ACRA-CCS is an Italian NGO aiming to remove poverty through sustainable, innovative solutions. In particular, the organization focuses on market-based solutions with high social and economic impact.
In its development work in Africa, Central and Latin America, Asia and Europe, ACRA-CCS creates and strengthens social enterprise ventures as powerful agents of change. In the countries the organization works, it strives to build and cultivate dynamic ecosystems for social innovation where social enterprise can grow.
ACRA-CCS supports the social enterprise movement and builds learning corridors between regions, facilitating the scaling up of social enterprises across geographies, focusing on transfer of business models. Social enterprise is the heart of the Foundation’s vision and approach.
In Italy & Europe, the widespread belief that established development models for social enterprise are no longer sustainable, sparked the SEWF 2015 organisers to examine the role and impact of social enterprises. This year’s theme ‘Growing a new economy’ will strive to prove long-term sustainability can be achieved through global examples and a cross-cutting theme of youth through:
SEWF 2015 will be an international arena for social enterprises, policy-makers, scholars and practitioners alike to collaborate, network and experience some of the most interesting and innovative models and ventures in Italy, Europe and the world and to experience the rich Italian culture.
The main outcome from the event is that Fondazione ACRA-CCS anticipate they will have 3 different impact investment funds for start-up social enterprises in place with partners, including with Fondazione Cariplo, the main SEWF 2015 strategic partner.