- The WISESHIFT project’s primary research goal is to strengthen the role of social economy organisations as catalysts for inclusive and sustainable economic transitions.
- This research will establish theoretical links between the social economy, inclusive and sustainable transitions, and multi-level governance.
- It is a global partnership with 14 universities, research centres, and networks to drive socio-economic transformation.
Dr. Mary O’Shaughnessy, Cork University Business School (CUBS) at UCC, has been awarded a major four-year research project under the Horizon Transformations programme. The project, titled WISESHIFT – Multi-level policies and theories on how to leverage Work Integration Social Enterprises For Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Transition, is a collaborative initiative aimed at driving systemic change towards inclusive and sustainable business practices.
Various forms of Social Economy Organisations (SEO) have existed since the 19th century and recently the European Commission, the OECD, the United Nations, and the International Labour Organization gave them a prominent role in strategy papers, as key drivers towards a more inclusive and sustainable society.
However, there are two significant challenges to that role of SEOs in this regard. Firstly, there is no robust theory describing the social economy's contribution to inclusion and sustainability and the current empirical evidence is too fragmented to devise a robust theory. Second, there is no comprehensive guidance for multi-level policy architectures supporting inclusive and sustainable transitions via SEOs.
While there is consensus among societal actors that a multi-level policy architecture would be a prime desire there is a notable lack of a multi-level framework analysis of how policies affect SEOs’ ability to drive inclusive and sustainable transitions. This research will establish theoretical links between the social economy, inclusive and sustainable transitions, and multi-level governance. It will contribute to creating an understanding of the conditions that social enterprises can catalyse inclusive and sustainable transitions in the European socio-economic transformation.
The WISESHIFT project, valued at €3,000,942, is led by Professor Marthe Nyssens, Vice Chancellor for Sustainability at UC Louvain. Dr. O’Shaughnessy, as Principal Investigator, will lead the University College Cork contribution, valued at €259,938. This funding will support the recruitment of PhD researchers at CUBS under her supervision.
The WISESHIFT consortium brings together a distinguished network of 14 universities, international research centres, the European Network of Social Integration Social Enterprises (ENSIE), and the Reuse and Recycling European Network.
Driving Social and Economic Transformation
The WISESHIFT project’s primary research goal is to strengthen the role of social economy organisations as catalysts for inclusive and sustainable economic transitions. The project will focus on:
- Comprehensive Analysis: Investigating Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) and their pathways for integrating vulnerable workers across the EU and Serbia.
- Sectoral Contributions: Examining WISEs’ impact on inclusive and sustainable transitions, with a focus on three key domains: repair, reuse, and recycling; agri-food; and community/home care for the elderly.
- Key Organisational Insights: Identifying factors specific to WISEs that enable them to function as inclusive and sustainable enterprises.
Professor John Cryan, UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation, praised the achievement:
“Congratulations to Dr Mary O'Shaughnessy on receiving a funding award through the HORIZON-CL2-2024 Transformations programme. Delivering impactful research and innovation that addresses global grand challenges in signature areas of excellence is a core objective of our institutional strategy ‘Securing our Future – UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028’. WISESHIFT strives to help strengthen the role of social economy organisations as drivers of meaningful and lasting change for more inclusive and sustainable business practices.”
Dr. O’Shaughnessy’s leadership in WISESHIFT aligns closely with the UCC Sustainability Thematic Area and Goal 1 of the UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028 Securing Our Future, which prioritises impactful research and innovation to address global challenges. This research builds on Dr. O’Shaughnessy’s reputation as a leading national and international scholar of social enterprise and sustainability.
For more information about UCC’s strategic vision and its commitment to sustainability and impactful research, visit UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028 and UCC Futures.