Social Innovation Award: Seven projects for real and sustainable inclusion

Developing innovative solutions for the employment integration of the most vulnerable segments of the population and supporting their active participation in community life is the central objective of the first edition of the Social Innovation Award , launched by the CDP Foundation in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo through the Impact and Intesa Sanpaolo Social Divisions.

The awards ceremony took place at CDP 's historic headquarters in Rome, in the presence of the heads of the two institutions, including Giovanni Gorno Tempini , President of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and of the CDP Foundation, Francesca Sofia , General Manager of the CDP Foundation, Andrea Forghieri , Executive Director of Intesa Sanpaolo for Social Welfare, and Dario Scannapieco , CEO of CDP.

The initiative offers financial awards totaling over half a million euros, for projects in the Third Sector, cooperatives, and social enterprises. The awards are divided into three categories based on project development, plus a special prize for the most innovative initiative using technology and artificial intelligence to support social and professional inclusion. Two prizes, worth €90,000 and €45,000, respectively, were awarded for each category, while the Special Prize has a total value of €90,000.

"With the first edition of the Social Innovation Award, we recognize the commitment of those who are able to promote new ideas and transform them into action, helping to strengthen community cohesion and reduce existing gaps. Promoting these initiatives means recognizing how innovation can also be the key to addressing and overcoming the social challenges of our time with pragmatism and special attention to the most vulnerable," said Giovanni Gorno Tempini , President of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and the CDP Foundation.

Among the winners of the pilot phase , the first place winner is "Case in Rete!" by Etnos Società Cooperativa Sociale , an innovative home care model that integrates local proximity and accessible technologies to improve the lives of seniors who choose to live in their homes. Launched in 2023 in Caltanissetta, the project has already involved 50 seniors thanks to the collaboration between ASP, the Municipality, the Red Cross, and technology partners. The second place winner, "ISA – Innovazione Sociale Amica" by the SOL.CO Città aperta Consortium , has developed an innovative digital platform that enhances welfare for the over-65s, integrating all the services offered to the senior population, both public and private, free and paid, into a single online environment.

In the medium-scale phase , the "Capacity" project by the MeSSInA Foundation took the lead. It works to regenerate deprived urban areas and combat poverty, focusing on housing emergencies in two areas of Messina. Since 2017, it has enabled the resettlement of 205 families and the regeneration of 24,000 square meters, creating eco-friendly housing, a park, a library, and a kindergarten. Today, the project is enhanced with the Solidarity Renewable Energy Community, a system that redistributes energy between homes, schools, and parishes using a fair algorithm, extending its social and ecological impact. In second place is "Panatè – Glievitati" by GLIEVITATI SCS , a bread-making workshop replicated in Italian prisons, with a sustainable economic and social model that involves prison administrations, the third sector, and local businesses.

Among the large-scale projects, "Quid 2030 – Social and Sustainable Made in Italy" by Quid Società Cooperativa Sociale stands out for its application of digital tools to ethical and inclusive fashion manufacturing. By standardizing production processes and supporting vulnerable workers, the project increases employability, job stability, and environmental sustainability, promoting donated fabrics and the Made in Italy supply chain. Second place went to "Made in Carcere: New Philosophy and Life-Style" by Officina Creativa , which offers real employment opportunities to women in prison by developing social tailoring and self-entrepreneurship programs in various penitentiaries. The project aims to create a "school of ancient crafts" that combines sustainability and social inclusion.

Finally, the Special Prize went to "CLOSER" by Save the Children Italy , a project that uses generative artificial intelligence for real-time voice translation, improving the reception and support of migrant minors and adults in urban and border settings. The app ensures clear, inclusive, and human rights-respectful communication, representing a pioneering example of ethical innovation on a national scale.

“Social innovation finds in technology a strategic ally to promote inclusion and reduce inequalities,” concluded Andrea Forghieri , Executive Director of Intesa Sanpaolo for Social Welfare.