Damien Thiery, CEO Ateliere Fara Frontiere, spoke at Enterprising for Tomorrow conference about the significant actions and challenges faced by the organization. His speech underscored the dual mission of Ateliere Fara Frontiere (AFF), which is to address both social exclusion and environmental degradation in Romania.

AFF is a leading work integration social enterprise from Romania, member of RISE Romania – the Romanian Network of Insertion Social Enterprises, member of ENSIE.

Ateliere Fara Frontiere exists for two primary reasons. On the social side, the organization aims to combat the exclusion of approximately 2 million Romanians from the job market. These individuals, despite being capable of working, remained jobless while Romania imports labor from abroad, particularly from Southeast Asia. Thiery emphasized the irony and inefficiency in this practice, especially when local workforce potential is untapped.

“There are 2 million Romanians today who are excluded from the job market and who are in capacity of working.”

Environmentally, Thiery highlighted the urgent threats the world faced, such as failing to meet the Paris Agreement goals and the rapid depletion of natural resources. He pointed out that by 2040, copper reserves in mines would be exhausted, emphasizing the critical need for sustainable practices. Ateliere Fara Frontiere, although modest in scale, committed to addressing these pressing issues.

Founded in 2008, Ateliere Fara Frontiere operates as part of the GroupeSOS, a French solidarity and social group with substantial reach and impact. The organization wors closely with 40 public and private entities, including social assistance departments and penitentiaries, to support individuals facing a wide range of vulnerabilities – from domestic violence and human trafficking to health problems and refugee status.

“We equipped more than 10% of all the schools in Romania with IT Laboratories.”

Thiery detailed the operational model of Ateliere Fara Frontiere, which includes four key workshops. The first is focused on collecting and reconditioning electronic waste – educlick, particularly computers, which are then donated to schools. Remarkably, the organization had equipped over 10% of Romanian schools with IT laboratories. The second workshop – remesh, transformes advertising banners into corporate gifts. Additionally, Ateliere Fara Frontiere operates an eco-certified farm – bio&co, producing organic vegetables, and a logistics workshop for sustainable products – logietic.

Despite their impactful work, Ateliere Fara Frontiere face significant challenges

Thiery lamented the difficulties in accessing funds due to flawed funding allocations and the exclusion of social enterprises from substantial recovery and resilience funds. He pointed out that Romanian law does not recognize NOS (Non-profit Organizations with Economic Activities), which hinderes the organization’s growth and development.

“The funding for social enterprises is wrongly allocated. We cannot get ESF+ for existing social enterprises, and reserved contracts don’t exist.”

Operationally, the organization struggles to remain competitive in the free market due to the special assistance required by their workers and the frequent need to train new recruits.

“Today all the funds that are coming from the Recovery and Resilience Plan exclude us from this massive fund that could enable us to develop.”

Thiery stressed that Ateliere Fara Frontiere’s objective is not competitiveness but rather impactful social integration. He called for greater support from public authorities, arguing that their work converted passive beneficiaries of the state into active contributors to the fiscal system.

Thiery’s closing remarks was a powerful appeal for recognition and support

The CEO of Ateliere Fara Frontiere highlighted the mutual benefits of integrating vulnerable individuals into the workforce, urging public authorities to assist social enterprises in their mission to create a more inclusive and sustainable society.

Through Thiery’s speech, it became clear that Ateliere Fara Frontiere is not just a social enterprise but a key stakeholder for sustainable development in Romania. Their efforts in both social inclusion and environmental sustainability showcase a model that, with adequate support, could significantly contribute to addressing some of the most pressing issues faced by society today.

“Public authorities have to assist us if we want to develop. It’s a win-win situation. Our beneficiaries become active contributors to the fiscal system when they would otherwise be passive for the rest of their lives.”

Learn more about the SEEDing project, where ADV Romania and Ateliere Fara Frontiere partnered to increase the competitiveness of social enterprises in the circular economy.