The CAPSE project aimed to engage at least 5 SSE federations or networks per country, totaling 15, to test and refine a methodology tailored to the specific needs of participating organisations. We included the four main SSE organisations types (associations, cooperatives, mutuals, foundations) to gather diverse feedback and adapt the training content and format accordingly. Targeting umbrella organisations was strategic to establish a structured national approach to gender equality, a topic still difficult to advance within the SSE. Interviews and surveys with representative federations confirmed that this issue remains insufficiently addressed, often secondary to other societal challenges. To address this, the training program was designed progressively and practically, combining awareness-raising and action. The first workshop offers an open dialogue between organisations; the second supports organisations in conducting a self-diagnosis and appropriating the topic; the third fosters the launch of concrete actions. This flexible approach strengthens federations’ engagement and ensures the sustainable diffusion of equality practices across their networks.
Despite the strong feminisation of employment in the SSE, major gender inequalities persist: glass ceiling, occupational segregation, pay gaps, and higher rates of part-time work. Women’s access to governance bodies (boards, executive committees) therefore remains a key challenge. To address this, the CAPSE project aims to strengthen women’s inclusion and promote parity within SSE enterprises and networks. Its guiding principle is that leaders must reflect the diversity of society, their employees, and their beneficiaries. The methodology was designed to meet organisations’ concrete needs, combining advocacy expertise with practical tools. Aware of their constraints (limited budgets, small teams, lack of time), we created flexible, modular workshops that facilitate participation, allow progressive ownership of methods, and ensure sustainable implementation of gender equality actions within structures.