Social enterprise

The Urban Center of Good Initiatives (CUIB), a social enterprise launched by the NGO Mai Bine in 2013, is designed to drive social economies and support sustainable development in Iasi. The enterprise operates a bistro that promotes social consumption by supporting local producers, adhering to slow food principles through the use of local and seasonal ingredients, minimizing food waste, and encouraging sustainable transportation, among other eco-friendly activities (2 & 4).
In 2020, CUIB and Mai Bine joined the FoodE program, a European research and social project focused on local agri-food systems. Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020), the initiative empowered grassroots organizations through co-creation and collaboration among diverse stakeholders (5).
The FoodE project strengthened CUIB’s mission to provide low-carbon-impact food, promote ecological, ethical, and artisanal products, offer solidarity services such as free meals for the most vulnerable, engage in low-waste operations, provide education on mental and human ecology, and foster community through social and cultural events (1, p. 98). To further these goals, CUIB organized co-design workshops with 100 community members, focusing on achieving zero food miles, zero waste, and eliminating food waste (1, p. 99).
The program also led to improvements at the bistro, including the creation of a courtyard garden, a small terrace garden, along with a community garden (1, p. 100). These gardens supplied food to the bistro, and bio-waste was composted to fertilize the plots (1, p. 102). CUIB also hosted 17 outreach events as part of the initiative, including ecological workshops and the creation of a vegetable garden at a local kindergarten (3, p. 114 & 6).
Beyond its environmental work, CUIB provides free meals for 100 beneficiaries and organizes food donations for 400 vulnerable children and individuals (1, p. 103).

The Gnomes Project was launched to breathe new life into the abandoned Dublin City University (DCU) Community Garden, transforming it into a thriving urban micro-farm. Led by three friends—Martin, Jason, and Shane, collectively known as "The Gnomes"—the initiative grows pesticide-free, organic produce for the local community while championing regenerative farming practices.
The Gnomes employ bio-intensive agriculture, a sustainable approach designed to maximize yield from small spaces while maintaining biodiversity and enriching soil health. This method supports long-term productivity by promoting crop diversity, improving soil quality, and reducing dependence on external inputs through a closed-loop system.
The project’s journey began in 2015 when Jason and Martin enrolled in DCU's horticulture program and saw potential in the overgrown community garden. Shane joined as a volunteer in 2016, and by 2017, the trio had formalized their efforts to revitalize the garden. In 2019, they registered their business and began growing over 30 types of crops, eventually selling their produce through local farmers’ markets and small businesses.
Working tirelessly to restore the garden, The Gnomes cleared debris and removed invasive weeds using organic methods, transforming the area into a productive micro-farm. After negotiating with the university, they secured a lease for a 10,900 sq.-ft. plot (approximately 1/4 acre), with access to water. This space became the foundation for their bio-intensive, small-scale farming model, enabling them to grow quick-yield, high-value crops that thrive in limited spaces.
Some of their 20+ crops include a variety of leafy greens, herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis, green beans, onions, carrots, beetroots, baby turnips, apples, and recently added microgreens.
The Gnomes Project demonstrates the potential of urban farming, combining sustainable agriculture with community engagement. (2-5, 7-10)

To protect the Lomas de Primavera from urban pressure and other threats, the Lomas de Primavera Ecological Association has implemented strategies for its conservation. One of the strategies this organisation has promoted is reforestation activities. Working together with the Municipality of Lima and other interested actors, they have sought to expand Lima's green spaces, improve air quality, enhance flora, and promote tourism, among other benefits (1). Lima's Municipality has supported the project by donating 20,000 trees for reforestation and to prevent land encroachment (1), social organisations and environmental activists have joint efforts to plant more than 250 trees to support the conservation efforts (2, 7).
The Lomas de Primavera Ecological Association leads the project, organizing community management efforts to conserve the Lomas de Primavera sector. This association is based in the Agrupación Familiar Primavera Lomas de Carabayllo community (2). The association's conservation activities involve collaboration with various stakeholders at different levels. Locally, it works with community leaders and organizations. At the district level, it coordinates with the Carabayllo municipality and the NGO CIDAP to improve urban conditions. The metropolitan-level collaboration includes the Municipality of Lima and the ACR 'Sistema de Lomas de Lima' for ecosystem protection and valorization. Nationally, it partners with MINAM, SERNANP, MINAGRI, UNDP, UCV, and the Network of Peruvian Lomas to enhance ecosystem services, restore degraded areas, and conduct research on the Lomas (2).
The preservation and reforestation of these ecosystems is essential, as they have social, cultural and environmental value, including the following ecosystem services: provision of genetic resources, soil formation, pollination, aesthetic services, ecotourism, food, education, and archaeological and historical services (3)

In 2021-2022, the fenced grassy area beside the Ballyfermot Community Civic Centre was transformed into a welcoming 'people’s park'—an open green space for the community (2). Designed by Dublin City Council’s Parks, Biodiversity, and Landscape Services, the park reflects ideas from local residents gathered over eight months of on-site conversations and two community consultation events.
The new park features a winding perimeter path, earth mounds planted with a variety of trees and plants for seasonal color, and infrastructure to support small community gatherings. An open pergola and a designated market space for food, plant, and craft markets provide inviting spots for social events. Along the park’s edge, a movement trail with playable elements for exercise and play adds a dynamic feature to the space.
Furthermore, a Jackstraws See-Saw is ideal for older children to play in groups and learn about movement whilst also being a tremendous informal seating area for them to gather and chat. Trees cover the See-Saw, offering shade and shelter from the weather, making it a great social space all year round. A Rope Course provides a physical challenge for older children to climb and balance at height while exploring the area. Informal play opportunities are found throughout the park to, with trees, fallen logs, benches and planting that create sensory, imaginative and physical play experiences. (5-7)
Additionally, an edible garden is planned to be developed collaboratively with local residents over the next 2-3 years (4).

The Praderas de Vida garden is an initiative to transform a former rubbish dump into a source of employment and empowerment for the residents of the Praderas de San Juan de Miraflores Human Settlement (1). This agroecological community garden was developed as part of ISA REP's Sustainable Easements programme (13), located in the easement area of Peru's energy network, and it has collaboration efforts with KUNAN, Misha Rastrera, and La Muyita, brings together twelve female heads of households who cultivate, harvest, and process a variety of medicinal plants that have aromatic, antiseptic, and relaxing properties (2, 3).
Beyond agricultural production, the garden has become a hub for emotional and economic support, fostering a connection with nature through plant care and interaction with the local ecosystem (3). It has also led to the establishment of a social enterprise, "Praderas de Vida," allowing women to participate in agroecological fairs to market the products derived from the medicinal plants grown in the garden (3).
The garden has evolved into a space for learning and community collaboration, promoting the importance of sustainability and biodiversity conservation (6).

A small biodiversity park was established in Härlanda Park, an old prison complex which today houses a culture centre, a pre-school and office space. The area was previously used as a small lily garden, but this project implements more biodiversity-promoting features such as a bee hive, varied flowers and trees, different types of soil and insect hotels. The municipal real estate company Higab owns the park and partnered with Stadskupan, which works with urban beekeeping, biodiversity, and rewilding, to design and create the park. They also involved Vägen ut! (translates to "the way out"), a social enterprise that employs people who are far from the labour market due to substance abuse issues to help maintain the park in a socially inclusive way. The park has pedagogic features and events for local businesses and organisations as well as the public. The beehive was established in 2022, while the entire biodiversity park was established in 2023. The project will go on for three years and be evaluated yearly. [Ref. 1, 2, 3].

In September 2018, a new didactic itinerary on invasive alien species was inaugurated in Cagliari's botanic garden. The initiative has been initiated in order to raise awareness and share important legislative and scientific knowledge on the matter (Refs. 1, 2 & 3). It has been curated by Life ASAP, which is an EU co-funded project focused on targeting the introduction of animal and vegetal alien species in Italian territory (Refs. 4 & 5). The initiative in the botanic garden focuses on a 13-pannels pathway through the garden, which will guide visitors towards the discovery of the issue of the introduction of alien invasive species on the territory. The goal is to attract the population's attention to the topic through a sensorial and interactive experience. In fact, the panels are easy to understand, colorful, and accompanied by explanatory images and bas reliefs. Children and youngsters can also participate in a laboratory called "the alien's identikit," according to which they have to recognize the newly learned alien species around the garden (Refs. 1, 2 & 3). This Path represents the first (and only) permanent space dedicated to biological invasion processes and invasive alien species in the network of Italian Botanical Gardens. (Ref.2).
Therefore, the project, in collaboration with the University of Cagliari, promotes education for all ages on the risks and consequences of such an underestimated problem and aims to educate citizens on how their actions can prevent the phenomenon from spreading further (Refs. 1, 2 & 3).

The NatureRx Rain Garden Pilot is a community-driven initiative aimed at addressing urban runoff and its associated challenges, implemented by Bí URBAN, a community hub and social enterprise in Dublin focused on urban regeneration. The pilot project developed in Stoneybatter, Dublin involves diverting rainwater from residential rooftops into specially designed rain gardens (1). The area is used as the first trial area by installing around 100 rain gardens (3, 11). Built to fit neatly into available spaces, these self-sustaining planters will filter rainwater through the garden, with overflow pipes in place to prevent flooding during heavy downpours (1).
It is expected that these gardens will transform sterile urban spaces into green areas, enhancing biodiversity, providing habitats for pollinators, and acting as carbon sinks (1,3).

In the city of Cagliari, in the location of Mount Urpinu, 6400 new trees have been planted. The project, initiated in 2022, sought to restore the area's biodiversity and to revitalize the park for the benefits of the citizens (Refs. 1, 3 & 8). In fact, in previous years, the park has been subject to various environmental and social hazards because of its conditions: the area has been subject to wildfires and abandoned wastes, and with time, it became a gathering point for drug addicts and homeless people, thus becoming unsafe for citizens and especially for children (Refs. 1 & 6).
Therefore, the Metropolitan City of Cagliari decided to reclaim the area and plant thousands of trees of various species (holm oaks, oaks, pine, carob and olive trees) over more than 6 hectares of land (Refs. 3 & 8). The project's goal is to restore biodiversity, mitigate temperatures, decrease air pollution, and increase citizens' sense of community (Ref. 1).