#3P4SSE – Fundacija PRIZMA

3P4SSE – Public-private-partnership for Social and Solidarity Economy

In Central Europe, territorial and socio-economic disparities between EU Member States are clearly evident. These differences are also reflected in varying approaches and institutional frameworks for addressing social and regional cohesion. Social exclusion and poverty particularly affect Eastern and Mediterranean market economies (source: Eurostat, 2018–2019).

As the 2030 Agenda promotes place-based social policy design and prioritizes the development of polycentric networks, the objective of the 3P4SSE programme is to bridge regional gaps in addressing weak economic sectors (with low added value) and disadvantaged groups. This will be achieved by fostering territorial linkages of social and solidarity economy (SSE) actors at both regional and European levels. Such cooperation must be grounded in public–private partnerships (3P) and strategic collaboration among diverse institutions.

The 3P4SSE project introduces innovative approaches to social innovation and promotes both vertical and horizontal cooperation between public and private stakeholders. To this end, a joint strategy will be developed and action plans prepared to strengthen social innovation in the fields of health, education, and social services. Cooperation will be formalized through the signing of a dedicated memorandum within the framework of the European SSE network and the establishment of a platform for knowledge and service exchange, as well as for fostering mutual learning. The results will be targeted at decision-makers and both public and private stakeholders across the Central Europe programme area. Transnational cooperation will enable more comprehensive and sustainable approaches.

Project partners:

Avtonomna pokrajina Trento (Italija),
Nacionalno združenje za razvoj civilne družbe (Hrvaška),
Regionalna razvojna agencija ARLEG SA (Poljska),
Fundacija za izboljšanje zaposlitvenih možnosti PRIZMA (Slovenija),
FAB – združenje za poklicno izobraževanje (Avstrija),
Panonsko poslovno združenje (Madžarska),
Fundacija LINKS (Italija),
ALDA+ (Italija),
Regionalna razvojna agencija za Podravje – Maribor (Slovenija),
Spodnje saleški center za socialno podjetništvo (Poljska),
Splitsko-dalmatinska županija (Hrvaška)

Project leader:
Avtonomna pokrajina Trento (Italija)

Project duration:
1. 4. 2023 – 31. 3. 2026

Project value:
2,116.156,00 EUR

Founding source:
Interreg Srednja Evropa (80%)

More about the project:

Handbook on Socially Responsible Public Procurement

The handbook “Strengthening Public–Private Partnerships for the Social Economy through Socially Responsible Public Procurement: From Theory to Practice” is intended for employees in public institutions, particularly municipalities, who wish to create greater social value by using existing resources and cooperating with local stakeholders. In a practical and clearly structured way, it explains the importance of the social economy, the legal framework in Slovenia and the EU, and provides concrete tools, examples, and step-by-step guidance on how to integrate social, ethical, and environmental considerations into public procurement procedures. In this way, public procurers can promote the employment of vulnerable groups, strengthen the local economy, reduce social inequalities, and contribute to sustainable development.

Recordings of the training “Socially Responsible Public Procurement: From Theory to Practice” are also available on the PRIZMA Foundation’s YouTube channel. The training was delivered on 19 March 2025 in cooperation with public procurement expert Mr. Borut Leskovec from the law firm Jadek & Pensa.

Within the project, a range of expert documents is being developed to strengthen linkages between the social economy and the public sector, and to encourage joint efforts in identifying sustainable solutions. The first of these is an International Strategy, prepared in close partnership with international project partners, which will be complemented by additional similar outputs in the subsequent phases of the project.