The Group currently has 20 founding members, listed in the founding Declaration as the governments supporting it:

Barbados, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Senegal, Spain, the State of Palestine, Uruguay and Uzbekistan.

Three other governments, Colombia, Togo and Wallonia (Belgium), joined the Group in August 2026, bringing the number of participating governments to 23.

The idea of establishing the Group emerged from discussions among governments and was brought to the Fourth Technical Symposium of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the SSE (UNTFSSE), held in October 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to seek the Task Force’s support. The proposal was subsequently included in the UNTFSSE Strategic Action Plan for 2024–2026.

Member State representatives continued to take the proposal forward, including by presenting plans for the proposed Group at the UNTFSSE’s 55th regular meeting in March 2026.

The Group was launched in June 2026 at the ILO in Geneva, Switzerland, and announced its founding Declaration in July 2026. Membership is open to United Nations Member States and non-member observer States.

The Group operates as a voluntary and flexible intergovernmental platform. Its detailed working arrangements are being consolidated in draft Terms of Reference that are currently being finalized by the members.

By joining, a State expresses its political commitment to promote the contribution of the social and solidarity economy to decent work, sustainable development and social justice and to cooperate with other members in relevant international processes.

Membership does not create legally binding obligations. In practical terms, members are expected to:

• designate a government focal point;
• participate in meetings and activities according to their interests and capacities;
• share relevant national experience and information;
• contribute voluntarily to discussions and initiatives; and
• keep the Co-Chairs informed of any change in their focal point.

Members retain full discretion over their participation. No member is required to endorse a joint statement, activity or other output; endorsement is on an opt-in basis.

No treaty, contract or legally binding agreement is required.

The proposed procedure is for a State to send a short written notification to the Co-Chairs. The notification would:

• confirm the State’s interest in promoting the social and solidarity economy within the United Nations system;
• be signed by an authorized government authority or an authorized representative of its Permanent Mission in New York or Geneva; and
• designate a capital-based focal point, including the official’s name, function and contact details.

The notification confirms participation in the Group but does not constitute a legally binding agreement. This procedure is included in the draft Terms of Reference currently being finalized.

No. Membership entails no fee, mandatory contribution or assessed financial obligation.

The Group is not a financial mechanism and does not receive, hold or disburse funds. A member may choose to provide voluntary financial or in-kind support for a particular activity through a relevant United Nations entity. Any such contribution would be entirely optional, separate from membership and administered under the financial rules of the receiving United Nations entity.

Yes. As participation is voluntary, a member may end its participation at any time.

The draft Terms of Reference provide for withdrawal through a written notification to the Co-Chairs. No reason is required.

The Group has no separate headquarters or permanent office.

The International Labour Organization hosted its inaugural meeting in Geneva. The Group is coordinated by its Co-Chairs, currently Brazil and Senegal. During this initial phase, the Secretariat of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy, which is hosted by the International Labour Organization, supports the Co-Chairs with communications, coordination and follow-up.

This secretariat support does not mean that the Group is headquartered at the International Labour Organization. Each member designates its own focal point, and meetings are expected to be held mainly online, with in-person or hybrid meetings organized alongside relevant international processes when appropriate.

The Group does not have a Board of Directors.

It is coordinated by Co-Chairs selected by consensus of the members. The Co-Chairs convene and facilitate meetings, circulate agendas and support coordination. Participating States collectively shape the Group’s priorities and remain free to decide whether to support particular activities, statements or other outputs.

The Group has an adopted founding Declaration setting out its purpose and the principal commitments of its members.

Draft Terms of Reference are also being finalized through consultation among the members. They provide practical guidance on:

• eligibility and the procedure for joining;
• the role of members and focal points;
• the selection and functions of the Co-Chairs;
• meetings and decision-making;
• financial arrangements; and
• possible activities and outputs.

The Group does not have separate treaty-style bylaws. Its light structure is intended to provide sufficient clarity for cooperation while allowing members to shape its priorities and working methods. The draft Terms of Reference may be amended and finalized by consensus.

The Group is a platform for political cooperation, exchange and international coordination. It is not itself a funding programme or a direct provider of technical assistance.

Through the Group, members can:

• propose priorities and help shape the programme of work;
• present national laws, policies, programmes and experience;
• exchange good practices and lessons learned with other countries;
• identify opportunities for bilateral, South–South and triangular cooperation;
• request and participate in briefings, expert discussions and side events;
• propose, co-sponsor or endorse joint statements and other voluntary initiatives;
• coordinate voluntary contributions to relevant United Nations reports, resolutions and multilateral processes;
• promote research, evidence and statistics on the social and solidarity economy;
• engage with United Nations entities, financial institutions, development banks, social partners and social and solidarity economy actors; and
• raise the international visibility of national priorities and experience.

The Group can also help connect members with relevant institutions. It may encourage United Nations entities, including United Nations country teams, and relevant financial institutions and development banks to support States upon request and within their respective mandates. Any resulting technical or financial assistance would be provided by the institution concerned rather than by the Group itself.

In summary, joining the Group would allow a Member State to contribute its national experience, learn from other countries, help shape the Group’s work and participate in international cooperation on the social and solidarity economy without assuming legally binding obligations or mandatory financial commitments.