In society, ideas that, unlike previous best practices, effectively and with lasting impact address social issues —social innovations — are increasingly noticed and highlighted. The Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia (SEAL) is actively working to strengthen understanding of social innovations and their potential.

September concluded with a conference in Brussels organized by the collaboration network Diesis – “Blending Blue & Green for Real Sustainability”, which brought together policymakers, entrepreneurs, cooperative founders, and NGO representatives working on social innovations in the environmental field. The event aimed to connect organizations that usually operate separately — addressing issues of the social economy, environmental protection, sustainable fisheries, or agriculture — and to raise broader public awareness about sustainable and community-centered solutions.

The green economy is a development model that seeks to reduce environmental pollution, promote efficient use of resources, and create sustainable growth while preserving natural capital.

The blue economy focuses on the sustainable use of oceans, seas, and other water resources, developing industries related to marine food, energy, transport, and tourism.

Both contribute to sustainable development and climate protection; however, while the green economy encompasses all ecosystems and resources as a whole, the blue economy specifically focuses on the aquatic environment and its potential.

Social innovations and the environment at the center of the event

The conference featured panel discussions, workshops, and collaboration sessions emphasizing the need to integrate environmental topics more frequently into social entrepreneurship, expanding understanding of how deeply environmental issues are linked to societal well-being. Speakers and co-creation sessions encouraged the combination of experiences from social economy, environmental technology, and community initiatives.

Organizations showcased both practical business models and capacity-building platforms, highlighting that the integration path of blue and green economies can be built using already known cooperation tools, digital innovations, and community participation. What’s additionally needed are only human qualities — the willingness to engage, accept, learn, and take action.

In Latvia, we increasingly see entrepreneurs who want to create products and services with a positive social impact. A sustainable future is possible only if cross-sectoral solutions are sought and cooperation between the public, private, and civic sectors is developed — “merging” solutions that have so far existed in separate domains — the blue or green economy.

Stories of inspiration and good practices from the program

• Recycllux (Romania) – a social enterprise that recycles marine plastic, turning it into business opportunities and giving new life to resources that would otherwise end up as waste. Website: https://recycllux.com/

• SuperCoop Bremen eG (Germany) – a cooperative where consumers themselves become co-owners, participate in decision-making, and ensure local supply chains using digital management tools. Website: https://supercoop-bremen.de/

• The Routes of the Olive Tree (Greece) – a cultural tourism initiative combining maritime and land heritage, using human stories to preserve and promote Mediterranean identity. Website: https://olivetreeroute.gr/

• Defood (Poland) – a startup promoting sustainable agriculture by using artificial intelligence and digital transformation tools that solve technical challenges and allow food producers to focus on what they do best – food production. Website: https://defood.org/

• Casalina (Italy) – an innovative initiative in Southern Italy that promotes rural development by combining agricultural innovations, community participation, and sustainable resource use. Website: https://collectifbsr.wixsite.com/home

• CETENMA (Spain) – a technology center in the fields of energy and environment implementing projects such as Empower, fostering the transition to clean energy and circular economy solutions. Website: https://www.cetenma.es/

• Fructaria – Din Grădina Soarelui (Romania) – an agro-innovation initiative promoting eco-friendly food production and direct supply models for local communities. Website: https://fructaria.ro/

• Terra Meera (Croatia) – local solutions for sustainable food production and consumption, combining traditional farming practices with new market models. Website: https://www.terrameera.com/

• I.P.Cert LLC (Ukraine) – a company developing sustainable innovations in agriculture, educating farmers on quality standards and digital tools that enable access to EU markets. Website: https://www.ipcert.net/en/home-en/

• Localcarbon Italia Coop (Italy) – a cooperative working to reduce local carbon footprints, creating collective solutions for climate change mitigation and public engagement. Website: https://localcarbonitalia.org/

Such events are significant because they enable Latvia to take part in a broader European discussion while also strengthening the local social innovation ecosystem with new knowledge and understanding of policy and innovation trends in the sector. During networking sessions, association representatives shared experiences about Latvian social enterprises that are already developing solutions simultaneously improving societal well-being and protecting the environment — from circular economy initiatives to community development projects in regions.