Investment & Fund Management

Immacolata Carpiniello, the Manager of Neapolide Cooperativa Sociale, aimed to address the dual challenges of social inclusion for female prisoners and support for small coffee producers in southern Italy. Founded in 2010, the cooperative established a coffee roaster within a prison, allowing female detainees to engage in meaningful work by processing, blending, and packaging coffee. This initiative not only provided vocational training but also aimed to enhance the employability of the inmates, who typically had limited access to productive activities. Through this program, detainees learned essential skills such as responsibility, discipline, and teamwork, which are crucial for their reintegration into society.

Over the course of seven years, 62 female detainees participated in the project, with many gaining confidence and the ability to support their families post-release. The cooperative also emphasized sustainability by using recyclable materials for packaging and recycling coffee waste for fertilizer. To expand their reach, Immacolata secured an EU-guaranteed loan from Banca Etica to open a coffee bar in a historical gallery, which began operations in September 2018. This new venture is expected to create jobs for six detainees and three additional staff members, further integrating them into the community and reducing their feelings of invisibility. The project exemplifies a successful model of social entrepreneurship that combines economic viability with social impact, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose among participants.