Echo Labs awarded by UNHCR for the fourth consecutive year

Echo Labs, FERCAM’s social enterprise, has received the “Welcome. Working for Refugee Integration” logo for the fourth consecutive year. The recognition is awarded by UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency to Italian companies that promote the employment inclusion of refugees, asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection.

This recognition confirms the value of a project that FERCAM has supported since its launch, combining social and environmental sustainability in a tangible model of responsible enterprise. Through its social carpentry workshop in Rome, Echo Labs offers people from vulnerable backgrounds the opportunity to learn a trade, develop professional skills and build greater autonomy through work.

In the workshop, wood materials from the logistics supply chain are recovered and transformed into furniture, fittings and solutions for workspaces. This production activity helps reduce waste while creating training and inclusion pathways for refugees and asylum seekers.

In 2025, Echo Labs consolidated its operating model with 5 full-time resources, 4 of whom are permanently employed in the social carpentry workshop, and delivered 280 hours of training, including professional development programmes and occupational health and safety courses. In the same year, the social enterprise recovered and reintroduced into production over 11 tonnes of wood, avoiding the emission of nearly 52,000 kg of CO₂.

For FERCAM, Echo Labs is a concrete example of how logistics can contribute to the creation of shared value by connecting people, skills and resources. The UNHCR recognition confirms the project’s ability to generate positive impact both socially and environmentally, turning inclusion and material recovery into daily, measurable practices.