Nine social finance pioneers will innovative solutions in Brussels

Microfinance Centre (MFC), in partnership with Cerise+SPTF will organize in Brussels the final meeting of Transform Together Fund (TTF) Project funded by the ESF+Programme.   Nine social finance pioneers will share innovative approaches implemented to improve the skills of beneficiaries for green and digital transition. 

We will discuss the implementation, challenges, achievements of the selected organizations which received grants up to 50 000 EUR to develop and test, throughout 12 months, innovative solutions to increase skills of vulnerable groups (women, small entrepreneurs, small scale farmers, migrants).    

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 in Brussels, at Avenue des Arts 7/8. 

 If you have any questions, please contact Maria Salamon at maria@mfc.org.pl.  

Agenda:  

Time Session 
9:30 – 10:00 Welcome & introduction  
The meeting aims to present social finance providers, that engaged in supporting digital and green transformation of their clients coming from vulnerable groups. 
Speakers:   Ewa Bańkowska, Deputy Director, Microfinance Centre, Poland Maria Salamon, Project Coordinator, Microfinance Centre, Poland   
10:00 – 10:45 Panel discussion – Improving digital and green skills of clients – selected Examples  Panelists:   Alexandra Grecu, Business Analyst & Marketing Specialist, Filbo, Romania   Karolina Witeska-Chmielewska, Director of Rural Development and Promotion Department, Foundation for the Development of Polish Agriculture, Poland Ana Stameski, Head of Digital Channels, 3 Bank, Serbia 
Moderator:   Fanny Le Maguet, Chief Operating Officer, Cerise+SPTF, France   
10:45 – 11:00  Coffee break 
11:00 – 11:45 Panel session: How to reach out to the vulnerable groups with skills improvement activities?   
Panelists:  Gabriela Millan, International Project Officer, Adie, France Catalin Sauca, Operational Manager, FAER, Romania   Microlab, Timothy Donato, Project Manager; Sara Schiano di Cola,  Microlab, Italy  
Moderator:  Cecile Lapenu, Executive Director, Cerise+SPTF, France   
11:45 – 12:45 Panel session: The role of social finance providers in digital and green transformation of vulnerable groups  
Panelists:  Martina Grigorova, Chief Executive Officer, SIS Credit, Bulgaria Emanuele Coopfin, Vice-President, Coopfin, Italy    
Moderator:   Ewa Bańkowska, Deputy Director, Microfinance Centre, Poland  
12:45 – 13:00 Summary of the day
Speakers:   Marco Barbero, Confeserfidi, Italy  Cecile Lapenu, Executive Director, Cerise+SPTF, France    
13:00 – 14:00  Lunch  

Organizations and their projects:  

  • Adie (France) is supporting micro entrepreneurs (25% of migrant background) in implementation of a green focus in their business strategy. The activities include design of a digital tool that would advise clients on the topic of green transition, design of a workshop “Green transition a lever and opportunity for my business”, and support through individual coaching on the topic through the network of (ca. 1000) Adie’s mentors. 

  • Confeserfidi (Italy) aims at testing implementation of ESG standards among the microentrepreneurs. They will offer: audits to evaluate businesses’ environmental impact and recommend sustainable alternatives, workshops on sustainable supply chain management, and create Sustainable Community Forum, which will become a platform to share green initiatives, collaborate, and seek advice. 

  • Coopfin (Italy) aims at helping rural women to acquire digital skills in business and provide them with business development services to set up rural cooperatives. In its project Coopfin focuses on raising awareness of the importance of digitalization to improve women’s’ work quality in the rural areas of Sardinia Island. With their activities they aim to increase number of working women. The project relies on the combination of on-line (video courses) and one to one tutoring on digital and cooperative management skills. 

  • Faer (Romania) is serving rural population and small farmers. They experiment with soil testing with their clients, farmers. They help them better manage fertilizers application and assess soil condition. They also organize study visits and advice on sustainable agriculture. 

  • FDPA (Poland) is serving rural population and small farmers: they provide well attended educational events for farmers on precise agriculture – i.e. how to use free of charge apps to better manage fertilizers application, to forecast yields, and more. They also teach their beneficiaries how to use e-signature. In the segment of microenterprises, they provide coaching for farmers. 

  • Microlab (Italy) works with women – existing and entrepreneurs to be, on improving their digital skills through dedicated training, mentoring and networking. The project’s objective is to foster women’s employability and facilitate self-employment, specifically by supporting the establishment of micro-enterprises through digital and sustainability training, mentoring, and financial assistance. 

  • Omro (Romania) is serving vulnerable groups: they developed AI powered chat bot called Hermina, that will advice people on green practices and solutions, for business or household. Hermina is up and operating in testing mode – you can test it here (you need to ask Hermina to switch to English). 

  • SIS Credit (Bulgaria) is developing AI powered solution mixed with face to face consultancy to provide the microentrepreneurs and social enterprises with information and know-how on green solutions for their families and businesses, accompanied with advice on available EU funded subsidies. 

  • 3Bank (Serbia) is working in rural areas and aims at helping the farmers apply the e-signature, which is needed to access the state subsidies and governmental services, without the need to travel to the city.