Does Macedonia need a Strategy on social entrepreneurship?
Drafting a strategy and an action plan on social entrepreneurship for North Macedonia was a decade-long process that needed its momentum, until the recent final adoption in September 2021. In retrospective, several draft versions were considered, with the latest version finally approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP).
Some might wonder whether North Macedonia really needs such policy documents, while the majority has been enthusiastic to support the drafting and adaptation process. The adopted version of the Strategy and the included Action plan were written in participative process and were subsequently taken under the wing of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, towards its finalization, together with the team of the EU experts who were engaged within the Project “Support to Social Enterprises”. The Strategy and the Action plan were finalized and approved within a six months regular consultation process, with setting-up of an inter-sectoral Working Group that involved the representatives of various ministries, NGOs, social enterprises, academia, etc.
What is envisaged with the policy documents?
The long-term vision for supporting social entrepreneurship and the development of social enterprises to support the socio-economic development of the country is that the social enterprises will play a role as change agents in the country’s transition to a fairer, more inclusive, participative, and sustainable economy and society, notably through their engagement in developing a circular, sharing, smart and green economy. Furthermore, social enterprises will have a place in a pluralist social market economy and are recognised as pioneering initiatives of citizens and communities to do business for the benefit of the people and for the planet, rather than for the benefits of owners and shareholders. Social enterprises will benefit from receiving suitable and affordable financial, material, intellectual or human resources from a range of actors operating in a fully developed and connected resilient and sustainable ecosystem for social enterprises, and are embedded in civil society. It is expected that the social enterprises will be engaged in social innovation and the development of new forms of decent work and social integration for disadvantaged people, are delivering products and services (including finance) driven by local communities and the citizens for pursuing social, societal, cultural and environmental purposes, contribute to reducing informal work, and provide alternatives to the migration of skilled and socially committed citizens. The ecosystem for development of social enterprises should become resilient and sustainable, enabling social enterprises to play an important role in the society and is in line with the transition of the country to integrate in EU policy frameworks and strategies
What are the main priorities of National Strategy (2021 – 2027)?
- Strategic priority 1: Establishing a conducive legal framework – which will mean drafting and adopting a Law on Social Entrepreneurship/Enterprises, harmonizing legal framework adjusting the existing laws and regulations to support the development of social enterprises, creating a register of social enterprises, and improving the tax treatment of social enterprises.
- Strategic priority 2: Creating a culture for social entrepreneurship and for recognising social enterprises – integration of support for social enterprises in the sectoral policies and strategies on a national and local level, raising awareness and promotion of social entrepreneurship and social enterprises among the social enterprises community, integration of social enterprises in the educational curricula in the formal (primary, secondary and higher education) and non-formal education, Generate, consolidate and share knowledge on social enterprises and their ecosystem through research, analysis, statistical data, support social enterprises in measuring and reporting on their social impact, and alignment of the priority measures with relevant EU policies and programs
- Strategic priority 3: Assisting mutual support, learning and capacity building for social enterprises and other eco-system actors – establishment of social enterprises’ resource & development centres on a national and local level , enhancement of the scope and the quality of support services of actors in the eco-system, capacity building of social enterprises
- Strategic priority 4: Facilitating access to, and developing markets for social enterprises – developing the market of public services and goods for social enterprises, developing the private market for social enterprises, increasing the visibility and recognition of social enterprises on the market.
- Strategic priority 5: Easing access to external finance – piloting financial instruments for social enterprises, activating public budgets for social finance instruments, encouraging companies to use corporate social responsibility to a fund for investment in social enterprises, establishing a scheme for CSO to incubate, develop, or spin-off social enterprises.
How will the implementation of the National strategy and the Action Plan be monitored?
The monitoring process of the adopted policy documents will be implemented by producing (bi)annual reports on the condition and development of social enterprises, their ecosystem, and public policies. MLSP will have the responsibility to systematize the monitoring information generated by line Ministries and partner agencies for presentation to the Government.
You can find the National Strategy for Development of Social Enterprises in North Macedonia at: https://www.mtsp.gov.mk/content/pdf/2021/trud/Strategija_socijalni_pretprijatija_2021_2027.pdf (macedonian)
