Apply for or renew "Insertion company" recognition and request the related grants

Cooperative enterprises recognised as social enterprises (ES). Recognition as a "cooperative enterprise" is not required. 

Recognition as a Social Enterprise (ES) is managed by the Federal Public Service Economy (online form). Please note that you can apply for both Cooperative Enterprise (SC) and ES recognition at the same time (more information).

"Insertion company" recognition allows you to apply for three grants, the SINE employer attestation and the social economy attestation to benefit from the provision of Article 60 with an increased grant.

An employee grant for the employment of disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged workers

This grant is designed to promote the sustainable, high-quality integration of disadvantaged (TD) and severely disadvantaged (TGD) workers. It can be up to €18,000 for a full-time disadvantaged worker and up to €36,000 for a full-time severely disadvantaged worker. The amount of aid may not exceed 50% of wage costs over a maximum period of 12 months for a disadvantaged worker, and 24 months for a severely disadvantaged worker, from the date of recruitment.

A social support grant

This grant is intended to cover the costs involved in recruiting one or more social assistants for workers. It is a maximum of €100,000 per year of recognition. The amount is proportional to the number of disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged workers employed by the insertion company 

A grant for the implementation of the principles of the social economy

This grant is intended to support the four principles of the social economy:

1. Purpose of service to the community or members other than profit,
2. Management autonomy,
3. Democratic decision-making process,
4. Primacy of people and labour over capital in the distribution of income.

It can be up to €30,000 per year of recognition. It is awarded primarily in accordance with the evolution of the workforce, the profit allocation policy and the introduction of a participatory process within insertion companies and particularly for disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged workers. 

Submit your recognition application

You can apply for recognition or the renewal of recognition as an insertion company via the online form in "My Space". Click on the link at the bottom of this page and follow the instructions. 

Your application for renewal of recognition must be submitted between eight months (240 days) and six months (180 days) before the expiry of the current recognition.

Processing your application

Once we receive your application, we have 15 calendar days to check that it is complete. 

• If it is, we will send you an acknowledgement of receipt.
• If it is not, we will send you a notice stating the missing documents. You have 15 calendar days from receipt of this notice to send us any additional information. This period may be extended once by a maximum of 30 days. If the application is incomplete after this period, it will be closed without further action.

Once your file is complete, we analyse its admissibility.

• The application is submitted to the Consultative Commission for the recognition of social economy enterprises (COMES), which may request additional information or a hearing. If this is the case, you will receive an invitation 15 working days before the date of the hearing.
• The Minister or their delegate will make a decision within 30 days of the hearing. The decision specifies whether recognition is granted or refused.

We will send you the decision by registered mail.

Monitoring your recognition

Once recognised, you must submit an annual Activity Report by 15 July of the following year. This report must be submitted using the online form available in 'My Space'. Click on the link at the bottom of this page and follow the instructions.

Submit your grant application(s)

All grant applications are made via an online form in "My Space". Click on the link corresponding to the desired grant at the bottom of this page and follow the instructions. 

Conditions for obtaining "Integration Company" recognition

1. Recognition as a "Social economy initiative".
2. Be a legal entity, registered with the CBE, in the Brussels-Capital Region or Flanders, and incorporated as a cooperative society (SC).
3. Be involved in the production of goods or provision of services, and support an economic project with a social purpose, in particular the long-term and qualitative insertion of disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged worker(s).
4. Offer technical, training and social support to workers.
5. Meet the four principles of the social economy: 
1. Purpose of service to the community or members other than profit,
2. Management autonomy,
3. Democratic decision-making process,
4. Primacy of people and labour over capital in the distribution of income.
6. Demonstrate an economically viable business.
7. Have a Board of Directors of at least five members who are neither spouses nor related up to the second degree.
8. You undertake, within four years of obtaining recognition, to have at least 50% of your workforce consisting of disadvantaged workers, severely disadvantaged workers, or low-skilled workers.
9. Not be part of a sector excluded by Commission Regulation No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty.
10. Within six months of obtaining your recognition, draw up an agreement with Forem for the design and implementation of the training and professional insertion plan for disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged workers. This agreement will be evaluated when the recognition is renewed.

Definition of a disadvantaged worker 

A disadvantaged worker is someone who, at the time of hiring, does not have a higher secondary education diploma (CESS) or equivalent, and is registered as an unemployed job seeker. They must also meet at least one of the following conditions:

• be aged between 18 and 24 or over 50
• receive unemployment benefit, income support or social aid, or have not received any aid for at least six months
• be Art.60 before registering as a job seeker. 
• be head of a single-parent family
• have a recognised disability 
• be offered a job in a sector where the gender imbalance is at least 25% higher than the average gender imbalance in all economic activities and be a member of the under-represented gender.

Definition of a severely disadvantaged worker 

A severely disadvantaged worker is someone who, before being hired by a recognised company for the first time, does not have a higher secondary education diploma (CESS) or equivalent. They must also: 

• be registered as an unemployed job-seeker
• receive unemployment benefit, income support or social aid, or have not received any aid for at least 24 months

Conditions for receiving an employee grant for the employment of disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged workers

1. have recognition as an "Insertion company".
2. not be in financial difficulty.
3. Regarding the worker hired thanks to the grant:
• They must be an additional worker in your structure.
• They must be at least part-time.
• Their fixed-term contract results in a permanent contract within 6 months of the date of hiring.

Conditions for social support grants

1. have recognition as an "Insertion company".
2. not be in financial difficulty.
3. employ a social worker within your company, on at least a part-time contract.
1. They must have at least one of the following qualifications:
1. hold a higher education degree with a social, psychological or pedagogical orientation;
2. have at least three years' professional experience in a management position in the socio-professional integration sector or in a psycho-social support function.
2. They must only perform tasks that are compatible with their mission of providing social support to workers. In particular, activities involving the production of goods or services, as well as administration and personnel management, are excluded.
4. Comply with the provisions of the De minimis Regulation for SGEI.

Conditions for receiving the grant for the implementation of the principles of the social economy

1. have recognition as an "Insertion company".
2. provide social support for disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged workers hired by the company.
3. not be in financial difficulty.
4. be up to date with the publication of the company's annual financial statements. 
5. comply with one or more principles of the social economy. The amount of the grant varies according to the extent to which these principles are being implemented in your company. Here are the criteria to be met to comply with the different principles; the more criteria you meet, the higher the amount of the grant. 
1. A positive trend in the average number of salaried employees within the company, in FTEs, of at least 1%. The amount of the grant depends on the total number of employees and the percentage increase.
2. Set up a participative process within your company. Your company must meet at least three of the following five criteria: 
1. have an accessible class of shares, of a maximum of €50, for workers.
2. hold at least two meetings a year, lasting at least one hour, to which all workers are invited. These meetings must cover company projects, and at least one meeting must be devoted to presenting the accounts and budget.
3. organise at least six specific committees a year related to particular themes and involving at least 10% disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged workers.
4. ensure that at least one member from the target group is present in your company's decision-making bodies.
5. organise business management training of at least six hours per year per worker. This training must cover at least 5% of disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged workers.
3. allocate profits as closely as possible to the corporate purpose. Your company must meet at least two of the following four criteria:
1. If the company makes a profit, at least 75% of the profits must either be added to the reserves or set aside for an investment intended to improve working conditions.
2. not pay out dividends.
3. grant, after consulting the committee, significant advantages over the conditions laid down in the various collective agreements of the Joint Committee (better remuneration, meal vouchers which are not provided for in the collective labour agreement, better reimbursement of travel expenses or additional days of leave).
4. Organise a number of training hours per FTE representing the number of hours stipulated in the relevant collective labour agreements multiplied by 1.5.

When a company no longer meets any of the above conditions for recognition, recognition may be suspended or withdrawn. Loss of recognition may result in the repayment of any grants received.