Home
Scheduled tours
Tour leaders
Economy of communion
Terms & conditions
Press file
Photo / Video album
Contact us

Flyer: program 2006-2007

Français


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 Economy of Communion
also known as Economy of Sharing

Unlike the consumer economy,
based on a culture of having,
the Economy of Communion is based on the culture of giving.

This might seem to be difficult, ambitious, heroic,
but it is not so, because human
beings made in the image of God, who is love,
find their fulfilment in loving, in giving.
This need
is in the deepest recesses of their being
whether they have faith or not.

On this basis,
supported by our experience,
lies the hope of a universal spreading
of the ECONOMY OF COMMUNION

Chiara Lubich Brazil - May 1991

EOC businesses

Entrepreneurs who adhere to the Economy of Communion, to this "culture of giving", show that there is an alternative to the prevailing methods of doing business in a market economy. EOC businesses do not pretend to be a new form of business but through their way of conducting their business, they renew the customary types of businesses from within, whether they be joint stock companies, cooperatives or otherwise.
In the EOC, the profits generated have to be produced through strict adherence to the law and through respecting the rights of the workers, of the consumers, of competitive industries, of the community and of the environment.
EOC businesses are successful because of the unity created between employers and employees. This produces extremely positive interpersonal relationships both within the industry and in external relationships.
Every effort to invest in the quality of interpersonal relationships results in increased creativity and improved capacity to develop innovative systems and production techniques.
The existence and the development of EOC businesses show that their underlying principles translate into methods which lead to a reduction in business costs and improved economic performance.
The Economy of Communion over these years has attracted the attention of economists and academics in other disciplines who have organised seminars and congresses in European, Latin American and Australian universities in order to study the evolution of this new experience.
Some foresee in the principle of "communion" a contribution leading beyond the individualistic paradigm underlying the prevailing economic theories, the negative impact of which is very evident in social and political life

It has also attracted the attention of economics students in many parts of the world who make it the subject of their graduate or post-graduate theses. By the end of 1998, 41 theses on the subject of the Economy of Communion had been presented, while many others are in a preparatory stage.

 

Development of EOC businesses

In the early years, a number of EOC businesses came to life in Latin America and Europe, as well as existing businesses which revamped their style of operation according to EOC principles. Some of these are situated in the industrial estates attached to the little towns of the Movement, while others (which may be geographically distant from the little towns) are linked to them through this ideal of the EOC.
By the end of 1998, 654 businesses and 91 cottage industries were committed to this ideal. These businesses operate in different sectors of the economy, in more than 30 countries: 164 operate in the manufacturing sector, 189 are industrial businesses and 301 operate in the service sector.
More than 200 of these are in South America and 300 in Europe (150 in Italy, 50 in Germany and some in Eastern Europe). There are also several businesses in North America, Asia (mainly in the Philippines), Africa and Australia.
For the main part they are small to medium businesses with a turnover of less than 20 million dollars annually. In Italy, for example, a small business employing three craftsmen was transformed, in the space of just a few years, into a large-scale cooperative which employs 260 people.
In some parts of Europe and in South America the EOC businesses have formed a network and together they cooperate in publishing promotional material.
In Germany, 23 business people from Solingen established "Solidar Capital", a Merchant Bank dedicated to the development of EOC businesses in Eastern Europe or other parts of the world which require capital in order to develop.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT: http://www.edc-online.org/