The “Research Centre on Economics and Social Affairs” (Spanish acronym CIES) was created in Barcelona in April 1992 as a result of the experience gained since the early 80´s by a group of experts in the field of economics and social affairs.
Constituted in the legal form of a foundation, CIES´s mission is to become a multidisciplinary research and training centre of reference with the aim of facilitating the procurement of sustainable global development.

Its mission is to help organizations create economic and social value by providing productive, efficient and cost-effective tools, working on the study of the combination between economic efficacy and social interests. This is achieved by:

• Raising the awareness of experts and administration representatives on the importance of combining economic efficacy and social interests.
• Performing, promoting the performance and dissemination of studies on the promotion of social economy.
• Establishing relations between entities, companies and public administrations interested in achieving sustainable community development.

Over these past few years, and through its research, teaching and disseminations activities, the CIÏS has educated experts and public administration representatives, university professors and students from different fields, technicians and managers of movements and baseline entities, as well as professionals from the business sector.

As a result, the CIES has become a resource centre that has managed to draw the most active agents in the study and promotion of Economy and Society, and collecting, analysing and disseminating the information of this sector, stimulating and supporting innovative projects for their development, creating platforms and networks that boost their multiplying effects.

The CIES Foundation offers the following services:

• We offer two on-line masters programmes, the degrees of which are granted by the University of Barcelona:
  • Corporate Social Responsibility, Accounting and Social Auditing (MRS).
  • Social Economy and Management of Non-Profit Entities (MES).
• The CIES has a virtual campus that enables it to provide an innovative training portfolio.
• The Foundation promotes the CIES Community, comprised of students, professors and professionals from the sector, which grants permanence to the exchange of experiences.

The CIES conducts research studies and develops new approaches in the knowledge and practice of social responsibility, generating responses and conclusions that add business value.
Latest studies:

• Study on the Socioeconomic Map of Special Employment Centres. DG Equal Opportunity. Generalitat de Catalunya.
• “Employment in People with Disabilities in Catalunya” Study. Employment Service of Catalunya. Generalitat de Catalunya.
• IRENE-T: "Social Enterprise European Network for Training" project, 2009-2010. Leonardo Programme, European Union.

• Support in the performance of the initial diagnosis.
• Support in the formulation and application of the Corporate Social Responsibility Plan.
• Development of the company’s Stakeholder Map.
• Development of the governing, ethical and behavioural code of the companies.
• Support in the design of a strategic corporate philanthropy policy.
• Design and formulation of reports and annual reports.