In 2021, Ripess Europe is celebrating its 10th anniversary !

As part of this celebration, and in order to honor the network and, in particular, its members, Ripess Europe will be conducting interviews, throughout the year, with the people who have made it happen since its creation. Follow us in this European tour of the network’s members!

This time, we are meeting with Günther Lorenz for Technet (Berlin, Germany).

 

Hi Gunther, could you tell us a a bit more about your organisation?

TechNet is a social enterprise (association charitable by law) for the promotion of research, development and training in the areas of a need-based Local Economy and of the Social Solidarity-based Economy. It supports social enterprise development in Germany.

(Website : www.technet-berlin.de/)

What does it mean for you to be a member of Ripess Eu ? When you think about the network, what word comes to your mind? 

Well, we have been a member of RIPESS EU from the beginning… We are mainly member because of our tradition to exchange ideas and experiences at transnational level. When we think about the network we think of having cooperate projects, and of having some impact at EU and EC level.

Solidarity economy: what does it mean to you ?

The solidarity economy in our view is part of the Social Solidarity-based Economy SSE which is based on needs of people and pursuing social aims via economic activities. Thus in our understanding, social enterprises in partnership with the public sector and partially with the private sector, the SSE supports the well-being in our societies. By internalizing external social costs, poverty, destruction of our surrounding, and unemployment are combatted in a very practical way.

If you had to choose one memory since your integration, which one would it be?

Besides our big conference on SSE in Berlin with the RIPESS AGM, 2009, the cooperation in the ERASMUS+ SSE VET projects is our highlight with RIPESS EU.

Thank you Günther for your participation ! Looking forward to seeing you in our 2021 General assembly, celebrating 10 years of Ripess Europe !