SSE models occupy a central—rather than peripheral—role in sustainability transitions and local development. The paper presents a structured analytical framework linking SSE practices to agri-food chain transformation and develops nine concrete policy implications for scaling and sustaining SSE innovations through coordinated collaboration among public, private, and social economy stakeholders. The findings contribute to a sharper understanding of the conditions under which SSE-driven models can foster sustainable, socially inclusive, and community-oriented agri-food systems and of why the solidarity dimension, rather than organisational form alone, is the decisive criterion for identifying genuinely transformative initiatives.

The aim of this article was to analyse entrepreneurship as a means of healing the body and soul of those living in poverty. Nineteen primary sources published between 2015 and 2026 were reviewed, selected from specialist databases, with the aim of identifying recurring patterns in the literature on entrepreneurship, health, resilience and social vulnerability. The results revealed four emerging categories: (a) entrepreneurial resilience as holistic restoration, (b) social entrepreneurship and identity reconfiguration, (c) community health and the solidarity economy, and (d) cultural innovation as resistance to marginalisation. It was concluded that entrepreneurship operates as a transformative mechanism capable of rebuilding human dignity, restoring physical and psychological health, and generating a sense of belonging in people experiencing situations of extreme poverty. The article provides an emerging theoretical framework that articulates the physical, psychological and socio-economic dimensions of entrepreneurship in contexts of extreme exclusion.

This paper examines the historical phenomenon of the community-owned factories of Lesvos (19th–20th century), known as the “Machine of the Commons,” as an original and historically significant example of social and solidarity economy within the framework of the Greek communal institutions (koiná) of the Greek populations under Ottoman rule. These initiatives combined productive economic activity with educational and social contribution. Through the study of archival material, historical sources, and contemporary research, the article highlights the uniqueness of such ventures - found in places such as Lesvos, Chios, Kalymnos, and elsewhere - which operated according to principles of collective small-scale ownership, democratic management, and the reinvestment of profits for public benefit. The findings show that the community factories of Lesvos functioned as precursors to modern cooperative forms such as Social Cooperative Enterprises (KOIN.S.EP.), achieving at the same time economic sustainability, social contribution, and educational development. The study concludes by proposing ways in which this historical experience may inform contemporary discussions on alternative forms of organizing labor and the economy.

Interest in the social dimensions of the circular economy (CE) has grown over the last decade, but empirical research on the quality of circular jobs remains scarce, hindering efforts to progress towards a just circular transition. Scholars highlight the risk that the circular transition could deepen existing inequalities, with a growing body of research calling for further investigation into its impacts on labor market transformations and its embedment with social and solidarity economy (SSE) as a potential solution towards circular justice. Building on the emergence of this new paradigm, this article contributes to the nascent literature on the social and solidarity circular economy (SSCE) by presenting an exploratory study of job satisfaction. Applying both quantitative and qualitative methods, it aims to characterize work in the SSCE and to open avenues for future research aimed at identifying the specific characteristics of work within this model. It offers two main conclusions. First, the perceived quality of circular jobs is heterogeneous because it depends on the type of organization, circular strategy and job position. Second, it remains difficult to clearly isolate characteristics that are specific to work within the SSCE, as many of its features appear to be derived from those traditionally associated with the CE and the SSE respectively. Focusing on job satisfaction and quality of work, this article provides empirical data to reinforce the emerging yet predominantly conceptual literature on the SSCE.

The purpose of this work was to apply the process theory to the selected organization, from the preparation of the necessary documents to the steps to formulate and develop the organic structure. The entire development and theoretical justification on which the technical team worked within a research project is presented. Due to the nature of this research, the approach used was qualitative, and descriptive techniques were employed to draft the scientific document. In accordance with management theory, the work for the application of the process approach to the financial organization fulfilled phases such as the survey of processes, documentation of processes and procedures, preparation of the process map, and process and indicator sheets, in addition to the management policy proposal preparation. The research carried out allowed the application of all the necessary elements to provide the Provincial Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Chimborazo (UPROCACH) with the necessary documents to begin the change of organizational management from functional administration to process management. The developed fieldwork managed to make all its members aware of the purpose of this work and achieved full knowledge of the importance of efficient management, which not only generates benefits for the union but also for the social organizations it represents. After the work carried out to provide UPROCACH with the necessary elements to apply process management, the capacity of this administrative proposal to adapt to all types of organizations and contribute to improving their internal operations to achieve their stated objectives was evident. The importance of social organizations such as UPROCACH being successful is highlighted, since they manage to be efficient for themselves and contribute to generating social benefits for society, in accordance with the purposes established in the Sustainable Development Goals.

This article analyzes the relevance of the social and solidarity economyas an alternative for addressing the contemporary socio-environmental crisis, drawing on the integral ecology approach proposed in Laudato si’ by pope Francis (2025), with an emphasis on human development and a people-centered perspective focused on those who participate in these processes. The analysis is based on qualitative research and a case-study approach; it examines four cooperatives in Mexico located in Chiapas, Sierra Norte de Puebla, Campeche, and Tabasco. The results show that these organizations have ge-nerated processes of economicsustainability, social justice, and care for our common home, with a gender perspective and collaborative networks, contributing to commu-nity well-being. Thus, the article demonstrates that articulating integral ecology and the social and solidarity economy is not only feasible, but also necessary as a pathway toward more just, equitable, and sustainable development in more supportive and fraternal communities.

Introduction: This research analyzes family farming as a pillar of food security and sustainable rural development in the parish. The study is based on cooperation, equity, and community self-management as transformative axes. Materials and methods: A mixed approach with a non-experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional design was applied through surveys and interviews with 15 farmers. The instruments allowed us to characterize socioeconomic conditions and examine local solidarity practices in depth. Results: The results reveal that 60% of producers are between 50 and 59 years old, evidencing a marked aging of the population. Although 47% apply cooperation and fair prices, only 11% have access to formal credit. Discussion: The data suggest that solidarity economy models operate under a degree of informality that limits their structural impact. Conclusions: Rural well-being requires inclusive public policies and ongoing cooperative education. These strategies must promote inclusive local development to ensure the sustainability of the agricultural sector.

This article comparatively examines the theological, ethical, and accounting foundations of three cardinal practices of solidarity within the Abrahamic religions: Tzedakah in Judaism, Charity in Christianity, and Zakat in Islam, to analyze their role in constructing contemporary frameworks of socioeconomic justice. In Judaism, tzedakah transcends the notion of almsgiving and is conceived as a moral and legal duty that rebalances wealth to preserve communal dignity, grounded in Halakha and the prophetic tradition oriented toward mutual support. Islam, through Sharia, establishes Zakat as an obligatory religious tax that purifies wealth and redistributes resources to vulnerable groups, thus articulating a system of financial responsibility that integrates faith, justice, and social cohesion. In Christianity, charity is configured as a central theological principle and an economic practice of mercy, whose historical development spans from apostolic and patristic community ethics to its modern reinterpretations within the perspectives of social doctrine and institutionalized philanthropy. This study adopts a qualitative, documentary, hermeneutical, and comparative approach, aimed at analyzing the theological, ethical, and accounting foundations of economic solidarity practices. The analysis reveals that, although differentiated in normative structure and social scope, these three traditions converge on a common vision of economic solidarity as a divine mandate and moral duty, with direct implications for the design of ethical accounting systems, redistributive policies, and contemporary models of social responsibility. The potential of an interreligious framework of financial ethics is discussed, one that, based on these age-old practices, can guide current debates on inequality, fiscal sustainability, and responsible economic governance.

This study examines the Lunch Bell project, a state-supported, women-centred meal delivery platform in Kerala, India, embodying a digital solidarity economy that promotes sustainability and addresses gender inequalities through its inclusive labour model.

Savings banks and social and solidarity economy entities face difficulties in evaluating their accounting management with reliable records, internal control, and accountability in line with their social purpose, which restricts decision-making and sustainability. The objective is to analyze accounting evaluation and advisory models to identify approaches, components, and operational gaps. The methodology corresponds to a qualitative approach, with a non-experimental design and descriptive-analytical scope, developed through a systematic literature review. A structured search was conducted in academic databases and scientific repositories, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, eliminating duplicates, reading full texts, and extracting information using a document analysis matrix. The results are grouped into three lines: management audit, internal control, and compliance; financial performance and risk assessment with indicators of liquidity, delinquency, solvency, and profitability; and social accounting and social balance sheet to make social value visible. Fragmentation was observed between financial, procedural, and social aspects, with limited integration into applicable schemes. It is concluded that continuous advice, progressive standardization, and periodic monitoring are required to convert the evaluation into management and strengthen institutional transparency and partner confidence in the medium term.

Purpose The aim of this paper is to investigate how Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) principles can be integrated into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems to support youth with disrupted education due to conflict, natural disasters or systemic inequality. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a qualitative, exploratory methodology to analyze existing SSE-based TVET programs and extract key characteristics, gaps and opportunities, employing a concept-driven literature review that treats academic and grey sources as “conceptual data” for framework building. Findings The research demonstrates that integrating SSE into TVET can significantly enhance youth empowerment, foster cooperation and social responsibility and promote sustainable development. The proposed framework provides a culturally relevant and community-driven approach that aligns with SDG 4 (quality education) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth). Practical implications The study offers actionable guidance for policymakers, educators and practitioners seeking to design inclusive and sustainable training programs that leverage local resources and social capital. Social implications By focusing on vulnerable youth, the integrated framework contributes to social inclusion, community resilience and equitable economic opportunities, advancing broader development goals. Originality/value This paper fills a notable gap in the literature by proposing a practical, empowerment-focused framework that bridges SSE and TVET, offering a novel pathway for developing responsive and sustainable education systems for marginalized populations.

In this article, I analyze the underlying logic and the effects of New York City’s sanctuary and migration policies through the lens of asylum-seeking migrants’ arrival. Specifically, I qualitatively trace the development of the policies and practices of the urban government, service providers, and migrant organizations between 2018—when the conditions of asylum seekers received wider scrutiny because of Donald Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ approach—and 2023, when the city’s ‘migrant crisis’ escalated. My findings illustrate that the emergency governance evolving as a response to the ‘migrant crisis’ has exacerbated austerity and labor-centered approaches aimed at enabling asylum seekers’ exploitation. This produces what I call a ‘punitive market sanctuary’ through which access to city support and care is not only contingent on asylum seekers’ deservingness but on their racialized value and submission to the capitalist extraction of labor. Engaging with literature on sanctuary, solidarity, and urban migration governance, this article contributes a political economic perspective to debates about sanctuary and solidarity cities. It reveals how the growing politics of the ‘migrant crisis’ play out across urban locales, turning multiculturalist sanctuary policies into a repressive form of authoritarian migration governance applied to manage racialized and exploitable populations while dismantling city services for several residents and communities.

This empirical case study considers the experience of scholarship students participating in the Janelas Abertas program from 2017 to 2022 at Escola Eleva, an elite international school in Rio de Janeiro. Using ethnographically-inspired methods and an assemblage theory framework, the study challenges dominant narratives about elite schooling by analyzing how racially and socioeconomically diverse scholarship students both shaped and were shaped by the school community. Narrative interviews with scholarship recipients reveal interconnected individual and collective transformation organized around three themes: confronting racism, fostering economic solidarity, and (re)affirming identities. The findings show that the students were integral to an assemblage that de/reterritorialized traditional notions of an elite school. This case contributes to research on racial and socioeconomic diversity in private international schools by offering a Brazilian example in which scholarship students were not passive markers of diversity but were conscious of the political and social significance of their belonging to the school.

ABSTRACT In communities where economic marginalisation stagnates availability of living-wage jobs, increasing workers’ employability does not change local conditions. What can HRD do about that? During a study commissioned by a Black-led job creation initiative, we learned its founder recruited and developed leaders of mid-to-large size enterprises to relocate their operations to an underdeveloped Black neighbourhood as an act of economic solidarity. Over ten years this strategy helped cultivate over 1000 jobs. Yet, HRD lacked conceptual tools to describe such an approach. To address this problem, we engaged in grounded theory analysis of semi-structured interview data collected for the initiative and local news articles about it. We also analysed academic studies about social-solidarity economy (SSE) strategies of Black communities across the Americas. After reaching saturation, the study produced two key findings. We generated a conceptualisation of employer development as a novel area of HRD research and practice focused on enhancing organisation’s job-creation capabilities. We then ground this concept in our initial formulation of a Black SSE development framework called Black SEED and discuss potential roles for HRD within it. We hope these contributions enable future HRD engagement in economic justice work, answering calls from the field to advance equitable societal development.

Abstract Ecuador's 2008 Constitution advanced an ambitious substantive economic vision through Buen Vivir (Good Living), recognizing a plural economy which encompasses private, public and solidarity economy (SE) sectors. This paper aims to analyze public procurement programs in Ecuador, one of the flagship Buen Vivir policies for SE promotion. Drawing on Polanyi's distinction between formal (market‐centric) and substantive (life‐sustaining, socially embedded) conceptions of the economy, we analyze the evaluation criteria governing SE organizations’ access to public procurement. Based on qualitative research during Ecuador's SE promotion momentum (2008–2017)—including 31 interviews with government officials and SE organization members, documentary analysis and observation—we examine four criteria: installed capacity, territorial scope, associativity, and positive discrimination. Our findings reveal systematic tensions between substantive policy discourse and formal implementation practices. Evaluation criteria privilege technification, formalization and bureaucratic compliance over traditional knowledge, solidarity networks and participatory democracy, reinforcing rather than challenging market rationalities. We reveal an institutionalization paradox : policies designed to support alternative economic models inadvertently reproduce the market rationalities they seek to transcend, confining SE to subsidiary roles. Our analysis uncovers deeper epistemic and institutional barriers to realizing economic plurality through state policy and offers insights into SE institutionalization challenges globally.

This study analyzed the role of marketing in the transition from conventional to conscious consumption within the solidarity economy, aiming to identify strategies that articulate ethical principles with commercial scalability. An interpretive qualitative methodology was employed, based on: a critical documentary review of 58 sources (2010-2023) with discourse analysis; an ethnographic case study of 4 initiatives in Latin America and Europe, using participant observation and visual semiotics; and 11 in-depth interviews with key actors, analyzed through grounded theory. The results revealed that ethical narrative capital built through transparent accounts of value chains and the use of liminal language: "co-producer" vs. "client" is key to overcoming barriers such as the perception of high costs. However, a paradox was identified: local authenticity hinders scalability, generating identity tensions. The main conclusion highlights that effective solidarity marketing operates in liminal thresholds, balancing professionalization and ethical principles, thereby redefining traditional marketing theories. Despite growing interest in social marketing and responsible consumption, a theoretical gap persists regarding the symbolic-cultural and narrative processes that mediate the articulation between the solidarity economy and contemporary markets, especially from the perspectives of cultural mediation and discursive analysis. This study contributes to filling that gap by integrating perspectives from cultural production, solidarity economy, and narrative studies.