Applications are now open for the first International Social and Solidarity Economy Award (Prix IESS), which recognises projects that help strengthen the international reach of the SSE. The award, worth €5,000, will be presented annually, with the inaugural award ceremony scheduled for October 2027.
The award was initiated by Thierry Jeantet, a longstanding figure in the SSE in France and internationally, former president of ESS Forum International (Mont-Blanc Meetings), and currently honorary president of this organisation and a member of the GSEF Advisory Committee.
The call is open exclusively to legal entities operating within the social and solidarity economy, including cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and foundations. Projects must involve at least two SSE entities from two different continents. In addition, projects must have been running for at least three years and demonstrate the use of a rigorous system for evaluating and measuring their impact.
The award aims to recognise initiatives that strengthen ties between social and solidarity economy organisations and enterprises across countries and continents, while generating social, economic, environmental and democratic benefits.The theme of this first edition will be “Sustainable impacts that strengthen the SSE internationally”.
Particular consideration will be given to economic initiatives, especially those related to the industrial and agricultural sectors or exchanges between producers. Applications must describe the project’s objectives, the activities undertaken, beneficiaries, indicators used and results achieved, as well as the expected medium- and long-term effects.
Projects must also demonstrate their links to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and align with the United Nations General Assembly resolution on the SSE and sustainable development.
Submission of Applications
Applications must be submitted using the designated application form and sent to fonds@iess.coop before 30 April 2027. The documentation must be written in French or English and submitted in full within the established deadline.
The winning project will receive the €5,000 by bank transfer and will also be be featured in a public presentation to promote its visibility and its recognition within social and solidarity economy networks. The award ceremony is scheduled for October 2027 in Maricá (Brazil), as part of the GSEF Forum.
The jury will comprise representatives from different continents, including Pauline Effa, Laurence Kwark, Gérald Larose, Rokhaya Cissé, Leandro Morais, Yasy Morales, Philippe Da Costa and Thierry Guillois. Thierry Jeantet, who initiated the project, will chair the jury.
Through this new award, the ‘Prix IESS’ aims to recognise and raise the profile of international initiatives that demonstrate, through concrete results and indicators, the ability of the social and solidarity economy to generate sustainable impacts and strengthen cooperation between its organisations.
More information about the International Social and Solidarity Economy Award
