Sarah de Heusch

Hi, I’m Sarah de Heusch. I’m an Institutional Affairs Officer for SMART, a freelance cooperative based in Brussels, but active across eight European countries. We’ve existed in Belgium since 1998. Initially founded as a non-profit, we transitioned to a cooperative in 2017, beginning the process in 2015. We quickly collaborated with a platform, aimed at helping our members develop their activities. What SMART does is support freelancers, entrepreneurs, and many other workers in developing their economic activities autonomously, while also providing them with solidarity. We offer a dual form of solidarity: the first is through the mutualization of resources, and the second through the legal status under which freelancers operate, that of salaried employees. For us, it’s crucial to be here at the Platform Co-op Conference because it’s a place where we can meet others who share our objectives, using technology for the collective good, which is vital as we enter the fourth industrial revolution. We believe these technologies will fundamentally change everything, economically speaking. Therefore, technology must address not only social but also environmental challenges the world faces today. Being here with peers who share these views and are actively building a new economy is truly essential. We’re delighted to be here and to continue the conversation.