Speeches by Silvia Roggiani and Lorenzo Malagola, promoters of the Parliamentary Intergroup for the Social Economy
How can the digital transformation be turned into an opportunity for all organisations in the social economy, including the smallest and least structured ones? And how can we manage the rapid advance of artificial intelligence whilst safeguarding people’s ability to think, learn, work and build relationships? These are the two complementary perspectives that emerged from the contributions of Silvia Roggiani and Lorenzo Malagola, MPs and promoters of the Parliamentary Intergroup for the Social Economy, who took part on 21 October in the conference ‘The Social Economy in the Digital Age’, organised in Rome by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale ETS to mark its 25th anniversary. The discussion formed part of the debate on the National Plan for the Social Economy and on the Foundation’s proposal to strengthen its digital dimension through a ten-point charter, open to contributions from institutions and third-sector organisations.
Recognising the economic value of the social economy
For Silvia Roggiani, one of the most important outcomes of the National Plan is the recognition of the economic and strategic role of the social economy. She emphasised that this sector cannot be regarded as marginal or confined to a remedial and welfare-based function. Its significance for the country is such that, in terms of economic weight, it can be compared to that of a sector emblematic of the Italian production system, such as fashion. However, this recognition is merely a first step. The next challenge is to enable organisations to develop, innovate and tackle the changes currently underway. This is also the aim of the Parliamentary Intergroup: to maintain a high level of institutional focus on the social economy, starting with the opportunities offered by the Budget Act and the tools needed to implement the Plan. Alongside tax issues, access to funding and guarantees, Ms Roggiani identified digital transformation as one of the key factors capable of supporting the sector’s growth.
The same opportunities for large and small organisations
One of the issues highlighted by the MP concerns the differences between more structured organisations, which can invest in technology and skills, and small local organisations, which often lack the necessary resources. The risk is that digitalisation will end up widening these gaps, making it even more difficult for smaller organisations to participate in innovation processes. This is why shared infrastructure and tools are needed, capable of enabling even small organisations to operate within an integrated ecosystem. Digital technology can become an enabling factor for the entire social economy, fostering collaboration, improving organisational capacity and highlighting experiences that would otherwise risk remaining isolated. Roggiani acknowledged the contribution made by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale over 25 years of activity, through projects that have supported individuals, associations and communities in accessing technological opportunities. The challenge today is to make this work a structural part of the system, moving from individual initiatives towards more widespread access and innovation.
The strength of local presence
Among the most important resources of the social economy, Roggiani highlighted the capacity for local presence: a presence in neighbourhoods, knowledge of local areas and an awareness of needs that often escape the attention of larger institutions. This is a capacity that technology can help to strengthen. The MP cited examples from Milan such as Milano Aiuta and the Scuola dei Quartieri, where digital tools have helped to match resources with needs, giving greater visibility to the solutions developed by local organisations. Innovation can thus support the wealth of relationships and skills already present in local communities, fostering collaboration between organisations and making opportunities more accessible. This perspective is directly in line with the Charter proposed by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, particularly the priorities dedicated to strengthening organisations, digital facilitation and the connection between social capital and community capital.
Artificial intelligence and the risk of new inequalities
Roggiani devoted the final part of his speech to the topic of artificial intelligence, referring to the first point of the Charter: the need for the social economy to take an active role in the digital transition. Technological acceleration raises issues not only of access, but also of power and the distribution of opportunities. If the capacity to use and develop artificial intelligence remains concentrated in a few organisations or in the hands of a select few, there is a risk that new forms of exclusion and inequality will arise. This is why we need to build alliances capable of steering innovation towards democratic and inclusive goals. Politics, social organisations and the world of innovation are called upon to collaborate in order to steer the change, building on existing experiences and integrating them into a broader strategy.
An epoch-making change
Whilst Roggiani focused on the conditions that can make digital transformation accessible, Lorenzo Malagola offered reflections on the consequences of this change for individuals and society. Quoting Pope Francis, the MP described the present as an ‘epoch-making change’, in which technological transformations are profoundly altering habits, certainties and ways of life. Artificial intelligence represents one of the most significant manifestations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as it directly impacts activities and capabilities that we consider fundamental to our identity. The accelerating pace of change generates opportunities, but also raises questions and fears, particularly when it calls into question the role of people in processes of knowledge, relationships and work.
Four human capacities to safeguard
Malagola has identified four areas on which institutions and intermediary bodies are called upon to reflect:
- Critical thinking, necessary for understanding, evaluating and questioning information and decisions.
- The capacity for knowledge, which concerns people’s relationship with knowledge and with the tools that help to produce it.
- Interpersonal skills, fundamental for building trust, solidarity and participation.
- The capacity for work, which is being transformed by the changes brought about by automation and artificial intelligence.
These are capacities that the digital transformation can enhance, but which require attention, training and responsibility to prevent new forms of dependency or the impoverishment of the human experience. This issue directly concerns policy-makers and social economy organisations, who are called upon to consider the conditions necessary to preserve people’s autonomy and dignity.
An alliance to guide change
In concluding his speech, Malagola acknowledged the value of the work carried out by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale over its first quarter of a century. Through numerous projects, the Foundation has supported communities, associations and local areas in engaging with technology, helping to develop skills and opportunities for participation. Today, faced with an even more rapid pace of change, this work takes on new significance. To tackle the challenges of artificial intelligence, Malagola emphasised the need for a close alliance between institutions, third sector organisations and the scientific community. An alliance that enables the social economy to be a hub of knowledge and action, capable of contributing to the decisions that will shape the country’s transformation.
From recognition to the conditions for innovation
The contributions by Silvia Roggiani and Lorenzo Malagola highlight two closely linked dimensions of the same challenge. On the one hand, there is the need to fully recognise the value of the social economy and to equip it with the tools, infrastructure and resources to tackle the digital transformation. On the other, there is the importance of safeguarding human capabilities and valuing the relationships that make an inclusive society possible. These perspectives reinforce the significance of the ten-point Charter presented by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale and its call to build shared responsibility. The challenge is to translate political recognition of the social economy into concrete conditions for innovation, ensuring that the opportunities offered by digital technology and artificial intelligence are accessible even to the smallest organisations and contribute to the well-being of communities. This is a journey in which the third sector can contribute its understanding of needs, its ability to build relationships and the experience it has gained in supporting people through change.
