Creating a Moldovan Social Label
The yearly Impact Days in Moldova, organized by our partner EcoVisio, brought together the cream of the crop of the local impact scene. Besides the usual networking and discussions, the Impact Days also served as the launch event for the Moldovan Social Brand, a label that aims to boost awareness of social entrepreneurship in the country.
First off, though, a look at the event itself. EcoVisio, our local partner in the EU-funded Collaborate for Impact project, have managed to make it a fixed yearly appointment in quite a few Moldovan calendars. It's both a celebration of achieved results and a rally call to deliver on more ambitions in the year to come. More than 150 social business entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, support organisations, startups and companies attended this year's Impact Days, which took place on May 24th and 25th at entrepreneurship hub TEKWILL. In total, 38 speakers from Moldova and beyond shared their expertise on a wide range of topics. The main theme of this year's conference focused on the 3 dimensions of ESG (i.e. environmental, social and governance responsibility).
Get a taste of the event through the aftermovie, made by EcoVisio. English subtitles an be activated through captions.
A clear highlight of this year's edition was the launch of the Social Brand.
"Impact Days is really the place where efforts of social SME's on the one hand and big business on the other hand can come together", says Marina Cebanu, Ecovisio PR and Communication Coordinator. "The Social Brand shows how important this collaboration is. It is the result of the sustained efforts of several partners, and we were particularly proud to present it to everyone during the event."
The Social Brand was created by the Platform for the Development of Social Entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova, a collaboration initiative started by EcoVisio in 2021. Visually, the Social Brand is easily recognisable through its logo, which is to be placed on both products and materials of service providers that pay special attention to impact, inclusion, sustainability and innovation. In doing so, the label affirms the positive work done by these entrepreneurs, while also introducing the concept of social entrepreneurship to consumers who may not be aware of its existence. Of course, it also serves as a visual point of reference for those actively seeking out impactful products and services in Moldova.
The dedicated website offers a few examples of social entrepreneurs who have been awarded the Social Brand so far. Vibe Academy, for instance, offers educational programs related to IT and robotics, with a special free program for socially vulnerable families. They also train and employ young mothers, allowing them to bring their child with them to work. Another service provider that received the label is Credem-Eco (loosely translated, We Believe-Eco), a catering service that offers employment opportunities to people with disabilities, while serving ecologically sustainable lunches and banquets for events. Of course, the label is also applied to products, such as the food products of Angelus Agro or the medicinal plant products of Herba Solutii. Up until now 11 social enterprises have been awarded the label, combining over 50 social projects and over 1200 beneficiaries in the process. Social enterprises that feel like they are deserving of the label, can contact the issuer directly to discuss the impact their enterprise has on the community it serves.
Ultimately, with the label, EcoVisio aims to take another step in promoting sustainability, inclusion and economic progress in the Moldovan community. It serves as an invitation to all those who believe in the power of change and solidarity to join the movement and be part of a better world for all.
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EcoVisio is one of the implementing partners of our EU-funded market building program in Eastern Europe, called Collaborate for Impact. Through capacity building, policy and advocacy work and through setting up impact funds, we aim to accelerate the growth of the social economy ecosystem.