The social economy employed one in ten French wage- and salary-earners in 2006
In 2006, France’s social economy comprised 200,000 local units employing 2.1 million people, or 10% of all wage- and salary-earners. The four categories of the social economy are: associations, mutual-benefit societies, cooperatives, and foundations. Their economic activities encompass finance, education, health, social services, and personal services. A large proportion of jobs in the sector are part-time and often filled by women. The main employer category consists of associations, which employ 80% of the sector’s workforce. They are chiefly engaged in social services such as assistance to the disabled, home care, and workfare. Social-economy units operate nationwide, but the highest concentrations are found in western France and rural areas.