Tuscany Region and corporate social responsibility:Fabrica Ethica

SMEs and Entrepreneurship –

Successful Local Strategies

Porto, 6 December 2007

Tuscan SMEs are highly concentrated on territory: 12 clusters specialized on specific areas

Fashion: Texile, Clothing, Shoes, Leather, Jewelry

Paper

Design: marble, Forniture

CarraraMarble

Santa CroceLeather, Shoes

CastelfiorentinoLeather, Shoes

PoggibonsiWood, furniture

CapannoriPaper

ValdinievoleLeather, Shoes

PratoTexile, Clothing

Valdarno superioreLeather, Shoes

EmpoliTexile, Clothing

ArezzoJewelry

Casentino-ValtiberinaTexile, Clothing

Tuscan industrial clusters

A ccording to Lisbon Objectives and in order to reposition its industrial clusters and to reinforce its international competitiveness, the regional government of Tuscany has placed a strong emphasis on the promotion of innovation, including the development of technology and knowledge necessary for

sustainable development. CSR has been regarded as an strategic aspect of such innovation and in general of its economic policies.

Fabrica Ethica project: the premises

 These are the premises of Fabrica Ethica programme, that since 2001 supports an economic system that could fine tune development with the well-being of the territory, social cohesion and inclusion.

Based on its experience Tuscany has included CSR in its revised Region Statute and approved Regional Law n. 17/2006.

Definition of CSR in the Regional law n. 17

Tuscany Region recognises CSR as a voluntary process that, throughout continuous improvements, ensures the implementation of human, labour and social rights:

– Inside the organisation– Along its supply chain (social

traceability)

Regional actions to mainstream CSR – the

process1. Public grants;2. Communication and information

initiatives;3. Stakeholder engagement: the

Regional Ethical Committee;

In 2002 Tuscany published calls for proposals regarding grants for SMEs that achieve SA8000 certification, together with other management system certifications (ISO 9001, ISO14001, EMAS regulation, Ecolabel).

1. Public grants

Why SA8000? It is the only international management system

based on ILO and Un regulations

It assures suppliers involvement: social traceability

Transparency and no self-regulation: certification is related to external and independent audits that involve also suppliers

Stakeholder engagement: all stakeholders can give suggestions and communication regarding enterprises behavior

In Tuscany there are 186 certified enterprises (32% of the Italian certified, and 14% of the world certified).

A fiscal reduction of regional tax is granted for SA8000 certificated SMEs

SA8000 distribution

Tuscany: 187

Rest of Italy: 389

Rest of the world: 739

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

SA8000

2. Communication and information initiatives

internet site www.fabricaethica.it conferences, workshops, public

initiatives pubblications, social

communication campaign (video clip and radio ads.) …

web site www.fabricaethica.it provides to all social players updates on the international, national and regional political debate, development of the on-going projects. 1 million contacts per year.

Guide for ethical and responsible consumption, supported by Fabrica Ethica

PUBLIC ADV

I will be the factory of the world

SA8000 application in Tuscany.

Survey on the first application of SA8000 standard in the Tuscan SMEs

Justice & Development – social responsibility: delocalization and human rights

CSR in textile and clothes. Retailers role and social dialogue.

Conferences and workshops

Public desks operators Internationalization desks

operators Entrepreneurs Public administrators Teachers and students

Post- graduate course in partnership with University of Florence 90 hours lessons

Business ethics;

International and national laws;

Management systems;

Social and environmental reports;

Stakeholders engagement;

Ethical finance and rating;

Best practices and business cases.

Students and CSRTuscany and Fabrica Ethica aim to involve students in CSR, from elementary school all the way to universityAs consumers, students already play a role in economy and industryAs future employees and employers, they can benefit from an early education in good CSR practiceFabrica Ethica invites students to examine and visit socially responsible enterprises and their supply chains Students develop their own projects on CSR, applied at schoolItalian Universities are becoming increasingly involved in CSR

3. Stakeholder engagement: the Regional Ethical Committee

composition

- local and national authorities;- chambers of commerce;- business associations of all economic sectors;- trade unions;- NGOs and non-profit networks, consumers,

environment associations;- universities;- banks;- equal opportunities regional institutions;

Regional Ethical Commission is a multistakeholder forum acting as an advisory board that receive, share and discuss ideas and proposals from all components, aimed at spreading CSR principles across the regional economic system.

Ethical Commission Initiatives• FELAFIP, the Ethical Workshop for the Leather Industry

was devised to elaborate and divulge the culture of social responsibility across leather and tannery sectors. Its founders are convinced that a territory’s economic development is impossible without a strong multistakeholder partnership

• SMOAT, the Tuscan Oriented and Assisted Micro-credit System: aimed at facilitating access to finance for “non-bankable” subjects: private citizens who cannot offer real guarantees to obtain loans to start up businesses. Projects have been launched to assist financing of business projects presented by women and young people

For more details or suggestions

www.fabricaethica.it

fabrizia.paloscia@regione.toscana.it