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/

All’interno di EntreComp, il Quadro europeo delle competenze imprenditoriali, prodotto dal Centro Comune di Ricerca, il servizio della Commissione europea per la scienza e la conoscenza, si evidenzia come lo sviluppo della capacità imprenditoriale dei cittadini e delle organizzazioni europee sia da molti anni uno degli obiettivi politici chiave per l’UE e gli Stati membri. A livello globale, EntreComp è nato nel 2016 con l’obiettivo di migliorare la capacità imprenditoriale dei cittadini e delle organizzazioni europee. Il modello è molto conosciuto e consiste in 3 aree di competenza, 15 competenze, lungo un modello di progressione a 8 livelli e proporne una lista completo di 442 risultati di apprendimento. È stato elaborato da un gruppo di ricerca di alto livello che ha sviluppato una metodologia strutturata in 12 fasi. L’impegno della Commissione europea è trasversale e cerca di integrare tutti i contesti in cui la competenza imprenditoriale è importante, dall’ambito commerciale a quello non profit. Questa versatilità, che è il principale punto di forza di EntreComp, ha come possibile conseguenza negativa l’impossibilità di rispondere alle peculiarità di ogni settore, con competenze chiave in alcuni settori che sono escluse dal quadro di EntreComp. Per questo motivo, il team del progetto di Open Business for Community Development (OBCD) ha condotto una ricerca che analizza le competenze necessarie specificamente nelle imprese sociali e nei processi di open business, in linea con gli obiettivi principali del progetto. Le imprese sociali lavorano in un ambiente particolare. Ad esempio, rispetto alle imprese tradizionali a scopo di lucro, le imprese sociali fanno più spesso affidamento su diverse fonti di finanziamento. Le imprese sociali variano anche nel loro modello di business: ci sono associazioni no-profit, fondazioni, cooperative e società. A volte i consorzi di imprese sociali mescolano questi diversi tipi di modelli di business, rendendo più impegnativa per i manager delle imprese sociali la comprensione dei diversi tipi di tassazione, delle legalità e delle strategie commerciali. Le imprese sociali sono inoltre guidate da missioni sociali e/o ambientali. Il pensiero strategico nelle imprese sociali richiede la comprensione di complesse questioni sociali e ambientali e di come queste sono gestite nelle politiche pubbliche. È anche importante capire come un’impresa sociale possa partecipare efficacemente alla dimensione politica. L’etica delle imprese sociali richiede partecipazione e apertura a tutti i livelli, a differenza della maggior parte delle imprese tradizionali a scopo di lucro. Le imprese sociali dovrebbero avere un proprio SEntreComp? Quali competenze e abilità dovrebbero includere? Fateci sapere cosa ne pensi! Condividete le vostre idee con noi su info@obcdproject.eu o su LinkedIn.

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.

Il 27-28 marzo 2023, i partner di OBCD si sono incontrati a Barcellona, in Spagna, per il secondo incontro transnazionale del progetto. I due giorni sono stati dedicati alla presentazione di una panoramica dei primi mesi di attività del progetto, alla discussione, alla condivisione dei principali risultati e dei prossimi passi all’interno di ciascun pacchetto di lavoro ed alla collaborazione tra i partner. Durante la loro visita, i partner dell’OBCD hanno avuto anche l’opportunità di conoscere meglio lo sviluppo dell’economia sociale e solidale nella città di Barcellona, incontrando diverse fondazioni e organizzazioni no-profit locali, tra cui la Fondazione Aura, la Fondazione Mescladís e Grup ECOS.  La Fondazione Aura ha condiviso la sua esperienza di impresa sociale che contribuisce a migliorare la qualità della vita delle persone con disabilità intellettiva attraverso l’inclusione sociale e lavorativa. Dopo il primo giorno di presentazioni, i partner di OBCD hanno avuto il piacere di vivere un’esperienza culinaria multiculturale presso la Fondazione Mescladís, un’organizzazione no-profit che contribuisce all’integrazione dei migranti nel mercato del lavoro, nella catena del valore HORECA e nel proprio ristorante. Il cibo è stato un’esplosione di colori e sapori e l’ospitalità impeccabile. Il secondo giorno i partner hanno fatto una visita al Grup ECOS, un polo di economia sociale composto da aziende che si propongono come alternativa all’attuale modello socio-economico. Pur avendo strutture organizzative, strategie e obiettivi diversi, tutte queste organizzazioni hanno condiviso le esigenze comuni di un approccio dal basso verso l’alto per promuovere lo sviluppo della comunità, l’inclusione delle categorie svantaggiate nell’economia locale, l’accesso a maggiori opportunità di finanziamento, il riconoscimento e il sostegno da parte delle autorità locali, regionali e nazionali. Con queste visite tecniche sul campo, i partner di OBCD hanno potuto riflettere su domande chiave: come può il progetto OBCD rispondere alle esigenze di queste organizzazioni? In che modo il modello di Open Business può favorire lo sviluppo della comunità? Conoscere meglio le diverse realtà locali, ma anche le loro sfide e gli obiettivi a breve e lungo termine è stato estremamente utile per mettere a punto e adattare le attività e i risultati della ricerca OBCD (presente e futura) alle crescenti esigenze del settore dell’impresa sociale. Il principale risultato di questo viaggio di due giorni è che l’economia sociale e solidale dovrebbe essere la norma e non l’eccezione. Un ringraziamento speciale va a tutti i partner di OBCD che collaborano costantemente per rendere possibile tutto questo. .  Grazie alla Camera di Commercio Italiana-Barcelona per aver organizzato e ospitato il secondo incontro transnazionale di OBCD.