Statistics should serve as an entry point for dialogue and cooperation rather than a conclusion

Could you tell us about ConcertES and its Social Economy Observatory?

ConcertES has been the umbrella organization for the social economy in French-speaking Belgium since 2008. It brings together 25 federations and networks active in Wallonia and Brussels and fulfils three main missions: organize consultation among representatives of the social economy and represent their collective voice; promote the social economy to the general public and local representatives; and analyse it through the Social Economy Observatory.

The Social Economy Observatory’s overarching mission is to raise awareness of the social economy through evidence-based data. It publishes statistics and studies, collaborates with researchers and public administrations, and provides free data in response to requests serving the general interest. Each year, it produces the “Social Economy Barometer,” which is widely disseminated to political actors, researchers, federations, journalists and interested citizens. The aim is not merely to produce figures but to make the social economy more visible and better understood through additional analytical insights.

What are some of the key insights and takeaways from the process around the production of the Social Economy Barometer?

One of the distinctive features of the Observatory's statistical production is its effort to ensure consistency with the principles of the SSE. In conventional enterprises, decision-making is often framed around optimizing a limited set of indicators, frequently financial ones. By contrast, since the SSE does not pursue profit maximization as its primary objective, significant decisions involve a democratic process to co-construct the necessary trade-offs.

Similarly, when producing statistics on the SSE, tension arises between ideals and practical constraints, making trade-offs inevitable. The production of statistics is often a centralized, top-down process that standardizes and focuses on quantity, whereas the social economy is more decentralized, bottom-up, contextualized and qualitative in nature. Albert Einstein summarized it as follows: “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

To address the tension, the Observatory has put in place governance mechanisms that reflect the principles and values of the SSE. The relevance of the topics of study, as well as the priorities and issues to be highlighted, is determined by SSE representatives within ConcertES. The definition of the statistical scope and methodological decisions are overseen by a multidisciplinary scientific committee. Transparency is further ensured through open access to source data for initiatives of general interest, under procedures validated by an independent body. These arrangements acknowledge that statistics involve choices, and they seek to manage them through consultation, transparency and collective responsibility.

© ConcertES

© ConcertES

Based on your experience, what are the major challenges in producing reliable and comparable statistics on the SSE?

In my view, one of the most significant challenges is not technical; it is philosophical. Before asking how to measure the SSE, we should ask why we are measuring it, and under what conditions statistics genuinely serve their intended objectives — or risk becoming counterproductive. Statistics should not become an end in themselves but remain a means that serves people and society. They are valuable because they help us move beyond individual perspectives and build shared knowledge, which is essential in a democracy. Yet these fundamental questions are not always fully addressed. At times, the demand for social economy statistics primarily reflects a desire to demonstrate credibility through figures, in a context where economic legitimacy is often expressed in quantitative terms.

Another major challenge concerns how statistics are used once they are released. Without appropriate context, statistics can be misleading and may entrench and freeze stereotypes. By nature, statistics simplify and structure complex social and economic realities. This can facilitate comparison, but it becomes problematic if we overlook their limitations and what they do not capture. The issue is therefore not only about producing technically sound figures, but also about fostering a shared culture of careful and critical engagement with data — strengthening collective capacity to interpret, discuss and contextualise statistics, while remaining mindful of their scope and limits.

Finally, the challenge of comparability is immense and cannot be resolved by figures alone. Socio-economic trajectories differ greatly from one country to another, as do legal frameworks, cultures, associative or cooperative traditions, and even the terms used to refer to the “social economy”. If comparability aims to enable mutual inspiration, then statistics can play a valuable catalytic role by raising questions and creating a shared language through which dialogue can begin. However, if the outcome is to be cooperative rather than competitive, statistics must stop at the stage of the introduction of multilateral exchanges, whether at a macro level, internationally, or at a micro level, within an association, for instance. Ultimately, the most important aspects of the SSE cannot be fully captured in numbers.

With a roadmap in place, the ILO is developing the Guidelines concerning statistics of the social and solidarity economy (SSE). What are your key recommendations for developing these Guidelines?

Rather than formal recommendations, I would highlight several points and elements that might be overlooked when operational considerations take centre stage.

First, it is important to acknowledge the inherent imperfection of statistics and to prioritize relevance over illusory precision. In practice, drawing statistical boundaries requires judgement and adaptation to national contexts, as SSE entities often reflect the diverse socio-economic environments in which they operate.

In this regard, it is essential not to confuse a “statistical scope” — that is, a technical perimeter designed for measurement purposes — with a public register that would effectively amount to a form of labelling. Many organizations may align with the principles of the SSE without explicitly identifying as such, while others may identify with it but fall outside certain statistical criteria whether rightly or wrongly. Statistics are therefore intended to complement, rather than replace legal case-by-case assessments.

Second, general knowledge around the social and solidarity economy remains uneven. Economists and statisticians are often insufficiently familiar with its conceptual foundations. There is a risk of reducing the SSE to simplified representations based on a limited set of national experiences. Complementing statistical standards with explanatory and contextual materials such as academic publications can help ensure shared understanding, strengthen ownership at national level and avoid overly narrow technical interpretations and implementations.

Finally, if philosophical questions regarding the purpose and legitimacy of statistics are not collectively addressed, there is a risk of divergent interpretations emerging across institutions and actors. Sector representatives, statistical offices, international organizations and academic institutions may develop different approaches, reflecting distinct conceptual traditions of the SSE. Ensuring coherence and broad legitimacy of the framework is therefore essential if statistics are to serve as a tool for dialogue, policy development and democratic engagement, rather than becoming a source of misunderstanding or fragmentation.

The views expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the International Labour Organization.

About Augustin Morel:

Augustin Morel has worked as a data analyst for around twelve years, first in multinational companies and, for the past four years, at the Social Economy Observatory, the analytical unit of ConcertES. His work also has a strong educational dimension: much of it involves responding to requests for clarification and ensuring that figures become a basis for dialogue.

About the interview:

“Spotlight Interviews with Co-operators” is a series of interviews with co-operators and social and solidarity economy (SSE) actors from around the world with whom ILO officials have crossed paths during the course of their work on the cooperative, social and solidarity economy portfolio.