Month: June 2026

2026 Report of the European Projects Hub for the Social Economy Published

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

€9.4 million attracted at European level, including over €2.7 million in direct impact on the local territory: Turin consolidates its role as a European laboratory for social innovation thanks to the Hub promoted within the Torino Social Impact ecosystem.

Over 100 organisations involved, 44 European project applications developed, 15 projects funded by the European Commission, €9.4 million secured at European level and more than €2.7 million in direct benefits for the local area.

These are some of the results achieved by the European Projects Hub for the Social Economy, the initiative developed in 2023 by Torino Social Impact in co-design with WECO Impresa Sociale, with the support of the Turin Chamber of Commerce and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo. The Hub aims to strengthen the capacity of the Turin ecosystem to access European funding and contribute to the development of the social economy.

Today, the Hub represents a territorial point of reference for third sector organisations, social enterprises, cooperatives, and organisations committed to generating social impact, offering tools, expertise and qualified support in European project design.

The initiative is part of the framework of the most recent European policies supporting the social economy, from the Social Economy Action Plan to the Recommendation of the Council of the European Union on developing social economy framework conditions, as well as the implementation processes launched at national and local level.

“The goal of the Hub is not only to encourage participation in European calls for proposals, but to build a shared and lasting project design capacity, capable of generating new opportunities, international relations and resources for the territory,” explain the initiative’s promoters.

Through workshops, capacity-building activities, personalised support pathways and a methodology based on peer learning, the Hub has delivered 62 hours of shared learning and supported the growth of project design skills within the Torino Social Impact ecosystem.

A distinctive feature of the initiative is its roster of European project designers: a community made up of 70 professionals from across Europe and specialised in the main European programmes. The roster is not only an operational tool supporting project applications, but also a permanent space for collaboration and exchange between project designers and organisations.

The Hub’s activity has also fostered the creation of an international network composed of 84 partners from 17 European countries, helping to expand the European dimension of the Turin ecosystem.

Its development is guided by a Steering Committee established in 2024 and composed of five strategic local institutions: the Turin Chamber of Commerce, the City of Turin, the Metropolitan City of Turin, the University of Turin and Politecnico di Torino, within the framework of Torino Social Impact.

Among the innovative tools promoted by the Hub is the “Seal of Excellence”, an initiative supported by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo that recognises high-quality projects which were not funded by the European Commission due to the exhaustion of available resources, preventing the loss of high-potential skills and ideas.

The results achieved confirm the growing role of the social economy as a driver of innovation and territorial development, while strengthening Turin’s positioning as a European laboratory for experimentation and collaboration among the public sector, private sector and third sector.

Looking ahead, the Hub will be called upon to support organisations in navigating increasingly complex and strategic European programmes, while continuing to make European opportunities accessible also to small and medium-sized organisations. This challenge intersects with the new European programming cycle, the growing focus on impact measurement and the technological and social transformations that are reshaping the European landscape.

Discover the report

Turin Towards Net Zero: Companies as Co-Protagonists of the Climate City Contract

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

On Monday, June 15, the meeting of the Circular Economy Community of Practice took place at Urban Lab Torino, under the title “From Impact to Net Zero: The Role of the Social and Circular Economy in the Climate Transition.”

The event, organised together with the City of Turin, NetZeroCities and Fondazione Piemonte Innova, explored the Municipality’s strategies to support the territory on its path towards climate neutrality, with a focus on the role that companies, third sector organisations, associations, foundations and startups can play as co-protagonists of a systemic, territorial and shared transformation.

At the centre of the meeting was the Climate City Contract, the tool through which Turin participates in the European Mission 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030, promoted by the European Commission to support 100 pilot cities in achieving climate neutrality by 2030.

The city’s plan starts from a baseline year, 2019, and from a very precise objective: reducing CO2 emissions by 85.2% by 2030, acting on a total volume of 2,396,907 tonnes. The pathway is structured around 31 strategic actions, 27 of which are dedicated to the direct reduction of emissions and 4 to absorption.

The priority actions are organised around several macro-areas: buildings and energy, mobility and transport, waste and circular economy, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. Projects already underway include EfficienTO, the energy efficiency plan for municipal buildings developed through a public-private partnership with Iren; the CACER Desk, supporting Renewable Energy Communities; the construction of Metro Line 2; the renewal of the local public transport fleet with new electric buses; and interventions on parks, hillside forests, riverbanks and urban tree-lined avenues.

A section of the meeting was dedicated to the role of the circular economy, with particular attention to the opportunities for local organisations to contribute to emissions reduction through models of reuse, recycling, eco-design and more efficient resource management.

The Climate City Contract is not a call for proposals, nor a regulatory obligation or a bureaucratic certification. It is a voluntary, concrete and verifiable commitment, open to organisations carrying out projects within the Municipality of Turin: actions already implemented since 2019, ongoing activities, or interventions to be carried out by 2030.

Within this process, Fondazione Piemonte Innova manages the labelling process and the participation opportunities connected to the Climate City Contract, supporting interested organisations in the different forms of engagement.

Organisations can participate through two levels of involvement, linked to the Torino Green Light label: Member, for those implementing actions to reduce climate-altering emissions, even when the impact has not yet been directly quantified according to standard methodologies; and Partner, for those presenting actions whose impact has already been quantified or can be quantified through technical data useful for assessment.

The data collected will be entered into the CLICC platform, developed by Politecnico di Torino and enabled by the Energy Center, and must be complete, consistent and verifiable. Alongside more infrastructure-based interventions, actions such as energy optimisation software and environmental training and information activities aimed at employees, citizens and target audiences are also valued.

During the meeting, several case studies were also presented as concrete examples of how the circular economy can be applied in different contexts: from the installation of filtered water dispensers to reduce plastic use, to the operational rental of refurbished devices to reduce electronic waste, and the recovery and redistribution of leftover food from events through agreements between third sector organisations and local distributors.

The day concluded with the workshop “Simulate Your Climate City Action,” during which the participating organisations, divided into working tables, experimented with the development of possible pilot projects. The simulation followed the steps of the actual application process: technical description of the action, identification of the relevant macro-area, definition of timing and investments, analysis of co-benefits, and assessment of expected impact.

The final feedback session highlighted several areas of work that are particularly relevant for the territory, including urban greenery, reuse, energy efficiency and technological innovation. The exchange confirmed the potential of the Community of Practice as a space for collective learning and activation, capable of bringing together companies, institutions and social economy organisations to make a concrete contribution to the city’s climate transition.

PLACEMAKING IN FARINI: the crowdfunding project to improve Corso Farini

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

Stratosferica, a Turin-based social enterprise that promotes and shares urban culture, is launching PLACEMAKING IN FARINI, a new crowdfunding campaign to support the care of public space in the Corso Farini area.

The civic activation project focuses on the green area located between the Luigi Einaudi Campus and the former gasometers, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of placemaking and urban greenery through workshops and educational activities. These include the Urban Furniture Self-Building Workshop, designed for students and young people under 35, and the Urban Gardening Workshop, aimed at children aged 6 to 13.

The initiative is made possible thanks to +Risorse, the crowdfunding programme promoted by Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT. Contributions can be made by visiting the project page on the Eppela platform.

There is time until 3:00 PM on Tuesday, July 28 to support the project. Even a small donation can help bring new value to this space and generate new forms of participation.

Iveco Group Beyond Lab: a new call for start-ups on ‘Advanced AI & Computer Vision for Smart Manufacturing’

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

After a first successful call for start-ups, a second thematic challenge, titled ‘Advanced AI & Computer Vision for Smart Manufacturing’, is now open for applications from 8th June to 17th July 2026.

On March 2026, Iveco Group and the Innovative Companies Incubator of Politecnico di Torino (I3P) presented a new open innovation platform, Beyond Lab, aimed at connecting start-ups and innovative SMEs to unlock breakthrough technologies and transform bold ideas into real-world solutions for the transport industry.

The focus of the new challenge

The manufacturing sector is rapidly evolving thanks to the growing maturity of artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision. These technologies make it possible to monitor human work, production activities and workstation conditions in an objective and continuous way, supporting safer, more efficient and more data‑driven factories.

Recent advancements in computer vision–based posture analysis demonstrate how AI can help identify ergonomic risks more accurately and adapt to dynamic industrial environments, improving workers safety and operational performance. At the same time, modern motion‑classification and pose‑estimation algorithms greatly enhance the precision and speed of time‑and‑method evaluations, enabling automated, reliable analysis of complex manual tasks.

Additionally, continuous activity‑monitoring solutions powered by AI provide long‑term visibility on movement patterns, bottlenecks and layout inefficiencies, supporting lean transformation and sustained productivity improvements across industrial plants.

The needs for innovation

Through Beyond Lab, Iveco Group is seeking start-ups and innovative SMEs offering AI and computer vision–based solutions to support three priority areas within its manufacturing environment:

  • Ergonomics & Safety Monitoring. Solutions enabling: continuous monitoring of worker posture and ergonomics; detection of risky movements (e.g., wrist hyperextension, awkward bending); measurement of ergonomic indicators aligned with industrial standards.
  • Time & Method Analysis. Solutions that: automate methods‑time measurement (MTM), time studies, and work analysis; use pose estimation, motion classification and activity tracking; provide objective, repeatable, real‑time process measurement.
  • Quality Inspection & Process Control. Solutions including: computer vision for inline or end‑of‑line defect detection; AI classification and anomaly detection on components or assemblies; sensorless inspection through cameras and image analytics; tools supporting predictive and preventive quality strategies.

An opportunity to make a difference

Submitting a project to Beyond Lab and collaborating with Iveco Group offers the unique opportunity to make a difference in the transport industry, with a global leader active in over 160 countries.

Applicants presenting the most promising solutions will have the opportunity to pitch their proposals, then, the selected applications will be guided through a co-creation journey to explore how the team of Beyond Lab can concretely bring the proposed technology into the Group’s products or services.

The new open innovation challenge ‘Advanced AI & Computer Vision for Smart Manufacturing’ is online and open for proposals: project applications must be submitted by 17th July 2026 on Beyond Lab’s website. After the closing date, Iveco Group will evaluate each proposal with the support of I3P.

Bench-Mark | Ep. 109 – Fondazione Don Mario Operti

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

In this new episode of Bench-Mark, we interview Antonio Sansone, Secretary General of Fondazione Don Mario Operti, established at the initiative of the Archdiocese of Turin and active in the city and across Piedmont in supporting people facing difficulty.

The Foundation works on labour market inclusion, temporary housing, access to credit, training, humanitarian reception and the fight against educational poverty.

One example is the project developed with Gruppo Torinese Trasporti: a programme combining selection, training and financial support to obtain a driver’s licence, which led to 60 permanent hires.

Interview by Francesco Antonioli.

Filmed and edited by Riccardo Quaglio.

Watch all past episodes of Bench-Mark here.

Digital News Report Italia 2026: informing to rebuild trust

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Presented on June 16, 2026, the new edition of the report produced by the Master in Giornalismo “Giorgio Bocca” of the University of Turin is now available. Torino Social Impact contributed with a focus on journalism as a democratic infrastructure in the era of the impact economy.

The Digital News Report Italia 2026 is now available. Produced by the Master in Giornalismo “Giorgio Bocca” of the University of Turin, the report provides an in-depth analysis of the Italian context within the Digital News Report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford.

The third edition offers a complex picture of the Italian information ecosystem. Interest in news and trust in information continue to weaken: 34% of the Italian public say they are very or extremely interested in news, while trust stands at 32%. At the same time, news consumption remains frequent: 57% access journalistic information several times a day.

The report therefore frames the current challenge as a shift from a crisis of attention to a crisis of relationship. The public has not disappeared: it is more distant, more selective and increasingly mediated by platforms, algorithms, creators and artificial intelligence tools. For news organisations, the challenge is not only to be present in these digital environments, but also to make their value recognisable when the first encounter with a news story happens elsewhere.

One of the new areas explored in the 2026 edition is the role of creators and newsfluencers: 36% of respondents say they accessed news from creators or influencers in the previous week. This points to a demand for clearer, more direct and more engaging information, while also highlighting the need to preserve recognisable boundaries between journalism, entertainment and platform-driven content.

The findings on payments also reveal an important transformation. Willingness to pay for news remains limited, but among those who do pay, continuing subscriptions and motivations connected to a credible journalistic project are becoming more significant. Paying for news is not only about buying an information product: it is also about recognising the value of a subject that is perceived as trustworthy.

Torino Social Impact contributed to the report with the focus “Journalism and impact: information as a democratic infrastructure – Informing to rebuild trust”. Raffaella Scalisi, Senior Advisor of TSI, reflects on information as a driver of democratic participation, media literacy and trust-building, starting from the relationship between journalism, the impact economy and the social economy.

From this perspective, bringing journalism closer to place-based organisations – social enterprises, third sector organisations, hybrid organisations and territorial networks – can generate impact on multiple levels: drawing attention to transformative responses to social challenges, making the narrative around marginalisation more complete and constructive, including often excluded voices in the public debate, and strengthening people’s ability to navigate today’s media environment.

The contribution is part of a broader joint path developed by Torino Social Impact and the Master, and further strengthened through the Impact Journalism Spring Lab, an advanced training and professional exchange programme on impact journalism held in Turin in May 2025.

The full report is available on the website of the Master in Giornalismo “Giorgio Bocca” of the University of Turin: read the Digital News Report Italia 2026.

Sustainability goes digital: Amapola supports Sloweb APS

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Amapola strengthens its commitment to the responsible use of technology by supporting the association that promotes culture, awareness and participation in the use of the web, AI and IT tools.

At a time when artificial intelligence is profoundly reshaping work, relationships, access to knowledge and decision-making processes, digital technology must also become sustainable. Against this increasingly urgent backdrop, Amapola Società Benefit is becoming a supporter of Sloweb APS, an association committed to promoting the responsible use of IT tools, the web and Internet applications.

The impact of technology has become a central issue in public and social debate, and was recently addressed in an Encyclical dedicated to the relationship between artificial intelligence and the human person. In this context, the new collaboration stems from a shared commitment to helping build a culture of sustainability that also embraces the digital dimension. This is an area that affects every company, institution and community: from data security to technostress, from the energy consumption of data centres to service accessibility, from the impact on the evolution of professions to the ethical questions raised by artificial intelligence.

Two complementary paths

Amapola is a sustainability consultancy that, since 2009, has supported companies and organisations in developing strategies and projects that make sustainability tangible, understandable and shared with stakeholders. Amapola became a Società Benefit in 2021 and, through its common benefit objectives, is committed to promoting a culture of sustainability across all areas.

Sloweb APS promotes a responsible, conscious and participatory approach to digital technology, software development and IT infrastructure. Through outreach, awareness-raising, training, advisory activities and publications, the association is a point of reference in Italy for those seeking to explore the environmental, social and ethical impacts of technology.

The work of the two organisations is complementary: Amapola brings its expertise in ESG pathways, responsible communication and stakeholder engagement; Sloweb contributes specific knowledge of digital sustainability and a network of professionals committed to spreading more conscious practices in the use and development of technology.

The digital world is material

Talking about digital sustainability means recognising that even what appears to be immaterial has a concrete weight. According to Sloweb, the ICT sector is responsible for almost 4% of global CO₂ emissions, while data centres and networks are expected to account for up to 10% of global electricity demand. But the impact of digital technology is not only environmental. It also concerns accessibility, with 60% of websites in Italy failing to meet the minimum requirements for people with visual impairments; wellbeing, with around 40% of digital workers experiencing technostress; and data security and governance, in a European context that, between 2025 and 2026, recorded an average of 443 notified data breaches per day.

Digital sustainability therefore introduces the principle of responsibility into the production, management and use of technology, encompassing hardware, software, IT services and everyday practices. It is an approach that considers all three ESG dimensions: environmental, with a focus on emissions, circularity and e-waste; social, with attention to accessibility, equity and wellbeing; and governance, in relation to digital sovereignty, security, privacy and ethics.

Technology, people and the common good

“Artificial intelligence is bringing into the present a question we can no longer postpone: what idea of progress do we want to build?” says Luca Valpreda, Founder of Amapola. “Sustainability can no longer be limited to production processes, energy or raw materials. Today, it is deeply connected to the way we use data, platforms, algorithms and digital tools. Supporting Sloweb means strengthening an approach that brings together responsibility, critical thinking and care for people. Because if digital technology, which now occupies an essential place in our lives, is to be truly sustainable, it must remain understandable, governable and oriented towards the common good”.

“The use of digital technologies is now strategic and essential in almost every public and private activity, not only in the innovation and technology sector, but across all business areas,” says Pietro Jarre, one of the founders of Sloweb APS. “It must be understood, designed and governed consciously by those who do business, and examined as an already significant chapter — one that is set to become increasingly crucial — in sustainability policies. Artificial intelligence has only accelerated and amplified this impact. This is why, as Sloweb APS, we promote digital sustainability and believe in the value of collaborating with organisations that have strong sustainability expertise, in order to make our philosophy concrete. We are confident that public attention to this issue will grow significantly in the coming years”.

From awareness to action

Amapola’s support for Sloweb APS reflects a commitment to helping spread a culture of digital sustainability that can speak to companies, institutions, communities and individuals. A culture that does not separate innovation from responsibility, but holds them together: from awareness of the environmental footprint of technology to the promotion of more measured and accessible digital behaviours, from data governance to training on the ethical and productive use of AI.

From this perspective, the dialogue between Amapola and Sloweb may also become a practical form of support for organisations that want to assess their level of digital maturity, define policies and guidelines, train their people, reduce the environmental impacts of their tools and integrate digital responsibility into their ESG strategies. It is a path that starts with culture and awareness and moves towards concrete action, without losing sight of the key point: recognising the impact of digital technologies across all dimensions of sustainability.

Valentino Park Becomes an Open-Air Orchestra as Children Explore the City Through Body Percussion

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

Imagine a park that stops being just a green space and becomes a classroom without walls. Imagine the sound of hands clapping turning into music, feet marking the rhythm on the ground, and the city transforming into a map to be explored through play.

This is the vision behind The City Is a Game (of Sounds), a project developed by Heimat Academy and selected as part of La Bella Stagione 2026 — the summer programme promoted by the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, which brings together schools, institutions and local organisations to offer children and young people an inclusive and socially engaging summer experience.

The idea is simple yet powerful: using rhythm as a compass to explore urban space.

Beyond the Traditional Summer Camp: The Body as an Instrument

The first participants to experience this approach were children from the Natale del Signore Parish Youth Centre, who spent a morning exploring the pathways of Valentino Park. There are no desks and no traditional lessons. Instead, the project revolves around body percussion, where the body itself becomes the first musical instrument available to everyone. Through movement games, pulse exercises and listening activities, children aged 6 to 13 learn to connect with one another and with the environment around them.

But the project is about much more than making music.

A significant part of the work focuses on rediscovering the territory itself. Long before the activities began, Heimat Academy educators carried out extensive site visits throughout Valentino Park, identifying hidden passages, unexpected viewpoints and small details capable of sparking curiosity and imagination. Walking, orienting oneself, listening to both silence and urban sounds: urban exploration is not merely the setting for the activities, but one of the project’s core learning tools.

The Wonder of Small Discoveries

The first sessions have already produced memorable moments for participants: close encounters with the horses that inhabit the park, watching boats slowly glide along the River Po, and discovering green corners that many adults pass by every day without noticing. These experiences confirm a simple idea: some of the most meaningful forms of education emerge when we learn to look at familiar places with fresh eyes. The project, which is entirely free of charge, will continue throughout the summer, welcoming groups from summer camps, associations and parish organisations across Turin. Thanks to the collaboration with the Museum Pass Association (Associazione Abbonamento Musei), every participant will also receive a Junior Museum Pass, encouraging further cultural exploration beyond the boundaries of the park itself.

At a time when public spaces are often experienced passively, The City Is a Game (of Sounds) demonstrates how a shift in perspective — combined with a good rhythm — can transform an ordinary summer morning into an experience of active citizenship, creativity and shared discovery.

Keeping Housing Affordable: Italy’s First Community Land Trust Comes to Turin

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

The collaboration with Futura News continues, bringing new insights into the Torino Social Impact ecosystem through the perspective of emerging journalists.

The latest article in Visione Futura, the column developed in collaboration with Futura News, explores Italy’s first Community Land Trust: an innovative housing model currently taking shape in Turin’s Aurora neighbourhood, at Corso Giulio Cesare 34.

At the heart of the project is CLT Terreno Comune, a participatory foundation established in 2024 together with the Fondazione di Comunità Porta Palazzo, the sociale enterprise CO-ABITARE, and the Comitato di Cittadini CLT Corso Giulio 34. Its goal is to experiment with a new approach to housing access based on collective land ownership and the sale of homes at below-market prices that will remain affordable over time.

Through the testimony of Karl Kraehmer, President of CLT Terreno Comune, the article explores how the model works, its origins in the U.S. civil rights movement, and its potential as a tool to counter gentrification, promote participatory governance, and strengthen the relationship between residents, neighbourhoods, and the public interest.

Article by Alexandra Onofreiasa.

Read on Futura News

It’s Not (Only) AI That Makes the Difference: ENAIP Piemonte Brings the Conversation on Future Skills to Turin

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

On June 18, 2026, at the NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano Hotel, ENAIP Piemonte will host a free event for HR managers, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers from Piedmontese SMEs to explore how organisations can navigate the changes brought by artificial intelligence without losing sight of people.

Today, the companies that grow and thrive are not necessarily the largest or the most technologically advanced. They are the ones that adapt most quickly, integrating innovation while preserving process quality and recognising the value of the people behind them.

This awareness is at the heart of “It’s Not (Only) AI That Makes the Difference”, the event organised by ENAIP Piemonte ETS, taking place on Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 2:15 PM to 6:00 PM at the NH Collection Torino Santo Stefano Hotel, Via Porta Palatina 19, Turin.

A Moment of Reflection for Piedmontese SMEs

Many companies are grappling with a simple yet complex question: how can technological innovation be integrated while keeping people and job quality at the centre?

The event aims to create a space for discussion around this challenge through expert insights, corporate case studies, and networking opportunities designed for professionals responsible for guiding organisational growth and transformation.

Key Topics of the Day

Throughout the afternoon, participants will explore some of the most pressing issues for HR, learning, and organisational development professionals:

  • How to integrate AI into business processes in a sustainable and effective way;
  • Which skills are becoming increasingly strategic for HR functions and organisations as a whole;
  • How to reduce friction, inefficiencies, and knowledge loss within companies;
  • The cultural and ethical risks associated with the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence;
  • Practical tools and roadmaps for managing change effectively.

The common thread running through the event is a shared understanding: the real challenge is not introducing AI into organisations, but enabling people, processes, and organisational culture to evolve at the same pace as technology.

The Programme

The event will begin at 2:15 PM with registration and welcome activities, followed by the official opening at 2:45 PM by Matteo Faggioni, Director of ENAIP Piemonte ETS.

The programme will then continue with a dialogue featuring Giovanni Bocchieri, Director for Education, Training and Employment of the Piedmont Region, and Raffaele Saccà, member of the Strategic Direction Committee for Strategy and Business Development at Fondimpresa. Together, they will open an institutional and strategic discussion on skills development and territorial growth.

Who Should Attend

The event is designed for professionals responsible for people development, organisational growth, and innovation, including:

  • HR Managers;
  • Learning & Development Managers;
  • HR Specialists focused on training and development;
  • Entrepreneurs and SME owners;
  • Organisation and innovation managers;
  • Decision-makers involved in workforce skills development.

How to Participate

Participation is free of charge but subject to registration.

To ensure a high-quality exchange among participants, registration requests will be reviewed and confirmed by the organisers. Following registration, each participant will receive an email confirming the status of their accreditation and providing access information.

Places are limited, and many companies from across Piedmont have already confirmed their participation. Registration requests will be accepted until 1:00 PM on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

To register, please visit the event page on Eventbrite: It’s Not (Only) AI That Makes the Difference – Registration.

VANNI Donates an Artwork to the Ophthalmology Department of Turin’s Mauriziano Hospital

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The artwork “Formeacolori” by Giorgia Allisio, winner of the 2025 edition of the “Eyes and Vision” Award, has been donated to the Ophthalmology Department of Turin’s Mauriziano Hospital, for the benefit of patients awaiting treatment.

On June 10, the Mauriziano Hospital celebrated the donation of Formeacolori, an artwork by Giorgia Allisio and winner of the third edition of the Eyes and Vision Award, a competition born from the collaboration between the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts of Turin and the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Optics and Optometry of the University of Turin, promoted and supported by VANNI Eyewear.

Artists and scientists came together for an art project: the award involved selected students from the Chromatology course at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts of Turin (Prof. Viola Barovero). The young artists were invited to create an artwork dedicated to the themes of light, vision, and color, following an introductory interdisciplinary lecture developed in collaboration with the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Optics and Optometry at the University of Turin (Prof. Silvio Maffioletti and Dr. Claudia Colandrea).

This unique and original opportunity for exchange centered on the theme of vision brought future artists and future optometrists into the same classroom, combining the scientific and optometric perspective with the artistic one. The goal was to give shape and expression to these ideas through an artwork intended to be donated to a healthcare institution in Turin—this year, the historic Mauriziano Hospital.

The unveiling of the artwork held particular significance due to its placement at the entrance of the Ophthalmology Department, a space frequented by patients awaiting consultations and by their family members and caregivers. This audience, especially attentive and sensitive to the subject of sight, invites us to reflect on the therapeutic value that art can bring to healthcare environments.

For the past 15 years, VANNI has supported emerging young artists and, through this project dedicated to the themes of vision and the eyes, promotes the idea of visual well-being that goes beyond simply wearing high-quality, durable eyewear. The project broadens the perspective to embrace the positive impact that art can have in unexpected settings, such as hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Benefit Corporations and Territorial Development: Experiences in Dialogue at Genoa’s Blue Festival

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

On June 11, as part of the activities of the Genoa Blue District, the conference “Towards a Regenerative Blue Economy: The Role of Benefit Corporations” took place in Genoa. Torino Social Impact participated in the panel discussion “Benefit Corporations as a Driver of Territorial Development.”

The event, organised in collaboration with SiCamera, the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, the Municipality of Genoa, and the Genoa Blue District, is part of a broader programme of information and training initiatives designed to support companies and professionals in the establishment and management of Benefit Corporations. The programme was launched by the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy together with Unioncamere and the Italian chamber system.

The conference was held within the framework of the Blue Festival, an event dedicated to climate, oceans, and biodiversity. Conceived as a space for bringing together diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences, the festival explores both the challenges posed by the climate crisis and the solutions currently being developed through workshops, documentaries, laboratories, gaming experiences, meetings with innovative startups, conferences, talks, and opportunities for dialogue and civic engagement.

Within this context, the conference provided a valuable opportunity to explore how Benefit Corporations can become a driver of sustainable development for territories, businesses, and communities.

Following opening remarks from representatives of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy and the Genoa Blue District, the morning began with an overview of the Benefit Corporation model. Lucia Tacchino, representing the Genoa Association of Chartered Accountants and Accounting Experts, examined the regulatory framework, while Monica Onori of Si.Camera – Sistema Camerale Servizi presented an overview of the phenomenon at the national level.

The panel “Benefit Corporations as a Driver of Territorial Development” then showcased a range of territorial experiences and initiatives.

Giuseppe Colasurdo of NATIVA Srl Società Benefit — the first Benefit Corporation in Europe — presented data highlighting how Benefit Corporations consistently outperform traditional companies across both economic and organisational dimensions. The figures show stronger results in terms of revenue growth, internationalisation, patents, and average employee remuneration, confirming a business model capable of generating not only economic value, but also social and organisational value.

He also presented Roma Impresa Comune, a project promoted by the Department for Productive Activities and Equal Opportunities of the Municipality of Rome and implemented through Rome’s House of Emerging Technologies in collaboration with NATIVA. The initiative has contributed to a 15% increase in the number of Benefit Corporations operating in the Rome metropolitan area.

Representing Torino Social Impact, Lorena Di Maria shared the experience of the Communities of Practice: collaborative learning and exchange pathways involving partner organisations across the ecosystem. These initiatives aim to foster engagement, strengthen collaboration and networking among ecosystem actors, and develop strategic projects that reinforce the positioning of the collective Torino Social Impact brand.

Particular attention was given to the Benefit Corporations Community of Practice, launched in 2022, which has generated significant results in terms of peer learning and networking among partners, bringing together more than 70 companies within the network.

Raffaella Bruzzone, representing the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, then presented local projects and initiatives supporting sustainability. Among these was participation in the Enterprise Europe Network, established by the European Commission to support the growth of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. Comprising around 450 contact points across 58 countries, the network provides integrated services to help SMEs and other economic actors internationalise, strengthen their innovation and sustainability capacity, and navigate available funding opportunities.

The morning continued with the panel “A Visionary Company Has a Plan B: B for Benefit and Blue Economy”, dedicated to companies operating at the intersection of sustainability and the blue economy. Speakers included Fondazione Capellino /Almo Nature Benefit S.p.A., JAMIN Underwaterwines S.R.L. Società Benefit, OUTBE S.R.L. Società Benefit, Maiscadoras S.R.L. Società Benefit, Fenice Nautica S.R.L. S.A.P.A. Società Benefit and Grendi Holding S.p.A. Società Benefit.

The event concluded with an award ceremony recognising exemplary companies that successfully combine public-benefit objectives, environmental stewardship, and sustainable territorial development.

Overall, the conference provided an important opportunity to strengthen dialogue at the national level among institutions, businesses, and territories, while promoting the dissemination of models capable of combining competitiveness, sustainability, and positive impact.

Telling Impact Stories. The Benefit Report that Creates Value

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

On Thursday, June 11, the third 2026 meeting of the Benefit Corporation Community of Practice took place under the title “Telling Impact Stories. The Benefit Report that Creates Value.”

Hosted at Vol.To, the event brought together companies and professionals for an afternoon of discussion and co-design focused on the annual Benefit Impact Report—not merely a regulatory requirement, but a strategic tool for monitoring, communicating, and guiding an organisation’s value creation journey.

The initiative is part of the Benefit Corporations Community of Practice, developed in collaboration with Unione Industriali Torino and co-designed with the Benefit Corporations Amapola, BDFL Torino, Futura Law Firm, and Mercato Circolare, with the support of the Turin Chamber of Commerce and Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation.

Following opening remarks from Torino Social Impact delivered by Simona De Giorgio, Alice Umbrella of BDFL Torino provided an overview of the Benefit Corporation model and the annual Impact Report, outlining the regulatory framework introduced by Italian Law 208/2015.

As highlighted during the session, the Benefit Report serves simultaneously as a communication, transparency, and strategic planning tool. While legislation defines the information that must be reported—objectives and actions undertaken, assessment of the impact generated, and future goals—it leaves companies significant flexibility in how they structure their narrative and present their results. In this sense, the report also becomes a tool for organisational learning, offering a space to communicate transparently not only achievements, but also unmet objectives and the corrective actions taken in response.

The presentation also shared findings from the latest National Benefit Corporation Survey, highlighting how these companies outperform traditional businesses across several dimensions, including revenue growth, innovation capacity, internationalisation, job quality, and inclusive governance.

The second presentation, delivered by Sara Ferraiolo of WAMI, explored the main innovations introduced by the new B Corp Standards V2, illustrating the evolution of the certification framework and its increasing alignment with the European regulatory landscape on sustainability and anti-greenwashing measures.

Among the most significant changes discussed was the shift away from a model based solely on achieving an overall score toward a system of mandatory minimum requirements that must be met across all applicable assessment areas. This change requires organisations to strengthen their ability to collect evidence, ensure document traceability, and effectively manage internal processes.

The new standards are structured around seven core pillars:

  • Purpose and stakeholder governance;
  • Climate action;
  • Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion;
  • Fair work;
  • Human rights;
  • Environmental stewardship and circularity;
  • Government affairs and collective action.

This framework reflects a growing emphasis on rigorous impact measurement and on the credibility of corporate claims.

The second part of the meeting focused on the analysis of WAMI’s Impact Report, presented as a case study to share tools, methodologies, and best practices for drafting the document. For many of the organisations attending—particularly those preparing a Benefit Report for the first time—the opportunity to examine a real-world example proved invaluable in understanding how regulatory requirements can be translated into a clear, coherent narrative capable of generating strategic value.

The day concluded with a workshop session that directly engaged participants in addressing three common challenges in impact reporting: highlighting achievements, transparently communicating unmet objectives, and designing new public-benefit actions supported by appropriate monitoring indicators.

The final debrief showcased the diversity of approaches within the Community of Practice. Some groups favoured a strongly data-driven perspective focused on KPIs and measurable outcomes, while others emphasised qualitative dimensions, relationships, and listening to stakeholders. The discussion ultimately reinforced the value of the Community as a space for peer learning, bringing together different skills, languages, and perspectives to make impact increasingly measurable, credible, and transformative.

The future of impact takes the stage: 15 Startups at OGR Torino on 14 July

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

The 4th edition of Impact Deal closes with its Demo Day: an afternoon of pitches, insights and networking at one of Turin’s most vibrant innovation hubs.

Fifteen startups will take the stage to present the results of their acceleration journey: the partnerships built, the Proofs of Concept developed, and what comes next. Their solutions span AI for good, energy and climate, agrifood, health, mobility and infrastructure, all united by a shared commitment to positive impact on society and the environment.

The program

Impact Deal is founded by Fondazione CRT and OGR Torino, operationally managed by TOP-IX Consortium with the scientific support of ISI Foundation. Through its network of Data Club and Ecosystem partners,  including Torino Social Impact, the program operates at a European level to accelerate startups, scaleups, SMEs and non-profit organisations on a mission to drive meaningful change.

Join us on 14 July

OGR Torino, Binario 3 | 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

The event is open to anyone who wants to meet the innovators shaping the future. A networking aperitivo will follow offering the chance to connect with the startups, investors and partners in attendance.

Discover the 15 startups

Register for the event

To arrange an introductory meeting with one of the startups ahead of the Demo Day, please get in touch with the Impact Deal team at impactdeal@top-ix.org.

June 26, 2026 – Workshop “Data-Driven Stories: Data Visualisation Tools for Social Impact”

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

On 26 June 2026, from 10:00 to 13:00, as part of the European project DO Impact, the Italian partners Torino Social Impact, Fondazione Piemonte Innova and Tiresia Polimi will host the online workshop “Data-Driven Stories: Data Visualisation Tools for Social Impact”, an event designed for social economy organisations interested in strengthening their skills in the use and communication of data.

The workshop will provide an introduction to the fundamental principles of data visualisation, exploring its theoretical foundations, historical development and the main stages of the design process. Through the analysis of case studies and interactive discussions, participants will explore the role of data visualisation as a tool for interpreting complexity and communicating impact more effectively.

The second part of the workshop will focus on a hands-on session using RAWGraphs, an open-source platform for creating data visualisations. Participants will have the opportunity to experience the key stages of the visualisation process, from reading and understanding a dataset to selecting the most appropriate visual model and creating an effective graphical representation.

The workshop will be led by Elena Aversa, Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer in Information Design at the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano and the DensityDesign Lab. Her research focuses on misleading information visualisations and their communicative implications, with particular attention to participatory evaluation methodologies and Data, Media and Information Literacy (DMIL).

The initiative is part of the capacity-building programme of the European project DO Impact, which supports social economy organisations in developing digital and data-driven skills to enhance their social impact.

  • Date: 26 June 2026
  • Time: 10:00–13:00 (CEST)
  • Format: Online via Zoom

Consult the agenda

Register now

EUDR 2026: Turning Compliance into an Opportunity

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

The deadlines for the EUDR are now set: 30 December 2026 for large and medium-sized companies, and 30 June 2027 for micro and small enterprises.

Preparing for compliance means more than simply understanding the regulation. It means identifying your role within the value chain, collecting the right data, and building a compliance process that is traceable, operational, and defensible.

In this webinar, Francesca Leonelli and Mario Burrascano from UOMOeAMBIENTE, together with Gianluca Mazza from Feelera, will guide participants through a practical journey covering regulatory updates, the 2026 simplifications, and operational tools for managing EUDR compliance.

Whether you are a sustainability manager, compliance officer, procurement professional, quality manager, or supply chain specialist, this session will help you navigate:

  • what the EUDR actually requires;
  • the latest regulatory updates and simplifications;
  • roles and responsibilities across the supply chain;
  • the data needed to ensure compliance;
  • digital tools for managing traceability, documentation, and information flows;
  • the key steps to take in the coming months.

Because the EUDR is not just another declaration to complete: it represents a new way of managing products, suppliers, and data throughout the supply chain.

Join us online on LinkedIn on Thursday, June 18, at 4:30 PM.

Register here

Cooperative Innovation and Social Impact: Foncooper 2026 Launches to Support Regional Growth

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

The Piedmont Region, in collaboration with Finpiemonte, has launched Foncooper 2026, a strategic revolving fund worth €4.2 million aimed at strengthening the regional cooperative sector.

This initiative represents a concrete step towards reinforcing an ecosystem where economic innovation and social value go hand in hand, providing Piedmontese cooperatives with the tools they need to play a leading role in an inclusive and sustainable transition.

For the Torino Social Impact ecosystem, this measure offers a significant opportunity to combine accessible financial instruments with social, environmental, and employment impact objectives.

A Key Tool for Impact Entrepreneurship: Workers BuyOuts

Foncooper remains the main public instrument supporting Workers BuyOuts (WBOs), business recovery operations in which employees take over companies in crisis or ensure the continuity of productive activities through a cooperative model.

From an impact investing perspective, the scheme encourages these initiatives through specific provisions, including access to financing for newly established cooperatives that have not yet filed their first two financial statements. In doing so, it recognises and rewards workers’ capacity to safeguard employment and preserve local expertise and productive know-how.

Sustainability and Ecological Transition

In line with the challenges and opportunities facing the social entrepreneurship ecosystem, the programme supports investments aimed not only at business development but also at environmental sustainability.

Eligible projects include those focused on:

  • Improving climate and environmental performance;
  • Contributing to the circular bioeconomy and the efficient management of natural resources;
  • Enhancing energy efficiency and reducing emissions.

Financing Features

The scheme is designed as a form of “patient capital” for cooperatives and offers highly competitive financing conditions:

  • Coverage: up to 70% of eligible expenses;
  • Maximum amount: up to €2 million per project;
  • Preferential interest rate: equal to 25% of the European reference rate;
  • Duration: up to 8 years for movable assets and up to 12 years for real estate investments and fixed installations.

Eligible Beneficiaries

The measure is open to Piedmont-based SME cooperatives (excluding housing cooperatives) operating across various sectors, including the primary production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products.

To qualify, cooperatives must comply with the principle of prevailing mutuality or meet the mutualistic requirements established by the Italian Civil Code, reinforcing the social identity of the cooperative model.

How to Apply

The application window officially opens at 9:00 AM on 8 June 2026 and will remain open until 31 December 2026, unless available funds are exhausted earlier.

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis according to the order in which they are received.

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the online platform available on the Bandi Piemonte portal.

Further information

Italgas and I3P launch a new call for startups for the future of energy networks

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

The Italgas Group and the Innovative Companies Incubator of Politecnico di Torino (I3P) present a new initiative, entitled “Shaping the Future of Energy Networks“, to explore the national and international innovation ecosystem, with the aim of gathering and analysing advanced solutions and technologies capable of continuing to contribute to the digital transformation of energy infrastructures.

Technological innovation developed by research teams and young companies is indeed an important enabling factor for the further evolution of large infrastructures. The new calllaunched by Italgas and I3P, within the framework of the open innovation programme “Ideas 4 Italgas“ initiated in 2020, aims to identify project proposals capable of contributing to the strengthening of the resilience, intelligence and security of gas and water networks, as well as to the transition towards zero or low-emission energy systems, fostering digitalisation, operational efficiency, the integration of renewable gases and sustainable long-term decarbonisation models.

The opportunities of the initiative

The best candidate projects will have the opportunity to engage with Italgas and the Group’s subsidiaries, as well as to receive a range of potential benefits and support for their further development on the market.

Participation in the initiative offers, in fact, the possibility of obtaining resources from Italgas to develop a Proof-of-Concept (PoC), i.e. a first concrete application aimed at verifying the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed solution in the field; but also of benefiting from Italgas Mentorship, to explore the possible integration of the product or service into business processes, as well as of entering one of I3P’s incubation programs aimed at refining the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills necessary for the maturation of the project, supporting the search for external funding and fostering their networking.

The ultimate goal is to guide the most promising solutions towards progressive large-scale adoption within the Italgas Group, facilitating their validation in the sector.

The targets of the call

The call focuses on two main areas of interest. The first is “Resilient Grid“, solutions to make gas and water distribution networks smarter, safer and more resilient to external events and self-adaptive to operating conditions, through the use of both digital technologies – such as artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced sensors – and new construction methodologies. The second area, “Energy Transition“, encompasses the optimisation of resource use and the transition towards low-emission energy systems, enabling the development of decarbonisation technologies.

The initiative is open to working groups and incorporated companies. To be eligible, candidate projects must be at one of three stages of maturity: “Idea“, capable of being translated into a prototype by 2027; “MVP“, i.e. a prototype capable of opening new market segments and opportunities; “Products on the market“, meaning products and services already commercialised or ready for launch.

Participation in the initiative is free of charge: project applications, in Italian or English, must be submitted on the Ideas 4 Italgas website by the deadline of Friday, 31 July 2026. All applications received will be evaluated by October, and the final award ceremony for the winners will be held in Turin in November.

The collaboration of Italgas and I3P

“In recent years our Group has undergone a profound transformation, grounded in the digitalisation of assets, technological innovation and, of course, a concrete commitment to serving the energy transition”, said Leonardo Ambrosi, Group Innovation Officer at Italgas. “In this context, Open Innovation has established itself not only as an enabler of development, but as a strategic driver capable of accelerating change and generating value. With this new call, we further strengthen this approach, once again opening up dialogue with the external ecosystem to capture new ideas, expertise and solutions capable of contributing to the sustainable growth of the Italgas Group.”

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate once again with the Italgas Group, an international organisation that has placed technological evolution and a commitment to sustainability at the heart of its strategic vision”, commented Giuseppe Scellato, President of I3P. “This year too, as in 2021 and 2024, the open innovation initiative by Italgas and I3P will offer startups and teams of innovators a concrete opportunity for direct engagement with a major industry player, possibilities for joint experimentation and entrepreneurial growth, with the expert guidance of the incubator’s specialists.”

Skills in the Italian Third Sector. The new 2026 Report by the Job4Good Observatory

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

The seventh edition of the annual Report by the Job4Good Observatory, Skills in the Third Sector 2026, has been published. The research analyses the 2023–2025 period through 5,275 job postings on the platform from 1,057 Italian nonprofit organisations, for a total of 9,049 professional mentions. The methodology is based on behavioural data — what organisations write in job ads when they hire — rather than perception surveys: a choice that allows reading the actual demand of the sector.

Five key findings emerge from the three-year period:

1. Fundraising and Project Management lead 2025. Fundraising is the largest area in 2025 with 12.20% of mentions, with continuous growth (11.55% in 2023, 12.20% in 2025). Project Management ranks second at 11.69% and shows the sharpest growth: +2.01 percentage points in 2025 alone. Together they account for nearly a quarter of all 2025 mentions.

2. International cooperation loses its lead. The “Cooperante” area, the top one in 2023 with 13.17%, drops to 7.33% in 2025. The figure does not signal a contraction of the sector, but an internal recomposition of demand: fewer field profiles, more coordination and reporting roles.

3. Emerging skills: ESG quadruples, IT enters for the first time. Sustainability and ESG move from 0.20% in 2023 to 0.83% in 2025. IT, which was absent in 2023, reaches 0.73% in 2025. Still small shares in absolute terms, but meaningful as indicators of new skills demands the sector did not previously express.

4. Contract forms become more regular, but stability does not increase. Over the three-year period, fixed-term contracts grow from 28.5% to 35.6%, freelance contracts (co.co.co.) drop from 27.5% to 19.8%, but permanent contracts remain the smallest share of the sector: from 7.5% to 7.6% in three years. Atypical contracts give way to more structured forms, but underlying stability does not move.

5. Pay transparency: growing, but still a minority. In 2025, 27.5% of postings include economic information, compared to 20% in 2023. 12.4% explicitly state the gross annual salary (RAL). 72.5% remain without any economic information, just days before the entry into force in Italy of EU Directive 2023/970 on pay transparency.

On the territorial level, the Report shows a strongly concentrated geography of nonprofit job demand: Milan accounts for 36.27% of positions, Rome for 21.10%, Turin for 5.40%, the third Italian hub of the sector. The North-West concentrates 49.9% of overall demand.

The Job4Good Observatory is the longitudinal monitoring effort the platform dedicates to the Italian nonprofit labour market. Launched in 2018, now in its seventh edition, it is one of the few Italian sources that read the Third Sector through labour demand data, year after year.

Job4Good is the Italian vertical platform for work in the Third Sector. An innovative startup and Benefit Company headquartered in Turin, it is part of the Torino Social Impact ecosystem and has contributed to placing the professionalisation of nonprofit work on the territorial strategic agenda.

Download the Report

When Italy and Sweden joined forces for the social economy: the story of REVES

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

A new chapter of the Storie a Impatto series, developed in collaboration with Vita.it, dedicated to exploring experiences and trajectories of social impact.

Thirty years after its foundation, REVES – the European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy continues to grow. Established through the collaboration between local authorities and social economy organisations in Italy and Sweden, the network has become one of Europe’s leading reference points for promoting development models based on cooperation among public institutions, social enterprises, and communities. The network has now welcomed the Metropolitan City of Turin, whose membership was approved during the latest General Assembly.

The article traces the origins and evolution of REVES, showing how a shared vision across different territories has helped strengthen the role of the social economy in European policymaking and in building more inclusive, participatory, and resilient communities.

Article by Daria Capitani.

Read it on VITA

Bench-Mark | Ep. 108 – Paratissima

Posted on | by Bosnjakovic Jelena

For the Torino Social Impact ecosystem, culture and creativity are not secondary elements of territorial development. They are powerful tools for inclusion, opportunity and social impact.

In this new episode of Bench-Mark, we meet Cecilia Di Blasi, General Manager of PRS Social Enterprise, and Matteo Scavetta, Project Manager of PRS, the organisation behind Paratissima.

Founded in 2005 as a platform for emerging artists, Paratissima has evolved into a cultural ecosystem that supports artistic growth, creates opportunities for cultural professionals, connects public and private actors and contributes to territorial regeneration through culture.

A conversation on the role of contemporary art, the opportunities available to new generations of creatives and the potential of culture to generate social value far beyond the boundaries of Turin.

Interview by Francesco Antonioli.

Filmed and edited by Riccardo Quaglio.

Watch all past episodes of Bench-Mark here.