Enel seeks solutions to enable local markets and economies in marginal and rural areas to continue with their economic activity despite obstacles presented by factors such as COVID-19, which disrupt daily activities of autonomous workers and small local businesses and prevent them, for instance, from reaching current or potential customers, being able to properly transport and distribute products, or having access to manufacturing or processing facilities. Social and economic sustainability can be achieved through technology and innovation: e-commerce projects, new business models, and online or offline solutions are needed to make a positive impact in local economies, facilitating economic exchange among local producers and local or non-local consumers.
SCENARIO
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives for millions of people around the world and has especially impacted on those living in marginal areas of cities as well as in rural areas. Small businesses and community agents living on local business activity have been severely disrupted or stopped altogether, and so we must continue to work as a united ecosystem to involve local suppliers and partners. In line with Enel’s Creating Shared Value (CSV) model, aimed at integrating social-environmental factors in the business processes throughout the entire value chain, we aim to meet local social sustainability needs by addressing these new challenges through new scalable, creative and innovative business models and solutions. These solutions will create a tangible contribution to the development of social and economic growth within local and rural areas.
BACKGROUND
Marginalised areas in cities and rural zones are usually based on subsistence economy and traditional processes. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are facing, the social context for these areas has changed: social distancing has presented a significant problem for communities living in these areas as inhabitants cannot move safely and/or easily sell or acquire products or services. New rules and infrastructures are required in order to digitalise local economies of these areas, by creating online marketplaces, e-commerce solutions, new business models that support or create new local companies (both digital and non-digital) in addition to innovative offline mechanisms that can enable local economic exchange and create a positive social impact.
THE CHALLENGE
Enel seeks solutions to enable local markets and economies in marginal and rural areas to continue with their economic activity despite obstacles presented by factors such as COVID-19 or a lack in a proper network of partners, which disrupt daily activities of autonomous workers and small local businesses and prevent them, for instance, from reaching current or potential customers, being able to properly transport and distribute products, or having access to manufacturing or processing facilities.
This challenge is looking for local economic enablers (startups and non-profit social projects) that aim to address the following: