ENSIE Partner Meeting in Barcelona

Today we met with our European partners in the ENSIE network (European Network of Social Integration Enterprises). Corine van de Burgt, chair of the board, reflected on a year full of highlights.

Strong collaboration and European visibility

One of the key achievements is the collaboration with 30 partners in the BWISE project, which has laid a solid foundation for the development of Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) in Europe. Thanks to ENSIE’s continued efforts, the voice of WISEs remains heard in Brussels, even as European Commission priorities shift. We remain convinced that WISEs are at the heart of Europe’s future.

New partners and inspiring initiatives

We proudly welcomed new partners from Slovakia, Belgium, Croatia, and the Netherlands.
A highlight was the presentation by SWOM, an organisation that supports young people in making their own life choices. In five cities, they work to break down systemic barriers and encourage talent development. SWOM is highly entrepreneurial and actively involved in political and SME lobbying — with their feet firmly planted in practice, just like De Omslag.

Together with De Omslag, SWOM brings valuable knowledge and connections, helping us represent the Netherlands strongly within ENSIE.

Learning from practice in Barcelona

The ENSIE meeting also gave us the opportunity to attend the conference celebrating the 25th anniversary of FEICAT, the Catalan network of WISEs. During field visits to social enterprises in Barcelona, we witnessed how strong local government support and procurement policies significantly strengthen the social economy.