A panel discussion “Can Socially Responsible Initiatives offer new opportunities to vulnerable communities?” took place on 27 April in Brussels. The event aimed to shed light on the potential of socially responsible public procurement to create new opportunities for vulnerable communities, including Roma communities, while promoting gender equality and sustainable infrastructure.

The WBIF pilot project was the focal point of the discussion, exploring how socially responsible public procurement can create new employment opportunities, with a focus on Roma communities. The panel featured experts from the European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (REDI), among others.

The panel discussion, moderated by Petrica Dulgheru, Director of REDI, included Álvaro Gutiérrez Maestrof rom Secretariado Gitano in Spain, who shared good practices and provided examples of how initiatives in Spain could be transferred to other countries in the region. The panellists also discussed the challenges of implementing socially responsible public procurement in the region, including the lack of awareness and understanding of the concept. They acknowledged the importance of increasing awareness and education around the concept and discussed potential solutions to address these challenges. The event was held as part of Roma Week 2023 in the European Parliament, which is dedicated to discussing the issues and challenges facing Roma communities across Europe.