The CEOE Foundation, CEPYME, ATA and CEAJE show their commitment to the third sector with the Supportive CompanyCheckbox

The "CasillaEmpresaSolidaria" (Supportive CompanyCheckbox) is included in the Corporate Income Tax Form, whose filing period is open from July 1 to 25, and ticking it means allocating 0.7% of the proceeds to social projects, at zero cost for companies.

The CEOE Foundation, the Spanish Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CEPYME), the National Federation of Self-Employed Workers’ Associations (ATA) and the Spanish Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs’ Associations (CEAJE) have renewed their commitment to the Third Sector Platform by promoting the Supportive CompanyCheckbox campaign in the Corporate Income Tax. 

The Supportive CompanyCheckbox is the opportunity for all companies that pay Corporate Income Tax to allocate 0.7% of their tax to finance social projects aimed at guaranteeing citizens’ rights, fighting poverty, social exclusion and inequality, and whose purpose is to move towards a fairer, more egalitarian, and inclusive society. Ticking the checkbox has zero cost for companies.

If every company were to tick the Supportive Companycheckbox on its Corporate Income Tax filing, around 225 million euros could be collected by 2023, according to estimates by the Ministry of Finance.

According to the study “The impact of companies to regenerate social welfare”, currently only 14% of the companies surveyed already support this initiative, 26% are aware of the initiative but have not yet ticked the checkbox and most of the companies who participated in the study (60%) are unaware of this opportunity to allocate 0.7% of their taxes to finance social projects.

Companies, agents of change and social transformation

The main business organisations’ endorsement for the Supportive Company Checkbox and the Third Sector Platform demonstrates the existing interrelationship between the Third Sector and the business fabric. This is an example of how these agents share a common purpose and the same goals: social value as the main lever for change, and theshared challenge of promoting sustainable investment to build a better world and jointly undertake the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identified in the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

“One more year, the drive and support of our country’s main business organisations is fundamental for the success of the Supportive Company Checkbox campaign. Furthermore, ticking the Supportive Companycheckbox not only implies financial support for social projects, but also proves the commitment of companies to the community and their concern for generating a positive impact in society”, said the president of the Third Sector Platform, Luciano Poyato. 

Meanwhile, the CEOE Foundation continues to weave alliances to create social value from the business world with initiatives such as this one. “This year, the Supportive Company Checkbox must be one of growth and hope. Our companies are leading solidarity through unprecedented social action and our entrepreneurs, who are active creators of wealth and employment, are also bearers of social commitment”, explained the president of the CEOE Foundation, Fátima Báñez, who underlined the commitment of the Spanish Employers’Foundation with this new campaign.

The Secretary General of CEPYME, Luis Aribayos, highlighted the social commitment of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, which represent more than 99% of the productive fabric, and their contribution to equality and social integration. “SMEs, through their activity, contribute every day to economic and social progress, generating wealth and employment. As part of this social commitment, CEPYME is joining forces with this initiative so that, together, we can continue to make progress and lay the foundations for a future of economic and social progress.”

Along the same line, the president of ATA, Lorenzo Amor, highlighted the involvement of the self-employed. “They are always the first to go the extra mile. A third of the Spanish productive fabric is made up of self-employed workers, family businesses, such as small workshops, schools, shops, or health professionals. It’s very easy to tick the Supportive Company Checkbox and anyone of us could need it at some point in time”, he said, adding: “From ATA, we encourage you to show your support and solidarity with an ‘x’”.

From CEAJE, its president, Fermín Albaladejo, is confident in the boost stemming from young entrepreneurs. “They are very involved in moving their communities forward, used to working in solidarity and in conjunction with other entrepreneurs and very aware of the importance of mutual help. I am 100% certain that every young entrepreneur will tick the Supportive Company Checkbox and that we will be able to increase last year’s collection, which was already a success,” he said.

Increased collection

In 2019, the first year for which the initiative was available, the collection exceeded €33 million, a figure that rose to €36 million in 2020. In 2021, due to the crisis caused by COVID-19, it dropped to €31 million. Last year, however, it managed to exceed €43 million.

Over the latest year for which data is available, the Supportive Company Checkbox promoted 6,566 social projects at the regional level and benefited 2,148 Third Sector organisations. With the funds collected, 887 projects were financedacross the nation and subsequently implemented by 262 organisations.  These actions were focused on strengthening the Third Sector and the volunteer community, promoting social inclusion, implementing projects in penitentiary institutions, protecting and reinforcing the rights of people with disabilities and combating gender violence.

The Supportive CompanyCheckbox may be ticked during the Corporate Income Tax filing period, from July 1 to 25, and is currently available in two tax forms: 200 and 220. It is included in the section ‘Other types – social purposes’, specifically, box 00073 (form 200) or 069 (220).

Companies that tick the checkbox can apply for the Supportive Company Seal, whose main goal is to recognise those companies that seek to generate a positive impact in society and support the Third Sector.  

The Third Sector Platform, behind the initiative

The Third Sector Platform, the driving force behind the Supportive Company Checkbox, is a nationwide organisation set up to unite and amplify the voice of the Third Sector in Spain. It defends, through a united voice, the rights and social interests of citizens, especially those living in poverty or at risk of exclusion.

Founded in January 2012, it is made up of nine of the most representative organisations in the social sector in Spain: the Platform of Social Action NGOs (POAS), the Platform of Volunteering in Spain (PVE), the European Network to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion in Spain (EAPN-ES), the Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities (CERMI), the SpanishRed Cross, CaritasSpain, the Spanish National Organisation of the Blind (ONCE), the Coordinator of Development Cooperation Organisations and the Children’s Platform. It also includes eleven platforms and territorial committees. It currently represents around 28,000 entities in the social field.

The contribution of the Third Sector to the Spanish economy represents 1.44% of GDP and 3.2% of employment. More than 528,000 people work in Third Sector organisations, and there are also more than 3.3 million volunteers. According to the latest available data, Third Sector organisations provide more than 47 million direct services per year.