Abstract
This chapter presents a conceptual approach to the phenomenon in Chile, as influenced mainly by the European concept of social economy, the Anglo-Saxon approach to the third sector, the social- and solidarity-economy (SSE) approach, derived inter alia from the Latin American conceptual tradition, and which has been frequently employed in Chile. It focuses on the historical context for the emergence of civil-society organisations in Chile. The chapter analysis of the legal approach, with the specific objective of evaluating which of the different legal forms provided for by Chilean law comply with the EMES approach to social enterprise. It proposes a framework of analysis of the different models of SSE organisations specific to the Chilean context and also presents two very different emerging trends in the SSE scenario in Chile: new cooperatives and B Corps. The various approaches analysed so far all shed light, in a complementary way, on several aspects of SSE organisations.