Social Economy, Sustainable Business Models & Local Resilience

EU Project

Beyond Crisis

The Beyond Crisis project is a European initiative addressing the priority of improving the business environment and supporting sustainable business models based on social economy.
The project aims to increase systemic awareness and competencies in local territories such as Reggio Emilia (Italy), Cartagena (Spain) and Kassandra (Greece) in order to respond effectively to crises and emerging challenges through innovative partnerships involving social economy actors, public administration, SMEs, businesses and research centres.

A key objective of the project is the development of local action plans for social economy, created with the support of organisations in the partner regions and informed by comparative analysis from international workshops. These plans include strategic frameworks for cooperatives, firms, economic stakeholders and third sector organisations to enhance socioeconomic impact, sustainability and resilience.

The second phase of the project involved a series of five international online and in-person workshops, where partners exchanged experiences, explored best practices and reviewed findings from local analyses in order to strengthen strategic approaches to social economy ecosystems.

Local stakeholder events, including presentations of regional social economy analyses and workshop findings, facilitated peer learning and joint recommendations, reinforcing the role of social economy as an effective tool for sustainable development.
(Source: SEGE)

EU Project — Beyond Crisis

It was a great pleasure and an honour for me to participate in the European project Beyond Crisis, contributing as a social entrepreneur and representative from Greece, and as a member of the Hellenic Association of Women Entrepreneurs (SEGE).

Within this framework, my contribution reflected my professional engagement with social entrepreneurship and value-driven economic models, as well as my commitment to strengthening resilient and sustainable local ecosystems.

Within this context, I:

Presented the framework of Social Entrepreneurship in Greece, drawing from practical experience and contemporary challenges within social economy ecosystems.
Shared concrete proposals and targeted interventions that support sustainable business practices and community-anchored economic growth.
Engaged in peer exchanges with international partners, including local authorities, non-profit organisations and research institutions, to compare models, identify opportunities and co-create strategic insights.
Focused on aligning Greek social entrepreneurship perspectives with broader European priorities related to resilience, inclusion and socially impactful economic development.

This engagement took place through international workshops, exchange sessions and dissemination events, culminating in activities held in locations such as Cartagena, contributing to shared learning and cross-regional cooperation.
(Source: SEGE)

Highlights & Key Contributions

Project Goals

Enhance social economy ecosystems across partner regions
Develop local action plans for social economy
Strengthen partnerships between public bodies, SMEs and community actors
Foster sustainable, crisis-responsive business models
(Source: SEGE)

My Contributions

Bridged Greek social entrepreneurship perspectives with international peers
Shared practical tools and insights for sustainable impact
Contributed to strategic discussions on resilience and social economy
Enhanced the visibility of Greek social economy practices within European dialogue