Pérez-Llorca and Fundación MAPFRE present first legal work on Third Sector to increase social impact

A team of 20 lawyers from Pérez-Llorca has collaborated on the book Aproximación Jurídica al Tercer Sector, which offers a practical overview of the legal issues relevant to non-profit organisations. The publication addresses issues such as taxation, data protection and the prevention of money laundering, facilitating regulatory compliance and the development of these organisations.

Pérez-Llorca hosted the presentation of the book in Madrid in an event attended by Constanza Vergara Jaakkola, Partner and COO of Pérez-Llorca; Dídac Severino, Partner of Pérez-Llorca; Isabel Jiménez Mancha, CSR Director of Pérez-Llorca; Julio Domingo Souto, General Manager of Fundación MAPFRE; and Pilar García Ceballos-Zúñiga, President of the Spanish Association of Foundations (AEF).

The work, written entirely by lawyers from the Firm and produced with the support of Fundación MAPFRE, offers a comprehensive legal analysis of the main issues faced by Third Sector entities in Spain, comprising a total of 28,000 institutions.

This publication makes it easier for these entities to comply with their regulatory obligations and to carry out their activities effectively. The topics covered range from the representation of these entities and their interaction with the Public Administrations, to technical issues such as taxation, data protection, criminal compliance, prevention of money laundering, insurance underwriting and activities with an environmental impact.

Constanza Vergara Jaakkola and Isabel Jiménez opened the day by explaining the reasons behind this initiative. During the introduction, they highlighted the uniqueness of the book since, until now, there was no other work that offered a comprehensive approach for all third sector entities, covering transversally the most relevant legal aspects of their daily operations.

Furthermore, Jiménez Mancha stressed that this project, developed pro-bono by Pérez-Llorca, ‘seeks to strengthen the capacity for action of Third Sector entities and maximise the positive impact of their work on society’.

Dídac Severino, moderator of the debate table, began his speech with a few words of thanks to all the professionals of the Firm who participated in the writing of the book. According to Severino, this collective effort reflects Pérez-Llorca’s firm commitment to the Third Sector, by offering a comprehensive resource that responds to their legal needs in a clear and functional manner. ‘The biggest challenge has been to translate complex legal concepts into understandable language, striking a balance between legal rigour and practicality,’ said Severino.

In the colloquium, Julio Domingo Souto, author of the prologue, and Pilar García Ceballos-Zúñiga shared the keys to the work and analysed the current situation of the Third Sector in Spain.
During the conversation, they addressed issues such as the essential role of these entities in social cohesion and welfare and the challenges they face in terms of financial sustainability, transparency and accountability. They also discussed the importance of establishing strategic alliances with the private sector and the crucial role of volunteers in these organisations.

Domingo Souto stressed that, in an increasingly complex environment, transparency and professionalisation of Third Sector organisations are crucial to guarantee their continuity and the trust placed in them by society: ‘this publication is a valuable source of legal knowledge that provides agents and non-profit organisations with the necessary tools and understanding to carry out their mission with autonomy and efficiency’.

For her part, Pilar García Ceballos-Zúñiga highlighted the growing need for collaboration between the Third Sector and the private sector. ‘The search for synergies is fundamental to address global challenges such as poverty or climate change and, at the same time, to promote the development of a fairer and more resilient society’, said García Ceballos-Zúñiga.