Aneta Quraishy, Senior Expert at Diesis Network
As DO Impact comes to a close, we can confidently say that meaningful change is underway. We have witnessed a clear shift in the capacity, awareness, and leadership of Social Economy organisations as they navigate the digital transition. There is growing confidence in understanding how to access, generate, and use data to strengthen their missions and maximise their social impact.
This progress has taken place against the backdrop of the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence—an unexpected development whose full implications are still unfolding. Yet one thing remains certain: technology will never replace the value of human connection. Strong, people-centered networks that share knowledge, collaborate, challenge ideas, and empower one another remain at the heart of the Social Economy.
Technology is a tool. It should serve people and communities—not the other way around. As digital technologies continue to evolve, we must continue to shape the conversation about how we want to use them and, just as importantly, how we choose not to.
At a time when artificial intelligence, data-driven innovation, and digital platforms are reshaping economies and societies, Europe faces critical questions about digital sovereignty, democratic governance, access to data, and the distribution of value created through technological innovation. Through initiatives such as the AI Act, the Data Governance Act, and the development of Common European Data Spaces, the European Union is working to build a digital ecosystem that is not only competitive, but also trustworthy, inclusive, and aligned with European values. Achieving this vision, however, requires collaboration across sectors.
The Social Economy must be at the heart of Europe’s digital transformation. By working alongside technology providers, digital infrastructure organisations, researchers, public authorities, and other digital enablers, we can shape a digital future designed around people, communities, and the common good.
To do this, we must invest in our own digital strength: supporting and scaling social innovation through digital services, civic-tech initiatives, open-data projects, platform cooperatives, and other forms of purpose-driven digital innovation. We must also build the digital and data capabilities that enable organisations to confidently access, manage, and use data, embrace emerging technologies, and harness digital tools in pursuit of their social missions. The digital transition must be more than a technological shift—it must be a social one, driven by collaboration, inclusion, and shared value.
DO Impact has demonstrated that the digital transition is not something the Social Economy can—or should—pursue in isolation. A meaningful and sustainable transformation requires both internal commitment and external collaboration. Accessing true digital expertise means working alongside mainstream businesses, technology actors, public institutions, and innovators. By building partnerships, sharing knowledge, and co-creating solutions, the Social Economy must both influence and benefit from Europe’s digital transformation, ensuring that innovation serves the public good and creates value for people, communities, and the planet. We have managed to create this hands-on approach in DO Impact.
One of the lasting legacies of DO Impact is the Digital Data Action Plan (DDAP). More than a roadmap, the DDAP provides Social Economy organisations with a practical framework to assess their digital maturity, identify priorities, and translate ambition into concrete actions. It encourages organisations to move beyond the adoption of individual digital tools and towards a more strategic approach to data governance, digital skills, organisational culture, and innovation. As technologies continue to evolve, the DDAP offers a living framework that can help organisations revisit their progress, adapt to new opportunities, and embed digital transformation as an ongoing process rather than a one-off project.
Looking ahead, Diesis Network aims to position the Social Economy as a key contributor to shaping the future of innovation in Europe. By bridging social, technological, and ecological transitions, we work to ensure that innovation becomes a shared process—one that empowers people, strengthens communities, and contributes to more democratic, resilient, and sustainable economies.