Capacity building and training have consistently played a fundamental role in the development of social economy. Traditionally, training programmes for social enterprises have been focused on business planning, financial sustainability, governance models, impact measurement, and community engagement. These areas remain essential, particularly for mission‑driven initiatives operating in complex social contexts. However, in recent years, the expectations placed on social entrepreneurs have expanded, reflecting the realities of an increasingly digitalized world. This shift highlights a broader transformation in the environment in which social economy initiatives operate, where digitalization is no longer optional upgrade, but it has become a defining condition for economic participation, service delivery, sustainability and impact.
As a result, alongside core entrepreneurial and social competences, digital skills and digital awareness need to become part of the capacity‑building agenda and be more systematically integrated within it. While many training programmes have begun to touch on digital tools, communication platforms, or online outreach, these elements are often introduced without a structured or mission-aligned approach.
Although digital tools alone do not automatically lead to social inclusion, they strongly influence who can access information, markets, social services, and decision‑making processes. This is why the European Union has placed digital skills at the center of its Digital Decade agenda, setting an objective that 80% of adults should possess at least basic digital skills by 2030, while businesses are increasingly expected to adopt advanced technologies such as cloud computing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. Yet, despite this policy ambition, nearly 44% of EU citizens still lack basic digital skills, and only 13% of EU businesses reported using AI technologies in 2024[1]. OECD recommendations emphasize that strengthening skills and business development support is a cornerstone for a resilient and innovative social economy, particularly in the context of green and digital transitions[2].
For social enterprises, this context creates a specific and complex challenge. Often small, community‑embedded, and operating with limited resources, they face a dual pressure. On one hand, they are expected to digitalize operations, communication, and service delivery like any other organization. On the other, they must ensure that this shift does not undermine their social mission, inclusiveness, or ethical foundations.
European research consistently shows that digital skills gaps are particularly pronounced in social economy organizations. Aligning digitalization with organizational values and impact goals remains a major challenge. For some social economy initiatives, there is also a genuine concern about mission drift, with technology perceived as prioritizing speed and scale over solidarity, inclusion, and human‑centred approaches. Many social enterprises struggle to integrate digital tools in ways that support participation, transparency, and social impact, rather than focusing solely on efficiency or cost reduction. Further evidence from academic and policy studies on digitalization and the social economy underline that budget constraints, limited access to specialized skills, and weak ecosystem support significantly hinder digital innovation in SSE organizations[3].
The B‑WISE report on Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) highlights persistent shortages not only in basic operational digital skills, but also in strategic and advanced competences, affecting managers, staff, and support roles alike. Importantly, these gaps go beyond technical know‑how[4]. Additionally, social economy initiatives often lack the financial and human resources needed to invest systematically in training, infrastructure, or specialized digital staff. Evidence from initiatives such as DiGi‑SEII project and Euclid Network studies reinforce this picture. They show that digital tools in social enterprises are frequently adopted in an ad hoc manner, often driven by individual initiative rather than organizational strategy[5]. This can lead to fragmented digital practices, uneven skill distribution within teams, and limited long‑term sustainability. At the same time, most digital capacity‑building programmes currently available are designed with start‑ups or profit‑driven SMEs in mind, leaving limited space for training that reflects mission‑oriented business models, collective governance structures, or community accountability mechanisms.
These dynamics also help explain why social enterprises remain under‑represented in core digital and technology‑driven sectors. Despite rising digital adoption, they rarely feature prominently in mainstream innovation ecosystems. Tech environments tend to prioritize rapid growth, investor returns, and scalability, often creating cultural and value mismatches with the principes of Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE). Investment criteria also, frequently overlook social impact indicators, making it more difficult for digital social enterprises to access funding. Similarly, national innovation and digitalization strategies tend to focus on start‑ups, SMEs, or scale‑ups, while social enterprises remain largely invisible as distinct actors with specific needs. As a result, many social entrepreneurs continue to navigate a digital landscape that is not fully designed to support their development.
Yet, despite these barriers, many digital social enterprises continue to emerge, often succeeding in spite of existing systems rather than because of them. The very existence of these social enterprises demonstrates that digitalisation and social mission are not inherently incompatible. The real gap lies in the lack of structured support and learning opportunities tailored to the realities of the social economy. When combined with appropriate capacity-building processes, digital tools can become powerful enablers of social impact. European experience shows that the use of digital tools can expand access to marginalised communities, strengthen transparency and participation through digital governance, and improve the delivery of inclusive services for groups such as persons with disabilities, rural populations, and young people[6].
Examples across Europe further illustrate this potential. Platform-based cooperatives are promoting fairer conditions in digital labour markets, while other social enterprises are developing accessible digital services for persons with disabilities and using digital tools to advance circular economy models and community-based initiatives[7]. These cases demonstrate what is possible when digitalisation is guided by social purpose, even in contexts where systemic support remains limited.
To move beyond isolated success stories, social enterprises need more structured and mission-aligned support to build their digital capacities. This includes not only access to tailored training that integrates technical skills with ethical, governance, and impact considerations, but also a broader ecosystem that recognises their specific nature. Rethinking funding criteria, redesigning capacity-building programmes, and ensuring the inclusion of social enterprises in national digital strategies are essential steps. Only through such coordinated efforts can digitalisation become a true enabler of social innovation, strengthening both the sustainability and impact of the social economy.
Notes
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/interactive-publications/digitalisation-2025
[2] https://www.socialeconomynews.eu/en/oecd-recommendation-on-the-social-and-solidarity-economy-and-social-innovation/
[3] https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/digital-technologies-and-the-social-economy-new-technologies-and-/
[4]https://pact-for-skills.ec.europa.eu/community-resources/publications-and-documents/report-trends-and-challenges-work-integration-social-enterprises-wises-europe-current-situation_en?prefLang=pl
[5] https://euclidnetwork.eu/2025/10/understanding-digitalisation-trends-in-europes-social-economy/
[6] https://www.interregeurope.eu/sites/default/files/2025-08/Policy%20brief%20on%20bridging%20the%20digital%20divide.pdf
[7] Illustrative examples include European platform cooperatives documented by the Platform Cooperativism Consortium, digital inclusion initiatives such as the EU‑funded DIGIT‑ABLE project, and digital circular economy and community energy initiatives showcased on the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform.
