Social economy and ethical labor initiatives launched in Spain and Italy

In Catalonia, the L’ESSPurna program has formed a strategic alliance with the Associació Economia Social Catalunya to integrate social economy and ethical finance into secondary education. The initiative aims to provide students with practical tools to understand sustainable and participatory economic models. Through the creation of student cooperatives, the program seeks to foster democratic decision-making and social inclusion. Starting in the 2026-2027 academic year, secondary schools will be able to incorporate these educational modules to promote social cohesion and responsible citizenship.

In Italy, the Spartacus Project is working to combat the 'caporalato' system of labor exploitation in the agricultural sector. By providing an integrated package of legality—including regular employment, dignified housing, safe transport, and legal protection—the project aims to replace informal, exploitative labor mechanisms with a sustainable economic ecosystem. The initiative has already reported results including 101 regular contracts and the relocation of 102 migrants from ghettos, aiming for national scalability between 2026 and 2029.