Transparency is part of our DNA
At the ONCE Social Group total transparency in management characterises us, accompanying us since our inception more than eight decades ago. We are present in Spain and in many places outside the country, and in all of them, we inform society about how we manage all our activities.
Every year, through the publication of our annual reports, and in our daily information, we make known what we offer to the public, our purpose and our performance in contributing to society, in all areas, from the most social to the most economic. All this without forgetting the high level of auditing, both by public and private bodies, to which the ONCE Social Group 's accounts are subjected annually or periodically.
Our organisational structure
The ONCE Social Group has three areas of action: social, foundational and business, which conduct their activities through their own executive managements. Each area has organisational and differentiated autonomy, although they share a senior management body in charge of supervising, coordinating and directing the strategy: the ONCE General Council.
The General Council is the highest governing and representative body blind persons or with severe visual impairment in the ONCE. It also coordinates the three main areas of the entire ONCE Social Group, represented within the Board itself by its most senior executives.
Furthermore, the supervision and control of the Organisation's activity is the exclusive responsibility of the Spanish Government through the ONCE Protectorate Council, which have the participation of the Ministries of Social Rights and Agenda 2030; Consumption; Finance; Internal Affairs; Education and Vocational Training; and Labour and Social Economy, in addition to as a representative of the Organisation itself.
General Council
Since 1982, the General Council has been elected by the members in a democratic process which is held every four years. It is the body responsible for ensuring the institutional and financial stability of the Organisation; the fulfilment of its social and solidarity purposes; the correct administration of its resources through transparent and efficient management; the articulation of institutional relations and collaboration with other institutions; the defence of the Organisation's identity and its legal status; respect for human rights, the plural participation of its members and their full inclusion in society; and the establishment of decent quality of life conditions for all its staff.
The last elections were held on 1 December 2022.
From this PDF you can get to know the General Council in detail. It is currently composed of 11 members (6 men and 5 women) and a non-member, non-executive secretary general, in accordance with the principle of balanced representation of women and men. The majority of its professional profiles is university-educated, with a previous role in management, executive positions and/or in territorial representative bodies. The assignment of responsibilities is in accordance with their profile, seeking excellence in the performance of the position and, in a complementary manner, receiving training in institutional culture and management skills.
The ONCE General Council is the highest body representing the members and governing body of the organisation. The 17 Territorial Councils (one for each Autonomous Community), which accept the powers of representation at regional level, report directly to the ONCE General Council.
Social area. ONCE. General Management
The ONCE's structures and organisational charts respond to a model that reflects the diversity of the Organisation, is appropriately sized, professionalised, guarantees its unitary and cohesive nature and is subject to the interests and aims of the Organisation, with the capacity to adapt to change, digital transformation, the digitalisation of processes, the search for excellence and overcoming the generation gap.
The General Management is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Organisation, for which it implements the agreements of the General Council and acts in accordance with the general principles of institutional unity throughout the State, hierarchical subordination, deconcentration, transparency, efficiency, synergic coordination and dedication to service to the group of members.
The central, territorial and specialised services of the ONCE report to the General Management. The central services, which report to the General Manager, has three Deputy General Managers (Gambling, Social Services for Members, and Organisation, Talent and Innovation and Sustainability) in addition to eight executive management departments and various technical and consulting units.
Download the detailed organisation chart of the ONCE’s General Management
Territorial and specialised structure
Depending on the volume and organisational needs of each one of them, these management centres have departments, and attached Management areas and Agencies providing support, according to the criteria established by the General Management. The ONCE is present in all Spanish provinces and has physical headquarters in at least all provincial capitals.
The Specialised Centres are entrusted with the organisation and management of services, benefits and transversal activities which, due to their uniqueness or speciality, are required for the proper fulfilment of the social purposes of the Organisation.
There are currently nine management centres: the five Educational Resource Centres (CRE); the Centre for Technology and Innovation (CTI); the Bibliographic Service (SBO); the Lottery Production and Logistics Centre; and the School of Physiotherapy.
You can download the schematic organisation chart of the ONCE in PDF format here
Others foundations
The Fundación ONCE para la Atención de Personas con Sordoceguera (FOAPS), (ONCE Foundation for the Care for Persons with Deafblindness) created in 2007 to promote the development of programmes aimed at meeting the specific needs of persons with this disability. It reports to the ONCE’s General Management.
The Fundación ONCE del Perro Guía (FOPG) (ONCE Guide Dog Foundation) was founded in 1990 with the purpose of creating a guide dog training centre that responds to the needs of its members to improve their personal autonomy . It reports to the ONCE’s General Management.
The ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with Blind Persons in Latin America (FOAL) was created in 1998 to promote the full educational, social and labour integration of visually impaired persons in Latin America. It reports to the General Council of the ONCE.
Foundational Area. The ONCE Foundation and more
In addition to the ONCE, the different national organisations of persons with disabilities (physical, intellectual, sensory, etc.) are represented on it, such as COCEMFE, Plena Inclusión (antes FEAPS), CNSE, FIAPAS, ASPACE, FEAFES, in addition to the Ministries with competences in this field. The Spanish Committee of Representatives of Persons with Disabilities is also a member (CERMI), which brings together the main organisations of persons with disabilities in Spain, representing the 4.3 million persons with disabilities and their families in our country, among others. There is also a Standing Committee as a delegated body of the Board of Patrons and a Steering Committee as a member governing body.
Download here the ONCE Foundation organisation chart in PDF format
Business area.
Ilunion
Over the last few decades, the Organisation has added a series of companies that, depending on the ONCE or the ONCE Foundation, have tried to prove that economic profitability is compatible with employment for persons with disabilities. These companies, grouped under the names Ceosa and Fundosa, joined forces in 2014 to create Ilunion, the social companies of the ONCE Social Group, the main objective of which is to create quality employment for persons with disabilities and, simultaneously, prove that the parameters of excellence and profitability are compatible with the social approach.
Ilunion operates in more than 50 lines of business, grouped into six departments (Services, Hotel and Hospital, Social and Healthcare, Marketing, Consultancy and Circular Economy).
Ilunion's General Council is made up of 12 members and a non-director secretary. In addition, the management team, which reports to the managing Director, is organised into four Corporate Divisions (first level management) and, at a lower hierarchical level, the management of the six business departments and the Area Managements. The Management Committee, an internal member governing body, is made up of 67% of persons with disabilities and the total is made up of 57% women and 50% men.
Código ético y guía de conducta de los trabajadores y trabajadoras del Grupo Social ONCE