This article is an entry to be published in an International Encyclopedia of Civil Society in 2009. Mutual organizations exist everywhere in developed and developing countreies as well. After a definition founded on social economy principles, the paper gives the historical background of mutual...

International standard classifications were built to simplify the complex world of the business sector and analyse the international exchange of goods. Therefore they are less fitted to the classification of social economy organizations(SEO) and provision of services. Firstly this chapter...