On October 2, 2026, Jéssica de León, the Minister of Tourism and Employment for the Canary Islands, presented the first Social Economy Strategy (ESCAES) for the period 2026-2029 during a parliamentary commission meeting. This strategy, which is the result of a consensus between the government and various stakeholders, aims to serve as a roadmap for the sector over the next four years.
The strategy is structured around six key areas of work, nineteen lines of action, and fifty-seven specific initiatives designed to promote projects that enhance social inclusion and territorial cohesion. The annual funding for the strategy amounts to approximately €4.48 million over its four-year duration.
During her presentation, De León emphasized the strategic importance of the plan and the strong consensus achieved among participants. "Today we bring to this commission the Canary Islands Social Economy Strategy 2026-2029, a milestone that demonstrates this government's commitment to social economy. This document is the result of three years of work, not only from this ministry but also in collaboration with sector entities that participated in its development, making it a collective success," she stated.
Accompanied by Employment Deputy Minister Isabel León, De León outlined the impact of the social economy sector in the archipelago, which currently comprises 3,516 entities, including associations, labor societies, agricultural transformation societies, foundations, cooperatives, guilds, insertion companies, and special employment centers. In 2025 alone, 19,334 contracts were formalized for 17,551 individuals, with 56.86% of these contracts going to women, 23.01% to young people, and 13.24% to individuals with disabilities. "These figures highlight not only the importance of job quantity but also who is being offered employment, facilitating access to the labor market for groups facing special difficulties," De León noted.
The development of the strategy began with a draft prepared by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, led by professors Inmaculada Galván and María del Pino Domínguez. A working group consisting of twelve representatives from public administrations, trade unions, business organizations, and sector entities met regularly over the course of a year to finalize the strategy, which was unanimously approved.
Six Areas of Focus and Fifty-Seven Actions
The first ESCAES for 2026-2029 is organized around six areas of focus, nineteen lines of action, and fifty-seven specific initiatives. The first area emphasizes the participation of the sector in the social economy and seeks to actively involve public institutions in promoting and raising awareness of the sector's specific needs. This area includes five lines of action and fifteen initiatives aimed at enhancing social recognition of the sector and conducting studies on its impact.
The second area focuses on improving competitiveness, aiming to foster the growth and competitive consolidation of social economy businesses and institutions through innovation, digitalization, green transformation, and support for internationalization. It includes five lines of action and seventeen initiatives designed to establish a true ecosystem by supporting the internationalization of social economy entities and promoting innovation.
The third area aims to encourage entrepreneurship in emerging sectors, with three lines of action and fourteen initiatives designed to support the launch of projects that adopt the social economy model, assess the viability of social innovation, promote female and youth entrepreneurship, and facilitate generational change.
The fourth area promotes gender equality and opportunities, consisting of two lines of action that focus on social cohesion and inclusion, particularly for groups facing greater barriers to accessing the labor market. "As a public administration, we must continue to advance towards a society where equality is a reality. We believe that social entities can drive a more inclusive and integrative economy," asserted Jéssica de León.
The fifth area centers on territorial sustainability, with two lines of action and three initiatives aimed at fostering territorial cohesion and combating depopulation in rural areas, while also aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. "We want to ensure a sustainable, committed, and responsible society within the framework of social economy entities," De León remarked.
The final area focuses on education in social economy, consisting of two lines of action and five initiatives aimed at instilling the values of social economy at all educational levels, promoting scholarships, non-labor practices, and dual training both in the public sector and through the entities themselves.
Canary Islands Named Capital of Social Economy in 2027
The work carried out by the Ministry of Tourism and Employment in coordination with the sector has not only culminated in the unanimous approval of this first Canary Islands Social Economy Strategy but has also led to the designation of the Canary Islands as the Spanish Capital of Social Economy for 2027, with shared headquarters in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. "This strategy is not the end point; it is the starting point of a new phase where we want social economy to have more visibility, competitiveness, and capacity to generate employment and cohesion in our islands. We face the 2026-2029 period with great enthusiasm, counting on those who make social economy possible in the Canary Islands every day," concluded De León.
