Social and Solidarity Economy perimeter and measurement in France: why we need to foster controversies and co-produce data

Over the last two decades, the measurement of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) has raised a growing interest from diverse actors at national and international levels. This interest produced diversified methodologies and frames of reference that are not always clearly identified, nor questioned by those who use them, and that convey sometimes implicit standards. The aim of this working paper is to stress the idea that data should be co-produced and carefully explained in order to be well understood and useful. It first looks at the necessary debate that must accompany the production of figures, then compares the answers provided and the questions raised by the measurement of the SSE at the French national level, and finally concludes by examining the complexity that characterises this issue at the international level due to the diversity of national contexts.