A term with various meanings, but one definition is that the social economy ‘includes those organizations which are animated by the principle of reciprocity for the pursuit of mutual economic or social goals, often through social control of capital. This definition would include all cooperatives and credit unions, non-profit and volunteer organizations, charities and foundations, service associations, community enterprises, and social enterprises that use market mechanisms to pursue explicit social objectives’ (BALTA, B.C.–Alberta Social Economic Alliance).