The prevailing economic system is increasingly being recognized as problematic. To date, social enterprises and social business have been recognized as the alternative to profit-oriented, growth-driven companies. Current research by the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) makes it clear that economic activity oriented towards the common good is more diverse than social business: Additionally, there are solidarity economy organizations, collective enterprises, community-supported enterprises, new cooperative concepts and other alternative economies approaches. They can be summarized as civic business. This refers to collaborative, solidary and democratic economic approaches that emerge from civil society. They create important social and alternative economic values such as cohesion and resilience. However, politicians are not yet aware of their contributions to the common good.

The impulse paper therefore recommends:

1. acknowledging the importance and diversity of civic business activity by recognizing the distinct achievements of these economic forms,

2. aligning political support with the special features of democratic and solidarity-based economic practices and

3. promoting umbrella organizations and support structures such as the new network Social Solidarity Economy Germany.