The University of Cádiz hosts a conference on Social Economy Satellite Accounts

The University of Cádiz, through its Chair in Social Economy, held this Wednesday at the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies the Conference on Social Economy Satellite Accounts, an academic and institutional meeting focused on the analysis, measurement and relevance of this sector within the national accounts system.
The opening session brought together institutional representatives, academics and specialists from the National Statistics Institute (INE), in a conference that also marked the first presentation of these accounts within a university setting.

During the opening, the director of the UCA Chair in Social Economy, María del Carmen Pérez González, highlighted the educational and strategic value of the initiative, underlining the central role of students: "They are the key group in this process of raising awareness and understanding of the social economy within the university."
Pérez also emphasised the institutional support and collaboration with the INE, as well as the integration of this conference within the Andalusian network of chairs, aimed at strengthening an economic model "present across all sectors and complementary to the traditional system." In this regard, she stressed its cross-cutting nature: "It should be known by all students, not only those in Economics, because it also opens up opportunities in entrepreneurship."

For her part, the dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies, Susana Fernández Pérez de la Lastra, highlighted the importance of this type of initiative in strengthening the link between academic knowledge and socio-economic reality. In this sense, she noted that "satellite accounts are essential not only to deepen knowledge, but also to shape our perception of the social economy."

She also encouraged students to take advantage of the conference, stressing that initiatives like this help to "consolidate the link between academia and society."
Representing CIRIEC-Spain, its national director, Adoración Mozas Moral, stressed the need to improve the measurement of a sector that has historically been underrepresented in official statistics.

She stated that "satellite accounts make visible what was previously invisible." Mozas recalled that the social economy "is highly dispersed and has been difficult to measure," which has limited its recognition, and highlighted the key role of the INE in this progress. "It is a historic step towards the full integration of the social economy into the national accounts system," she added. She also addressed students directly, pointing out the potential of this economic model in terms of employment and entrepreneurship, noting that "it is an important vehicle that can accompany you throughout your lives."

From the local institutional sphere, the fourth deputy mayor and coordinator of the Social Development area of Cádiz City Council, Pablo Otero, described the social economy as "an essential strategic pillar for the city's development," highlighting its capacity to generate quality employment and social cohesion.

Similarly, the regional delegate for Employment, Business and Self-Employment of the Andalusian Government in Cádiz, Daniel Sánchez Román, stressed that this is a priority sector for the regional administration, as "the social economy generates employment, social cohesion and opportunities in a field that is still largely unknown."
Sánchez also recalled the different support measures promoted by the regional government, from entrepreneurship programmes to employment incentives in cooperatives and worker-owned companies.

The rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantell, closed the session with a reflection on the role of the university: "The fundamental task of the university is to change society." In this regard, he addressed the students as key protagonists of the future, stating that "the society of tomorrow is the one you choose to build, generating wealth and ways of life that place people at the centre."

Following the opening, the conference continued with the presentation of the Social Economy Satellite Accounts and several lectures delivered by INE experts-Carlos Valero Rodríguez, Antonio Martínez Serrano and José Antonio Sánchez Pérez-focusing on the context of national accounts, the background to the measurement of the sector and the results obtained in its recent development.

The Deputy Director General of National Accounts at the INE, Carlos Valero Rodríguez, highlighted the sector's resilience, noting that "the social economy is an area that has shown greater resistance during crises." In his speech, he contextualised the role of these entities within the national accounts system, emphasising their stability and their capacity to sustain employment and economic activity even in adverse scenarios.

Antonio Martínez Serrano, provincial delegate of the INE and the OCE in Cádiz, addressed the background of social economy measurement, while José Antonio Sánchez Pérez, head of the Households and Welfare Sector area, presented the sectorisation and results of the Social Economy Satellite Account. The conference thus establishes itself as a key space for advancing knowledge and institutional recognition of the social economy, an increasingly relevant field in economic and social development. The programme will continue at the Bahía de Algeciras Campus this Thursday, 30 April, in the Postgraduate Room of the School of Engineering, from 10:00 to 14:00. The Jerez Campus will host the initiative on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, in the Lecture Hall, also from 10:00 to 14:00.