To promote the strengthening of the ecosystem and the collective dimension, the goal of the Torino Social Impact platform is to enable the involvement and protagonism of partners by activating and facilitating Communities of Practice on shared themes and challenges. It draws on the expertise of network partners to collaborate on emerging projects.

The design of this activity, carried out with the support of the Chamber of Commerce of Turin and the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, is based on the virtuous experience of the Community of Practice for benefit corporations that started in 2022, achieving significant results in terms of peer learning and networking with the participation of over 40 entities.

Project Objectives:

• Create engagement, strengthen mutual collaboration, and networking among ecosystem entities.
• Develop strategic projects that respond to a collective interest functional to the goals of Torino Social Impact.
• Strengthen the positioning of the collective brand Torino Social Impact.

Currently active Communities of Practice are as follows:

OP4IMPACT

The community of practice “Professional Orders for Impact” is composed of the Order of Accountants and Accounting Experts of Turin, the Order of Lawyers of Turin, the Notarial Council of Turin and Pinerolo, and the Order of Labor Consultants of Turin.

The working group aims to address the main issues of organizations oriented towards generating impact, to support and guide the TSI ecosystem. It is facilitated by the Cottino Social Impact Campus.

Gender equality

The community of practice has initiated an initial discussion on a topic that is now the focus of general attention, both in the public debate and in policies and projects, such as the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRP), which consider gender equality a cross-cutting priority. The working group is led by Monica Cerutti, an expert on social inclusion policies and gender issues.

The organisations present, representing the public, private and third sectors, are discussing gender equality not only as a means of achieving greater equity, but also as a lever for community development, with a focus on gender equality certification.

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Benefit Corporations

After three knowledge-sharing events in April, July, and December 2022, and an initial analysis of the group’s needs and expectations, four companies actively participated in co-designing a training and networking program for 2023 titled “Fit4benefit“.

A feedback report was produced at the end of the four sessions, available on the Torino Social Impact website here.

Furthermore, on November 27, 2023, a conference titled “The Benefit Corporation Model for Generating Social Impact” was organized for benefit corporations in the Turin area and interested companies, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Turin, Cottino Social Impact Campus, API Turin, and Unione Industriali Turin. The event served to share the results of the Community of Practice journey.

At the beginning of 2024, part of the Community of Practice gathered to plan new meetings based on the needs identified at the end of the previous cycle, co-designing the second edition of Fit4benefit for the 2024-2025 period! The full program can be viewed at this link.

Circular Economy

The Circular Economy community originated within the European project RESPONDET, where the Chamber of Commerce of Turin (with TSI) partnered with the City of Turin. A consultation was initiated with TSI-affiliated organizations focusing on the circular economy to produce a Local Action Plan on social economy by the City of Turin. Two events were co-designed to involve the public:

• An ecological waste cleanup walk as part of the initiatives of the international movement World Clean Up Day, held on September 24, 2023, with the participation of 20 people.
• An event titled “Circular Economy: The City at Stake“, during the European Week for Waste Reduction 2023, held on November 24 at Green Pea and attended by over 50 people.

On March 20, 2024, the Community of Practice gathered for a design workshop on a European call dedicated to promoting the green and digital transition in the Turin area.

NEET

The NEET Community of Practice started in September 2023 to stimulate initial discussions on project initiatives by ecosystem entities. In the first two meetings, participants discussed the limitations and opportunities of funding for social impact projects based on their direct experience. An investigation into the types of financial instruments revealed interesting results, with 53% of respondents applying to calls with an economic value exceeding €100,000, identifying the absence of contributions for project evaluation and monitoring as a critical element.

To join a Community of Practice or propose a working theme, contact info@torinosocialimpact.it.