RISE Romania undertakes to: develop and implement a certification program to ensure that businesses in the social economy meet sustainability standards, including clear criteria for evaluating their social and environmental impact; establish a labelling system that helps consumers quickly identify certified sustainable businesses and products, promoting transparency and supporting consumer choices aligned with social economy values; and promote self-regulation by encouraging certified organizations to adhere to continuous improvement practices and regular audits of their sustainability practices. These objectives are part of the efforts to take steps for the establishment in Romania of the National Social Economy Commission and the elaboration of a strategy / action plan for the development of an eco-system favorable to the sector, and to contribute to the revision of the legislation in the field of social economy and the efficient use of European funds dedicated to the sector which are administered by the national authorities in Romania.

The proposed actions will be implemented over a 24-month period starting from January 2025 to December 2026. The first six months will focus on research and stakeholder engagement, followed by developing certification frameworks and labelling systems in the next 12 months (by June 2025). The final six months will be devoted to pilot testing, feedback collection, and adjustment before full-scale implementation (fully operational by December 2026).

KPIs: certify at least 50 firms by the end of 2027; label 100+ products by 2027; increase of 25% in consumer recognition of the label by the end of the project; perform at least 50 audits annually on certified businesses; measure changes in business sustainability practices through pre- and post-certification assessments; conduct surveys to assess consumer perception of the certification and labelling system (consumer feedback on trust and reliability) bi-annually starting in June 2027, with a target satisfaction rate of 80%.