Spain Advances Social Economy Recognition with New Seal and Premios Lidera 2025 Awards
Spain bolsters its social economy sector with the launch of a new recognition seal and the celebration of Premios Lidera 2025 awards, highlighting impactful community projects and government support.
- • Yolanda Díaz launched the Social Economy seal to increase visibility of social economy entities.
- • Over 40,000 companies in Spain operate under social economy principles generating over two million jobs.
- • Premios Lidera 2025 recognized three social economy projects for their positive community impacts.
- • The seal targets registered cooperatives and social entities, aligning with broader EU initiatives.
Key details
Spain is strengthening its commitment to the social economy through two key initiatives unveiled in December 2025. On December 16, the Premios Lidera 2025 took place at Fundación Botín in Madrid, celebrating impactful social economy projects. Just days later, on December 19, Yolanda Díaz, Spain's Second Vice President and Minister of Labor and Social Economy, launched the Social Economy seal to enhance the visibility of organizations operating under this model.
The Premios Lidera 2025 event, organized by Fundación Nantik Lum along with Asociación Dones pel Futur and Asociación Arrabal, gathered more than 100 participants from the social economy ecosystem. The awards highlighted over 80 applications showcasing initiatives transforming communities. The jury recognized three impactful projects: Cooperativa FamyLias, which promotes labor inclusion for vulnerable women through ethical fashion; Maestras del Barrio, focusing on cultural access for youth via feminist and anti-racist approaches; and Tu Luz, supporting conscious women's entrepreneurship through art and cultural preservation. The event also doubled as the Annual Volunteer Meeting for Fundación Nantik Lum, celebrating volunteers' crucial roles in fostering inclusivity.
Meanwhile, Yolanda Díaz introduced the Social Economy seal, a strategic measure designed to amplify the positive social contributions of social economy entities. Over 40,000 companies in Spain adhere to social economy principles which emphasize equitable profit sharing, quality employment, labor inclusion, equality, and participative governance. The seal is initially available to registered cooperatives, labor societies, and mutual insurance societies. Díaz emphasized the sector's role in generating more than two million jobs directly and indirectly and highlighted its significance in addressing major challenges related to energy, finance, housing, and social inclusion.
This initiative aligns Spain with other EU countries like Denmark, Finland, and France that recognize the social economy’s transformative potential towards a democratic, green, and feminist future. Díaz underscored government investments such as the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) for Social Economy and Care, reinforcing the model’s key role in Spain’s inclusive economic strategies.
These developments demonstrate Spain’s dedication to promoting an economic framework that prioritizes social impact and community empowerment, showcasing a sector that not only sustains employment but also fosters societal cohesion and sustainability.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
