Consorzio ABN is a non-for-profit consortium of Italian social cooperatives, established in 1997. Today, 55 social cooperatives (type A and type B) are members of Consorzio ABN, and they collectively employ more than 2,500 people, with about 570 staff belonging to disadvantaged groups. The member social cooperatives operate in 12 Italian regions, as follows:
·North: Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna.
·Centre: Umbria, Toscana, Marche, Lazio, Molise, Abruzzo.
·South: Campania, Puglia, Calabria, Sicilia.
Consorzio ABN operates in different sectors. The distinguishing element of its work is “how” it operates: primarily through employing disadvantaged people; working with a strong environmental ethos; seeking maximum profit for the community rather than for the individual. Its main sectors of work are the following:
1.Work opportunities for disadvantaged people
2.Training, consultancy, social enterprise start-up projects
3.Renewable energy
4.Social housing, ethical building, self-building
5.Social services to people and the community.
At European level, Consorzio ABN collaborates with different organisations, NGOs, social enterprises and with European Networks such as REVES and DIESIS. It also has established collaborations with some Italian Regions, many Municipalities and a few National Ministries (particularly the Ministry for Labour and Welfare Policies).
