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Social Innovation Country Report:
Spain
In Spain, some actors working on the social field (such as ONCE) define social innovation. However, a legal and official definition of social innovation does not exist.
Legal and Policy Frameworks

Spain has adopted the following legal frameworks, strategies, and vision documents related to social innovation:

  • Social Entrepreneurship
  • Social Innovation
  • Social Businesses
  • Social [and Solidarity] Economy

Current stage of implementation:
Stage7: Social Entrepreneurship / Innovation / Businesses / [and Solidarity] Economy

with

  • Stage1: “No Policy or Recognition: No formal recognition, discussion, or policy exists. The sector operates informally or without government involvement.”;
  • Stage2: “Initial Discussions & Awareness: The government acknowledges the sector and has started discussions or consultations, but no formal policy framework or regulation exists.”;
  • Stage3: “Draft Policy or Framework in Development: A draft policy, strategy, or regulatory framework is currently being developed. The government may be conducting research, stakeholder consultations, or legislative drafting.”;
  • Stage4: “Pilot Programs or Limited Implementation: Some initiatives, pilot projects, or partial government-backed programs exist, but full implementation has not yet been achieved. Policies may be tested in select regions or for specific groups.”;
  • Stage5: “Policy Adopted but Not Fully Implemented: A formal law, policy, or regulation has been passed, but it has not been fully implemented, enforced, or funded. Gaps in execution may still exist.”
  • Stage6: “Policy in Effect & Actively Implemented: The policy is fully enacted and actively being implemented. There is clear government support, funding, and enforcement mechanisms in place.”;
  • Stage7: “Policy Reviewed & Strengthened: The existing policy has been evaluated and improved over time based on feedback, data, or evolving needs. New funding, incentives, or structural reforms may have been introduced.”; and
  • Stage8: “Leading in Policy Innovation: The country is recognized as a leader in this policy area, with best practices, strong regulatory frameworks, and incentives that actively promote and support the sector.”

Ecosystem Actors
Key Actors in the Ecosystem

The leading actors driving social innovation in Spain include government ministries, social enterprises, NGOs, philanthropic institutions, academia, and other ecosystem builders. The top three most influential actors are:

  • Government entity (ministries/agencies)
  • Social entreprises & social innovateurs (Impact hubs)
  • Foundations & philanthropic organizations

Examples: ASETT (Arizmendiarrieta Social Economy Think Tank): https://asett.org/es/

Spanish Strategy for the Social Economy 2023–2027: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2023-13033

National Strategy for the Prevention and Fight against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2024-2030: https://www.dsca.gob.es/sites/default/files/derechos-sociales/Estrategia_Prevencion_Pobreza_FINAL_2312.pdf

Spanish Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2021-2027: https://www.ciencia.gob.es/Estrategias-y-Planes/Estrategias/Estrategia-Espanola-de-Ciencia-Tecnologia-e-Innovacion-2021-2027.html;jsessionid=38D3C82FF8AE5FFC4B7FC5A37D120CBD.2

Fundación Cotec: https://cotec.es/

CEPES: https://www.cepes.es/

Education and Capacity Building

Formal and informal education programs that support social innovation exist in the following forms in Spain:

  • University-level courses or degrees:“ Social innovation, social entrepreneurship, or impact-driven business programs are offered as courses, degrees, or research tracks in universities or technical institutions
  • Government-supported training programs:“ The government has launched or funded capacity-building programs, incubators, or skill-development initiatives to support social innovation.

Examples:

  • The Social Economy School of Osuna (https://escueladeeconomiasocial.es/): Ongoing training, workshops, and incubation programs for organizations and entrepreneurs in the sector University of Barcelona (UB): Offers programs such as the Master’s in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, aimed at training professionals to design, lead, and implement innovative social projects. ESADE Business School: Through its Institute for Social Innovation, ESADE promotes education in social leadership, purpose-driven enterprises, and sustainable business models. A key program is its Master in Leadership for Social Innovation.
  • The National Institute of Public Administration: offers programs and activities for public employees focused on social innovation https://www.inap.es/innovacion-social ENISA (http://www.enisa.es): Is a Spanish public entity under the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. Since its creation in 1982, ENISA has focused on providing long-term financing to entrepreneurs and companies with the capacity to develop viable and innovative business models.
Coordinating Bodies

A centralized body responsible for coordinating social innovation efforts across sectors exists in Spain.

Ecosystem Communication
The level of communication and coordination among key actors in Spain’s social innovation ecosystem is currently Moderate:“ some collaboration, but existing gaps in coordination.
Support Mechanisms for Policy and Finance
Policy Incentives and Support Mechanisms

To support social innovation, Spain has implemented the following incentives and mechanisms:

  • Tax benefits for social enterprises and impact-driven businesses,B
  • Fiscal advantages for impact investors,C
  • Incentives for corporates to fund charities/ESG initiatives,D
  • Incentives for individuals to fund charities,I
  • Government-backed funding programs (e.g., grants, subsidies, social impact funds),J
  • Low-cost or preferential financing options (e.g., social bonds, impact investing incentives),K
  • Legal benefits or specific corporate structures supporting social enterprises,L
  • Social security measures for social businesses,M
  • Carbon taxes,N
  • Environmental levies,O
  • Special levies for corporates (e.g., environmental tax),P
  • Special levies for individuals,Q
  • Environmental taxes/levies,R
  • Public-private partnerships to foster innovation,S
  • Public/private crowdfunding/lending platforms,
Financing Mechanisms

Social innovation in Spain is financed through a variety of mechanisms including:

  • Social impact funds & social bonds
  • International funding (e.g., EU/bilateral/multilateral funds)
  • Public subsidy and grants
  • Philanthropy & foundations
  • Public investment funds (e.g., dedicated social impact fund)
  • Private sector investment (e.g., corporations, ESG-driven financing)
  • Crowdfunding and community financing
Impact
Flagship Programs and Achievements

Notable achievements and flagship programs in social innovation in Spain include:
Spanish Strategy for the Social Economy 2023–2027: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2023-13033

Social Impact Fund: https://www.cofides.es/financiacion/instrumentos-financieros/fondo-impacto-social-fis

ASETT (Arizmendiarrieta Social Economy Think Tank): https://asett.org/es/

Network of Public Centers for Guidance, Entrepreneurship, Support, and Innovation for Employment (Red COE): As part of Component 23 of Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), a network of 20 public centers has been established—one in each autonomous community and city, along with a national center. These centers are dedicated to career guidance, entrepreneurship promotion, and employment innovation. The initiative aims to foster the creation of quality jobs, support social economy projects, and promote innovative solutions tailored to the challenges of today’s labor market.

National Strategy for the Prevention and Fight against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2024-2030: https://www.dsca.gob.es/sites/default/files/derechos-sociales/Estrategia_Prevencion_Pobreza_FINAL_2312.pdf

Spanish Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2021-2027: https://www.ciencia.gob.es/Estrategias-y-Planes/Estrategias/Estrategia-Espanola-de-Ciencia-Tecnologia-e-Innovacion-2021-2027.html;jsessionid=38D3C82FF8AE5FFC4B7FC5A37D120CBD.2

2025-2028 Social Innovation Plan of the Basque Government: https://www.euskadi.eus/gobierno-vasco/-/noticia/2025/el-lehendakari-reafirma-compromiso-euskadi-fortalecimiento-democratico-y-aprueba-nuevo-plan-innovacion-social-y-agenda-2030/

Enisa: http://www.enisa.es

Cotec Foundation: https://cotec.es/

International Collaborations

Spain is involved in international collaborations on social innovation through the following initiatives:

  • BIRDS Project (Boosting Initiatives & Resources to Develop Social Innovation): https://socialinnovationplus.eu/project/boosting-initiatives-resources-to-develop-social-innovation-birds/ BIRDS is a transnational collaboration between the National Competence Centers for Social Innovation of France, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Its objective is to professionalize these centers and strengthen the capacities of social innovation actors, focusing on the improvement of regional ecosystems, impact assessment, and the financing of social innovation.
  • Social Innovation Community: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/693883/es The Social Innovation Community (SIC) was a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme. Its main objective was to strengthen, connect, and expand social innovation communities across Europe, enhancing their collective capacity to address major social challenges.
  • BuiCaSuS (Building Capacity for Sustainable Social Innovation) https://buicasus.eu/ BuiCaSuS is a European pilot project aimed at building the capacity of National Competence Centers for Social Innovation. Led by Spain, and involving partners from Italy, Latvia, and France, the project focuses on developing sustainable support structures for social innovation by improving knowledge exchange, capacity-building, and multi-stakeholder collaboration at national and transnational levels.
Tech for Good Innovations

Technological innovations in Spain that may be transferable to other countries include:

Open Data as Digital Public Goods (datos.gob.es) The Government of Spain promotes the publication of open data, considering it a form of digital public good. By being accessible and reusable, these data sets foster transparency, innovation, and the development of new services at both national and international levels. Spanish Government Payment Gateway: The General State Administration of Spain has developed a Payment Gateway that enables secure and efficient electronic payments of fees and other public revenues.

Impact Measurement Frameworks

Spain has a formal framework or methodology for measuring social innovation impact.

Further details:

Framework Applied: The Government of Spain, through the portal datos.gob.es, promotes the assessment of the impact of open data across three dimensions: ï‚§ Social: citizen participation, transparency, and reuse for social purposes. ï‚§ Economic: value creation and the development of new business models. ï‚§ Political and administrative: improvement of internal processes, efficiency, and interoperability.

Reports on Social Impact

Reports and studies that assess the social impact of innovation in Spain.

Survey on the Social Perception of Innovation (Cotec Foundation): https://cotec.es/informes/encuesta-de-percepcion-social-de-la-innovacion/ Informe FOESSA (Fundación FOESSA): https://www.foessa.es/viii-informe/ The most relevant companies in the Social Economy 2022-2023 (CEPES): https://www.cepes.es/files/docs/informe-final-de-empresas-de-la-economa-social-diciembre-2023.pdf

Policy Momentum

Momentum for social innovation as a public policy issue in Spain is currently rated as:
Some Momentum: There is growing awareness and initial efforts in public policy, but implementation remains limited or fragmented.

Barriers to Growth

The following barriers are currently hindering the growth of social innovation in Spain:

  • Lack of sustainable funding model
  • Lack of awareness and understanding of social innovation
  • Difficulty in measuring and demonstrating impact
  • Limited access to skilled professionals in the sector
Collaborative Ideas
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