Social economy, cooperatives and the transition to a circular economy: experiences and research
Joint TIESS - RRECQ symposium as part of the 90th Acfas Congress, in hybrid mode at HEC Montréal and online.
”Économie sociale, coopératives et transition vers l’économie circulaire : expériences et recherches” / Social economy, cooperatives and the transition to a circular economy: experiences and research
The social economy and the circular economy are increasingly mobilized in the context of the urgent environmental and social crisis. The social economy’s aspirations for inclusion are reflected in specific operating modes (collective ownership and democratic governance by users, collective accumulation of assets, limited redistribution of operating surpluses, etc.), while the circular economy’s alternative production, distribution and consumption models aim to reuse resources and help regenerate natural capital.
The main objective of this symposium is to examine the roles, potential and limits of the social economy (cooperatives, NPOs/associations, mutuals) in the transition to the circular economy, while questioning the concept of the circular economy from new angles such as degrowth, first nations and the cooperative movement. The symposium also aims to bring together academic and practical knowledge.