The French Social and Solidarity Economy: A €488 Billion Giant Facing the Financing Wall

The French Social and Solidarity Economy: A €488 Billion Giant Facing the Financing Wall

The social and solidarity economy (SSE) in France represents a major economic sector, generating a turnover of €487.7 billion and employing 2.59 million people. These figures, from the OECD's 2025 report on the social economy in Europe, highlight the considerable weight of this entrepreneurial model that combines economic activity with social utility. Rooted in a long historical tradition, the French SSE is distinguished by a robust institutional framework and a strong presence in key sectors such as social action and health. However, despite its dynamism and resilience, the sector faces structural challenges, particularly in terms of financing and professionalization, which could hinder its development and its potential for social and ecological transformation.

An Economic Heavyweight: 2.59 Million Employees and 10% of GDP

With 2.59 million employees and a turnover of €487.7 billion, the social and solidarity economy (SSE) is not a marginal sector in France. It represents 10% of gross domestic product (GDP) and 14% of private employment, making it a pillar of the national economy [1]. The OECD's 2025 report on the social economy in Europe highlights this often underestimated economic reality. The sector consists of 1.22 million entities, of which 262,047 are employers, demonstrating its vitality and its capillary presence throughout the territory [1]. The added value of the SSE, although dating from 2012, already amounted to €89.9 billion, a figure that has probably increased since [1].

France, a Singular Model in Europe

France distinguishes itself from its European neighbors through the structure and weight of its social and solidarity economy. A comparison with Spain, Italy and Belgium, also analyzed in the OECD report, provides perspective on the French model.

Source: OECD, Social Economy in Europe, 2025 [1, 2, 3, 4]

While France displays significantly higher turnover and number of employees, this is partly due to a broader perimeter of the SSE and older legal and institutional recognition. Spain, with its law on the social economy of 2011, and Italy, with its "Third Sector" reform of 2016, also have solid legal frameworks, but with different actor ecosystems. Belgium, for its part, is characterized by strong regionalization of competencies in social economy matters, without a unified national definition [4].

Social Action, Health and Integration: The Pillars of the SSE

The French social and solidarity economy is particularly present in activity sectors with strong social utility. Social action is the primary one, concentrating 59.5% of sector employment, notably through social and medico-social accommodation, home help or work integration social enterprises (SIAE) [5]. The OECD report emphasizes that 39.2% of total SSE employment in France is in social services [1].

The health sector is also a major area of intervention for the SSE, notably through health mutuals, but also care facilities and personal services. In Belgium, for comparison, human health services represent 69% of SSE employment, illustrating the importance of this sector for the social economy in Europe [4].

Integration, whether social or professional, is another fundamental mission of the SSE. Integration enterprises and work support establishments and services (ESAT) play a crucial role in employing people distant from the labor market. Finally, new dynamics are emerging in sectors such as citizen energy, where renewable energy production cooperatives are developing, or the circular economy, where the SSE is a pioneer with two-thirds of reuse jobs [6].

Structured but Perfectible Public Support

France benefits from an institutional framework and public policies supporting the SSE among the most developed in the world. The 2014 framework law gave a legal definition to the SSE and strengthened its ecosystem. The existence of a ministry delegated to the SSE, the Higher Council of the SSE (CSESS) and the Regional Chambers of the SSE (CRESS) testifies to this institutional recognition [1].

Specific mechanisms such as the "Social Utility Solidarity Enterprise" (ESUS) accreditation allow financing to be directed toward the most socially demanding enterprises. Local authorities, regions and municipalities at the forefront, are also key actors in supporting the SSE, with dedicated strategies and budgets. The city of Paris, for example, has a very active SSE support policy, as does the Île-de-France region which has established a €35 million investment fund for the sector [1].

However, this public support is not without limits. The Treasury report highlights the strong dependence of SSE structures on public financing, making them vulnerable to budgetary tensions [6]. The complexity of mechanisms and the multiplicity of interlocutors can also constitute a brake for small structures.

The Financing Wall and the Professionalization Challenge

Despite its economic weight and social utility, the SSE faces a major obstacle: financing. SSE enterprises present structural financial weaknesses, with median margins of 14.6% versus 24.6% in the conventional economy, and weak equity [6]. This situation is partly explained by their economic model, which favors reinvestment of profits over dividend distribution.

Traditional financiers often misunderstand SSE models, creating information asymmetries and hindering access to credit and investment. To overcome these difficulties, solidarity financing tools have developed, such as solidarity employee savings funds (€18 billion in outstanding amounts) or the channeling of part of regulated savings (livret A and LDDS) toward the SSE, representing €9 billion [6].

The other major challenge for the SSE is professionalization. While the sector attracts more and more young graduates seeking meaning, it must continue to structure its training channels and strengthen the skills of its leaders and employees. Managing an SSE enterprise indeed requires dual competence, both managerial and social, which is not always easy to find.

Conclusion

The social and solidarity economy in France is a sector of the future, carrying solutions to social and ecological crises. Its economic weight is now indisputable, and its solid institutional framework offers important development prospects. To release its full potential, however, the SSE must remove barriers to its financing and continue its professionalization efforts. The OECD report, by objectifying the SSE's contribution to the economy and society, constitutes a valuable tool for advocating for increased support for this entrepreneurial model that places humans and the planet at the heart of its project.

References

  1. [1] OECD (2025), Social Economy in Europe: France, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/social-economy-in-europe_12970cca-en/france_78d81ea8-en.html
  2. [2] OECD (2025), Social Economy in Europe: Spain, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/social-economy-in-europe_12970cca-en/spain_7f4b7415-en.html
  3. [3] OECD (2025), Social Economy in Europe: Italy, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/social-economy-in-europe_12970cca-en/italy_b59ff4e5-en.html
  4. [4] OECD (2025), Social Economy in Europe: Belgium, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/social-economy-in-europe_12970cca-en/belgium_1cd734b0-en.html
  5. [5] Avise (2023), Key Figures of the SSE in France, https://www.avise.org/comprendre-ess/economie-sociale-solidaire-ess-contexte
  6. [6] Directorate General of the Treasury (2025), The social and solidarity economy: a response to democratic, social and environmental challenges?, Trésor-Éco n°372, https://www.tresor.economie.gouv.fr/Articles/2025/10/23/l-economie-sociale-et-solidaire-une-reponse-aux-enjeux-democratiques-sociaux-et-environnementaux
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