Problem addressed

Households increasingly face challenges in the liberalized energy market: rising prices, lack of transparency, and difficulty accessing renewable sources. At the same time, social inequalities persist—especially for people with disabilities who struggle to find affordable and inclusive housing. Traditional welfare systems and isolated sustainability initiatives have proved insufficient to connect environmental goals with tangible social inclusion. The key problem is how to combine the energy transition with community welfare in a fair, participatory, and economically viable way.

Etika supports projects that promote independent and inclusive living for people with disabilities. Independent living means enabling people with disabilities to decide where and with whom to live (UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), encouraging separation from the family of origin — a transition that, for everyone, marks the passage into adult life.

Supporting people with disabilities in achieving social living is a demanding task that requires an anthropological and ethical vision, as well as specific technical, psychological, and educational expertise. Etika supports projects that bring together these two perspectives.

Innovative solution

Etika offers an integrated, cooperative response linking renewable energy and social solidarity. Created in 2016 by the Federazione Trentina della Cooperazione with Dolomiti Energia and other cooperative partners, Etika is a cooperative purchasing group that supplies 100% renewable and certified electricity and gas to families.

Each contract generates contributions to a permanent Social Fund, financing projects for inclusive housing, education, and cultural accessibility.

The model merges the Green Economy with the Social Economy, combining environmental responsibility, citizen participation, and mutualistic redistribution — transforming energy consumption into a tool for community development.

Key results and benefits

• Over 71,000 contracts signed by 2024, with a projected 80,000 by 2026.
• 105,937 tons of CO₂ avoided, equivalent to 5.3 million trees planted.
• €4.4 million collected and €3.1 million invested in over 50 social projects supporting people with disabilities, education, and culture.
• Strong partnerships across sectors (energy, finance, social inclusion, and education).
• Improved consumer awareness on sustainable energy use and community welfare. The benefits are both environmental (lower emissions, efficient energy use) and social (inclusive living solutions, empowerment of vulnerable groups, participatory governance).

Etika promotes social inclusion and independent living for people with disabilities through its Social Fund, which finances innovative housing and community projects. The funds are collected from Etika’s energy users and allocated through public calls for proposals. The Scientific Committee, composed of experts, ensures transparency, quality, and impact assessment, and has developed a Cultural Manifesto and Guidelines for project design. Among Etika’s initiatives are “The Paths of Etika”, which shares stories of supported projects, and “Corpographies”, a three-year art and inclusion program created with Oriente Occidente and local cooperatives, using dance and performance to promote accessibility and cultural participation. Through these actions, Etika fosters a network of organizations and communities working together for a more inclusive society.

Potential for mainstreaming

Etika directly contributes to the European Green Deal, REPowerEU, and ESF+ priorities on social inclusion, green transition, and just economy. It operationalizes the European Pillar of Social Rights by guaranteeing access to clean, affordable energy and reinvesting profits into community welfare.
Its cooperative structure aligns with EU objectives on energy communities and citizen participation in climate action. The model is already recognized as a best practice within Euregio and is fully transferable to other EU regions seeking integrated solutions for sustainability, social justice, and territorial cohesion.