The study aimed to deepen our knowledge about cross-sector cooperation relationships between social enterprises and traditional profitmaking enterprises and how to strengthen European social enterprises’ ecosystems. The study strived to advance in understanding both organisation-level collaborative behaviours of social enterprises and contextual factors that can favour or hinder cooperation together the social impact produced by cooperation relationships. Overall, the principal purpose was to provide in-depth knowledge about cooperation relationships and their social impact across Europe while simultaneously realising benchmarking with other non-European and developing countries. The results and conclusions were the basis to provide a set of recommendations on how to foster the cooperation between social economy enterprises and traditional enterprises in the EU28 that could enlighten future actors’ decision-making processes

Quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with representatives of Polish social economy and traditional enterprises. Country-level and overall analysis of cooperation patterns based on data from the 10 countries. Analysis of best practice in methods of management in social economy enterprises which are used or mirrored in traditional businesses, and in co-inspiration between social economy and traditional enterprises to promote gender opportunities and equal access to decision making positions. Mapping of common tendencies, schemes, external and internal difficulties favouring, hindering or preventing such cooperation.