The Regional Director for Social Solidarity stressed today the importance of solidarity and social economy as a new sustainable development agent, ensuring that there are solutions for the challenges the sector faces.

"In the economic world, there is indeed a new development factor, in addition to public and private sectors. We are obviously talking about solidarity economy," said Frederico Sousa. The government official spoke at the opening of the seminar "Challenges to the Sustainability of Social and Solidarity Economy," an event promoted by Cresaçor.

In his speech, the Regional Director stressed that solidarity economy "is characterised by a myriad of economic initiatives in management or community and is guided by social, cultural and environmental goals."

"While economic activities are not geared to profit and, thus, they are perfectly suited to the promotion of sustainable development and equality," added the government official.

For Frederico Sousa, "the solutions exist, but insisting on the same rules aimed at markets does not provide the means for them to flourish and reach the desirable size to change the path of development towards a sustainable future."

In this regard, the government official recalled the need to review factors such as corporate social responsibility or the prioritisation of goods and services of social and solidarity economy.

"For all the work that still needs to be developed by the Government in terms of public policies, other actors in society should also take action. We cannot simply assign responsibility, we must also share it. It is important to contribute to criticism, non-destructive, with viable and consistent projects and realistic but ambitious goals, but being aware that this is a path to be followed and not a race," defended the Regional Director.