Responsibility as the key to a sustainable social economy

The debate about responsibility has become more heated and important in recent years. While one side points to a growing attitude of entitlement - the state should regulate, the organisation should deliver - there is also a growing awareness of the role of the individual, the teams and the organisations themselves. In the social economy, responsibility cannot be delegated. It is a field of tension between external and self-attribution, between systemic framework conditions and individual attitudes.

Especially in church, diaconal, charitable or non-profit contexts, responsibility is historically deeply rooted - often derived from a Christian-ethical view of humanity. But the requirements are changing. In times of staff shortages, growing financial pressure, increasing demand for assistance and growing complexity, responsibility is becoming a control parameter that is not only morally but also strategically relevant.

Individual responsibility: attitude, action, impact

The personal responsibility of professionals and managers is at the centre of a successful social economy. Anyone who works in care, participation, counselling or education facilities is confronted daily with the challenge of making decisions, making use of room for manoeuvre - and also: setting boundaries. This is not just about professionalism, but also about attitude.

Managers in particular play a key role here: they create the conditions for responsible behaviour by providing orientation, creating trust and cultivating a culture of enabling rather than controlling. In the midst of increasing regulation, a shortage of skilled workers and economic pressure, it is this attitude that keeps organisations stable and flexible at the same time.

However, employees at an operational level also need space to actually be able to fulfil their responsibilities. Where structural overload or cultures of fear dominate, personal responsibility is blocked. Systematically strengthening self-efficacy and participation therefore becomes the core task of future-orientated personnel development in the social economy.

Institutional responsibility: structure creates attitude

Responsibility is not an individual private matter - it is also shaped by organisations. Independent welfare organisations, church organisations and healthcare facilities have a particular duty to embed responsibility institutionally. This begins with strategic orientation and extends to the operational implementation of values in day-to-day work. Responsibility is always multi-dimensional: in addition to responsibility for the users of the services (patients, clients, residents), it is also about responsibility for employees, for society and increasingly also for the common good in a broader sense.

Responsibility in the crisis: a look at restructuring

In difficult economic situations, it becomes particularly clear how responsibility is understood and practised. Reorganisation and restructuring often mean tough cuts that affect both staff and target groups. Nevertheless, a responsible approach to these processes must not be limited to mere crisis management.

Church-run institutions in particular have a special obligation here: economic reorganisation must not be at the expense of those in need of protection - instead, it must be implemented in a socially cushioned and value-oriented manner. This requires not only business expertise, but also moral clarity and communicative sovereignty.

Responsibility as a cultural issue: a strategic resource

Responsibility cannot be imposed. It arises where organisations actively promote a culture of taking responsibility. In the ecclesiastical-social context, there is a special aspect to this: many organisations refer to a mission statement that emphasises charity, solidarity or Christian values. However, these guiding principles only have an impact if they are tangibly lived in everyday life - and this requires consistent translation work between aspiration and reality.

In this sense, responsibility is not a burden, but an enabling principle: it empowers people and organisations not only to react, but to actively shape - with attitude, with an eye on the big picture and with the courage to change.

Responsibility as a future competence

The challenges in the social economy, in the church and in the healthcare sector are increasing - financially, in terms of personnel and socially. In this situation, responsibility is not just a moral term, but a strategic lever: for better decisions, for sustainable structures, for resilient organisations.

A new understanding of responsibility - as a joint task, as a cultural anchor and as future expertise - not only creates trust, but also opens up spaces for sustainable action. You can find out how this can be achieved in the next issue of our Infodienst magazine, which will be published in July.