The Association of Sustainable Municipalities of Cantabria organised the 1st Cantabria Social Economy Fair, an event that brought together cooperatives, social enterprises, public bodies and organisations supporting entrepreneurship with the aim of promoting a more inclusive and sustainable economic model that generates quality employment. The initiative took place at the Laredo Market, as part of the European project ResilientES – Social Economy, a driving force for socio-economic development in inland and non-urban areas within the SUDOE region.
The fair featured a range of cooperatives and social economy enterprises, which showcased innovative products, services and projects, demonstrating the positive impact of this sector on local development, population retention and the creation of employment opportunities. During the event, best practices and success stories were also shared amongst representatives of public administrations, business associations and regional development stakeholders.
The initiative was organised by the Association of Sustainable Municipalities with the support of the Government of Cantabria’s Directorate-General for Labour, the Social Economy and Self-Employment, the Business Association of Cooperatives and Worker-Owned Companies of Cantabria, and Laredo Town Council. The fair forms part of the activities of the European ResilientES project, funded by the Interreg SUDOE programme, which aims to strengthen the social economy as a driver of sustainable development in the regions of south-western Europe.
