The social economy has emerged from the need to offer fresh, innovative solutions to older social, economic and environmental problems. Known as the "solidarity economy" or "third sector of the economy", it can help meet the needs of certain categories of people that are either ignored or inadequately resolved by public and private sectors, who do not find effective solutions.

Compared with the market economy, whose main goal is the profit, social economy aims to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged people or belonging to vulnerable groups, to provide opportunities for a decent living. Compared with the public sector, this occurs through reciprocity and solidarity to help resolve situations that the government can’t effectively manage: poverty, exclusion, inequality and differentiation between people and so on, problems generated and deepened by this inability.

The paper aims to highlight the achievements made so far in Romania, also proposing many models to increase the concern of the authorities and entrepreneurs.