Premis Eines for social innovation projects now open for applications

The Chair in Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation, attached to the Centre for Studies and Research in Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation (CREIS) of the UAB, has launched these awards, which will recognise the best social transformation projects in general, regional (Vallès Occidental and Vallès Oriental) and local (Mollet del Vallès). In the case of projects in the Vallès regions, two prizes will be awarded to distinguish an initiative in the beginning stage and another that is already consolidated. All the candidatures will compete in the Catalan area by default. Each prize will be worth 2,500 euros.

According to the rules of the awards, any organisation that combines social, environmental and community objectives with an entrepreneurial spirit can participate. The projects must be managed in an open and responsible way, with the involvement of workers, consumers and other stakeholders. The action lines of the candidate projects must be defined within the United Nations' 17 SDGs.

Special consideration will be given to applications in the areas of employment integration, personal social services, development of disadvantaged areas and other areas such as environmental protection, sports or historic preservation. In the first two editions of the awards, awards were given to projects committed to social and labour inclusion, co-education, ecological agriculture, ICT, sustainable trade, the rights of people with autism, animal-assisted therapy and the educational and social value of the circus.

The UAB created the Chair in Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation, attached to the University's Centre for Studies and Research in Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation, together with the town councils of Mollet del Vallès and Sant Cugat del Vallès and the county councils of Vallès Occidental and Vallès Oriental. The Chair also receives support from the Barcelona Provincial Council and is part of the EINES project (Innova Space for Social Entrepreneurship), which supports entrepreneurship and social innovation and in which both the UAB and its social, administrative and productive environment participate.