2023

Within the framework of the OBCD – Local Ecosystem Program, AN.KA was invited on 6 th December 2023 to meet Mr. Panagiotis Tournavitis, CEO, Cooperative Bank of Karditsa, in order to ask him some questions about the local Ecosystem and the relationship of this with the Cooperative bank. AN.KA and the Cooperative Bank of Karditsa are linked by traditional relations of close cooperation. The Cooperative Bank in its original form (as a credit cooperative) was hosted in the incubator of ANKA for two years, from 1994 to 1996. Today the Cooperative Bank is a shareholder in AN.KA and holds the 2nd largest percentage of shares, after the Municipality of Karditsa. The two bodies (ANKA and the Cooperative Bank) are the main members of the Local Cooperative Ecosystem of Karditsa.   SK: Why did you join the ecosystem? What is the added value for your organisation to be involved? PT: The Cooperative Bank of Karditsa decision to join the OBCD ecosystem was driven by our commitment to foster community development and sustainable economic practices. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our core values and strategic objectives. By being part of OBCD, we gain access to a diverse network of like-minded institutions, enabling us to share and learn best practices in community banking and social entrepreneurship. The added value for us lies in the opportunity to engage with innovative financial models and tools, which are crucial for supporting local businesses and social enterprises. This partnership also opens avenues for international collaborations, enhancing our ability to learn from and adapt global best practices to our local context. In summary, our involvement with OBCD is a strategic step towards strengthening our capabilities in fostering sustainable community development and financial inclusion.   SK: What are the main takeaways from these meetings? PT: The OBCD meetings are a hub of rich insights and learning. Key takeaways include the exposure to pioneering approaches in community-driven economic development, and the opportunity to engage with thought leaders in the field of social finance. These meetings serve as a platform for exchanging ideas on innovative financial products and services that can support local communities. Another significant aspect is the focus on sustainable development goals (SDGs) and how financial institutions can align their strategies to contribute towards these global objectives. In essence, the meetings provide us with valuable perspectives on how to effectively support economic growth while prioritizing social and environmental considerations.   SK: How can the OBCD ecosystems contribute to making the social economy mainstream and support social enterprises in the project countries (and beyond) in their mission, according to you? PT: The OBCD ecosystems have a pivotal role in mainstreaming the social economy and supporting social enterprises. By fostering an environment of collaboration and knowledge sharing, OBCD can help amplify the impact of social enterprises in both the project countries and beyond. This involves providing platforms for these enterprises to share their experiences, challenges, and best practices. Additionally, OBCD can advocate for policy changes that support the social economy, helping to create a more favorable environment for these enterprises to thrive. By highlighting the success stories and the tangible impact of social enterprises, OBCD can also play a key role in changing public perception and increasing awareness about the value and potential of the social economy.   SK: How can the OBCD project support you? PT: The OBCD project can support the Cooperative Bank of Karditsa in several ways. Firstly, by providing access to innovative financial tools and products specifically designed for social enterprises and community projects, which can enhance our product offerings and service delivery. Secondly, facilitating networking opportunities with other financial institutions and stakeholders in the social economy sector can lead to valuable partnerships and collaborations. Additionally, the OBCD project can offer training and capacity-building programs to our staff, ensuring that we stay abreast of the latest trends and best practices in community banking and social finance. This support is crucial for us to continuously improve and adapt our services to meet the evolving needs of our community.   SK: What do you look forward to? PT: Looking forward, there are several initiatives and resources from OBCD that we are particularly excited about. The development of a new toolkit tailored for banks involved in social financing would be incredibly beneficial, as it would provide practical resources and guidelines to enhance our operations. An interactive platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration would also be valuable, enabling us to engage more effectively with other banks and stakeholders. Additionally, we anticipate more cross-country knowledge sharing initiatives, which would allow us to learn from the experiences of similar institutions in different geographical contexts. Finally, we are looking forward to participating in targeted training and workshops, which would help in building our capacity and equipping our team with the skills and knowledge needed to better serve our community. These resources and initiatives would be instrumental in helping us achieve our mission and contribute more effectively to the social economy.  

Gabriele Nardini, President of the OBCD partner AGCI Umbria, interviewed Luca Zarfati, President of Roma Open Lab APS and head of the Social Sector at EPLI – Ente Pro Loco Italiane. Have a look at the interview below! Gabriele: Why are you involved in the social economy and the third sector? Luca: The choice for me was almost compulsory, since, due to my disability, I necessarily entered the circuit of care and assistance for the disabled, which in Italy is managed not only at the public level but mainly by Social Cooperatives. Within the world of Social Cooperatives, I had the great fortune to meet Eugenio De Crescenzo, Head of the Social Economy of AGCI (General Association of Italian Cooperatives), who encouraged me to work in the Social sector and helped me find my way in this complex and articulated world. Thanks to him and the AGCI, the Social Promotion Association ROMA OPEN LAB was born, of which I am President and I work full-time in Social Economy, also within EPLI – Ente Pro Loco Italiane. Gabriele: Why did you join the Italian ecosystem? What is the added value for your organization? Luca: As ROMA OPEN LAB APS and EPLI we have been collaborating for some time with AGCI Umbria and have signed two important memorandums of understanding, especially with regard to professional training. When we were asked to participate in the Italian Ecosystem of the OBCD project, we were enthusiastic because we are convinced that one of the distinguishing features of those who work in the Social Economy is networking and creating a web of relations between actors who, although different, have a common denominator in the SE. The added value of Ecosistema Italia for our organization is the possibility of being able to confront ourselves with subjects that may be very different from us, but who are animated by the same passion for the wellbeing of people, for the fight against inequality, and for the promotion of a sustainable, inclusive and ethically just economy. Gabriele: What are the main results of these meetings? Luca: The most striking result is that we have received, each time, so many interesting and often unexpected inputs, which have helped broaden our vision and increase our open-mindedness. Gabriele: How do you think OBCD ecosystems can help make the social economy mainstream and support social enterprises in project countries (and beyond) in their mission. Luca: OBCD ecosystems involve periodic meetings between the various components and this favors the establishment of relationships and exchanges that gradually become stronger, more articulate and richer in positive spill-over effects on all components of the ecosystem. Ecosystems can slowly grow and gradually replace the pre-existing socio-economic fabric, which is often competitive, closed and not very inclusive, gradually generating a new social and economic reality that is more sustainable and attentive to the social needs and fulfillment requirements of the people who live and operate within these ecosystems. Indeed, I am convinced that if we compare Local Development to a fabric, Social Entrepreneurship would not be its thread, but its glue. It is a glue that builds stronger, resilient, united communities. It is a glue that turns every challenge into an opportunity. This is how the ENTERPRISE NETWORK is built. Gabriele: How can the OBCD project support you? Luca: Certainly through the training of entrepreneurs who have the skills to manage businesses in a more sustainable way and attentive to the welfare needs of all those connected to the businesses themselves (workers, suppliers, customers, institutions, civil society). Another way in which the OBCD project can support us is by facilitating exchanges and relations between our organisation and other stakeholders involved in the ecosystem. In this way, we can have more opportunities to grow as an organisation and to grow and develop, together with the other partners, the entire ecosystem. Gabriele: What are you looking forward to? Luca: We are looking forward to an interactive platform that facilitates the exchange of information, best practices, experiments, or anything else that can give us the stimulus to increasingly improve our work, our organisation and the services we provide.    

On 27 October 2023, at the Città Dell’Altra Economia, ENTE PRO LOCO ITALIANE, the Association for Social Promotion member of the Italian Ecosystem convened the STATI GENERALI DEL SOCIALE (the General States of Social Affairs) with the aim of building a resilient and collaborative context, leading to a permanent cooperation of the Organisations involved in theSocial Sector in Italy. The General States highlighted that: for a Sustainable Development of Communities, it is indispensable to sum up different competences in the field of research, cultural and social sustainability assessment, dissemination and knowledge of social issues In numerous communities, marginalisation and discriminatory actions persist, giving rise to unjustifiable inequalities on a daily basis, affecting both the capacity and access to opportunities, all in consideration of human dignity Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948; the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989; the Conventions of the International Labour Organization, 1973, 1999; the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2015; and the Istanbul Convention against Violence against Women, 2011, Ente Pro Loco Italiane intends to initiate a network process that fosters the sharing of common objectives and the exchange of experiences among Third Sector Bodies through the Charter of Principles of the General States of Social Affairs. The signatory organisations of this Charter will commit themselves to support: – GENERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY: Ensuring the protection of the environment, cultural heritage, and human rights. – SOCIAL EQUITY: Promoting equal opportunities between men and women. – CIVIL COOPERATION: Engaging citizens in community development. – DIVERSITY AND WELCOME: Fostering spiritual and material enrichment as engines for social development. – FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENCE: Implementing concrete actions against all forms of violence. – EQUALITY BETWEEN PEOPLES: Advocating for non-discrimination based on race and ethnicity. The signatories of this Charter also concurrently establish the “Permanent States of the Social Sector,” which will convene annually to define new policy lines and share the outlined paths. The organisation responsible for coordinating the annual initiatives will be Ente Pro Loco Italiane APS.

We have interviewed Concha Maza of La Cultora member of the Spanish Ecosystem. Read through the highlights of the interview below.   1. Why did you join the Spanish ecosystem? What is the added value for your organisation to be involved? Our interest in joining OBCD and the Spanish ecosystem is related to the incorporation of social sustainability into different ecosystems in order to create synergies and connections. This kind of project represents an opportunity for a transversal collaboration. 2. What are the main takeaways from these meetings?  The main takeaways that came out from the meetings are the need for a sustainable environment for knowledge, competencies, skills and the cooperation between enterprises. 3. How can the OBCD ecosystems contribute to making the social economy mainstream and support social enterprises in the project countries (and beyond) in their mission, according to you? The ecosystem can contribute to support social enterprises through an exchange of best practices, and to create an environment in which social enterprises to fulfill their mission of addressing social and environmental challenges while generating economic value. 4. How can the OBCD project support you? One of the OBCD missions highlighted during the meetings is to preserve local culture and heritage through the promotion of the local development plan and the contribution to local communities growth. For us, it is very important to give visibility to the positive impacts that creative and cultural tools have on other fields. 5. What do you look forward to?  In Cultora, we are looking forward to the possibility of recognizing intermediate figures between the company and foundation models. Also, to increase inclusivity of vulnerable groups,such as women victims of gender based violence, or people with discapacities.

The OBCD project develops an ecosystem of social enterprises and Lapinlahden Lähde Ltd. is one of the members of Finnish network. Ville Pellinen, CEO of the social enterprise, welcomed Helena Miettinen from Helsinki Business College Ltd. in Lapinlahti’s stunning and unique setting near the centre of Helsinki. Children have taken over the nearby park and are screaming with the joy of running around outside while the sun gilds the leaves of the old trees in the park with its autumn rays. The building, over 180 years old, welcomes the passerby like an open embrace. Everyone is welcome here. Ville Pellinen and Lapinlahden Lähde Ltd. joined the newly established OBCD project’s Social Enterprise Ecosystem because they want to learn, network and make a difference. They also want to get the latest information on social enterprises and their development.   You can read the full interview at https://en.bc.fi/blog/news/at-the-lapinlahden-lahde/

Last week the Italian partners of the OBCD project – Base3, AGCI Umbria and Università Tor Vergata – together with Euclid Network implemented the workshop “European best practices in the field of inclusion and digital competence”. The workshop, organized in collaboration with the Department of Economics at University of Rome Tor Vergata, aimed to introduce the project activities to Italian high school students. During the first part of the morning, the concepts of social economy, open business, sustainable innovation and social communication, among others, were presented. Later during the day, students had the opportunity to put theory into practice and work together during the case study workshop session facilitated by the expert trainers from AGCI Umbria, Base3 and University of Rome Tor Vergata. With the OBCD project, we want to show that a new entrepreneurship paradigm, integrating economic, social and environmental dimensions, is needed to promote the sustainable and inclusive development of our society and economy.

On 27-28 March 2023, the OBCD partners gathered in Barcelona, Spain for their second transnational project meeting. These two days were about presenting an overview of the first months of the project implementation, discussing and sharing the main achievements and next steps within each working package and connecting with each other. During their visit, the OBCD partners also had the opportunity to learn more about the development of the social and solidarity economy in the city of Barcelona by meeting different local foundations and non-profit organisations, including Aura Foundation, Mescladís Foundation and Grup ECOS.        The Aura Foundation shared its experience as a social enterprise helping to improve the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities through social and labour inclusion. After the first day of presentations, the OBCD partners had the pleasure to have a multicultural dining experience at Mescladís Foundation, a non-profit organisation contributing to fast track integration of migrants in the labor market, in the HORECA value chain, and in its own restaurant. Here, the food was an explosion of colors and flavors and the hospitality was impeccable. On the second day, they visited Grup ECOS, a social economy hub consisting of companies that aim to be an alternative to the current socio-economic model. While having different organisational structures, strategies and goals, all these organisations shared common needs for a bottom up approach to foster community development, inclusion of disadvantaged categories in the local economy, access to more funding opportunities, recognition and support from local, regional and national authorities. With this field trip, the OBCD partners could also answer these timely questions: how can the OBCD project respond to the needs of these organisations? How can the Open Business Model foster community development? Learning more about different local realities, but also their challenges and short-term and long-term objectives was extremely useful to fine tune and tailor the OBCD (present and future) research activities and outputs to the growing needs of the social enterprise sector. The main takeaway from this two-day trip is that the social and solidarity economy should be the norm and not the exception. A special thanks goes to all the OBCD partners who constantly work together to make this possible.  Thank you to La Cámara de Comercio Italiana-Barcelona for organising and hosting the second OBCD transnational meeting.    

In EntreComp, The Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, produced by the Joint Research Centre, the European Commission’s in-house science service, it is pointed out that the development of the entrepreneurial capacity of European citizens and organizations has been one of the key policy objectives for the EU and Member States for many years. Globally, EntreComp was born in 2016 with the aim of being a tool to improve the entrepreneurial capacity of European citizens and organizations. The model is very well known, consisting of 3 competence areas, 15 competences, an 8-level progression model and a comprehensive list of 442 learning outcomes. It was elaborated by a high-level research team developing a methodology structured in 12 steps. This commitment of the European Commission is generic, trying to integrate all the contexts in which entrepreneurial competence is important, from the commercial to the non-profit sphere. This versatility, which is EntreComp’s main strength, has as a possible negative consequence the impossibility of responding to the singularities of each sector, with key competences in certain sectors that are excluded from the EntreComp framework. For this reason, the Open Business for Community Development (OBCD) project team has conducted research that looks into the competences needed specifically in social enterprises and open business processes, in line with the project main objectives. Social enterprises do work in a special environment. For example, if compared to traditional for-profit enterprises, social enterprises rely more often on several separate funding sources. Social enterprises also vary in their business model: there are non-profit associations, foundations, co-operatives as well as corporations. Sometimes consortiums of social enterprises mix these different types of business models, making it more challenging for leaders of social enterprises to understand different types of taxation, legalities and business strategies.  Most importantly, social enterprises are driven by social and/or environmental missions. Strategic thinking in social enterprises requires understanding complex societal and environmental issues and how they are handled in the public policies. It is also important to understand how a social enterprise can effectively participate in that policy work. The ethics of social enterprises require participation and openness at all levels, unlike most traditional for-profit enterprises. These complexities and many others are hard to see in the EntreComp, which is widely used across Europe in schools, universities and career coaching services. Should social enterprises have their own SEntreComp? Which competencies and skills should include? The OBCD team values your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us at info@obcdproject.eu or on LinkedIn.