Category: Arezzo Innovation Page 1 of 4

Our recent visit to ACB Social Inclusion in Arezzo, this past week, provided remarkable insights into how organizations can transform challenges into innovation. Speaking with Paola Miraglia, the director of ACB Social Inclusion, I gained a deeper understanding of how their responsive approach to failure has shaped their success in supporting migrant communities.

Recognizing Systemic Exploitation

One significant failure ACB initially faced was not recognizing the systematic exploitation of migrants arriving in Arezzo. “At first, we didn’t even understand the structure,” Paola admitted during our conversation. Migrants were arriving after paying enormous sums to cross the Mediterranean, only to be caught in exploitative situations.

“They are offered a package of everything: Sleep, food, and work,” Paola explained. “Only that, obviously, it means working 14 hours without holidays, maybe with a contract for only two hours.” What appeared as employment opportunities were actually systems of exploitation.

The organization’s initial failure to identify this pattern meant they weren’t addressing their clients’ real needs. However, this realization catalyzed meaningful change.

Transforming Failure into Innovation

What stands out about ACB’s approach is how they transformed this failure into innovation. “Now we’ve retrained our staff to recognize it. Our entire intake process changed,” Paola explained. This adaptation demonstrated remarkable organizational flexibility—they rebuilt their approach from the ground up to better serve the people they were committed to helping.

Community-Based Leadership

ACB’s approach to overcoming challenges includes their community-based leadership model. The organization operates with members from various migrant communities, with the president himself being from Bangladesh.

As Ursula helped explain: “Over the years he has been able to build a really sort of strong presence in the local area. So everybody, all of the services know him, all of the people within the different immigrant communities sort of know who he is.”

This leadership structure emerged as a direct response to communication failures. ACB recognized that migrants were hesitant to share their experiences with Italian staff members. By having leadership representation from the migrant communities themselves, they created a more trusting environment.

“That helps people, it helps them feel more protected so that they can actually speak out because they see in him someone who’s a sort of guarantee of protection in some way,” our interpreter noted. What began as a communication challenge transformed into one of the organization’s greatest strengths.

_{QR codes at ACB that help with the language barrier}

Legal Assistance: Filling the Gap

ACB’s founding was itself a response to a systemic failure within Italian society. When asked about the organization’s origins, Paola’s immediate response was telling: “Italy is a country where gap is the normality, okay? Gap in every place, in every field.”

She explained that the initial problem was the complexity of Italian law: “There are a lot of laws… sometimes old, new, and the old, and the new are active. But in contrast, then it’s very, very difficult, this country.”

For migrants arriving without knowledge of Italian legal systems, this complexity presented an insurmountable barrier. “People coming here, migrants, can’t understand Italian law and all the system is very, very difficult for them,” Paola explained.

ACB’s response was to develop specialized legal assistance tailored specifically to migrants’ needs—turning a societal failure into an opportunity to provide essential services.

COVID-19: Crisis Response

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges. ACB leveraged a project they had received funding for through the local municipality, transforming it to address emerging needs.

They coordinated with a restaurant supply company facing significant losses due to restaurant closures: “They came up with this idea kind of all together, by which they would get orders from all of the different families that needed food at that time,” our interpreter explained.

This creative solution created a “circular sort of economy that really worked well,” turning potential failure into community success. Beyond practical benefits, this approach fostered connection during isolation: “There was sort of time through the telephone calls to also kind of talk to people and find out how everyone was doing.”

Personal Growth Through Organizational Evolution

Paola shared her personal journey within the organization: “At the beginning I prefer to stay at the desk to meet people. But in a moment I realized that my role is very important to organize other people.”

This transition wasn’t easy initially: “I was not so happy about this at the beginning.” However, she came to understand the necessity of evolving roles: “Now I understand it’s not possible to stay all the day or all the life in the same role.”

As our interpreter explained, this shift came partly from recognizing frontline work’s emotional toll: “After several years, it can become very hard, listening to those stories that obviously are all really painful and difficult emotionally.” By moving to an organizational role with more emotional distance, Paola found she could be more effective in coordinating assistance.

_{ACB working with local communities and migrants.}

Balancing Growth with Local Impact

When asked about plans for growth, Paola acknowledged the tension between expansion and maintaining local impact: “It’s difficult not to be. If you want to go home, you have to be bigger. And it’s necessary to survive.”

However, she expressed concern about losing their local focus: “In my opinion, the perfect dimension is local dimension. Because you can have an impact. You can register, you can see.”

Conclusion

ACB Social Inclusion demonstrates that responding effectively to failure isn’t about avoiding mistakes—it’s about transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. By continually adapting their approach, they’ve created a model that effectively addresses the complex needs of migrant communities in Arezzo. Their willingness to recognize shortcomings, retrain staff, rebuild processes, and remain connected to the communities they serve offers valuable lessons for organizations working in social services.

_{My classmates and Paola Miraglia}

_{My classmates and I walking around Italpreziosi’s facility}

Walking through Italpreziosi’s ultra-secure facility in Arezzo—Italy’s historic gold capital where bars worth millions are handled like mere paperwork—you’d expect to find a company obsessed with profit margins and market share. But behind the industrial machinery and vaults of refined metal lies something far more valuable: a vision built on ethics, innovation, and community.

Italpreziosi, one of Europe’s leading precious metals companies, is redefining what it means to lead in a traditionally opaque and profit-driven industry. Its most striking feature isn’t its impressive refining capabilities or global client base. It’s the unshakable motivation that underpins every decision: to build a better world through ethical business.

Since its founding in 2008 by Ivana Ciabatti, Italpreziosi has established itself as a pioneering leader in the gold industry. Ciabatti has steered her company not just with financial foresight but with moral clarity—a rarity in the high-stakes world of gold and silver. “I want to make profit, yes, but with ethics and dignity and respect for all stakeholders,” Ciabatti asserts. This vision drives every initiative the company undertakes, from its traceable supply chains to its female-led leadership team.

_{Our interview with some of the female leadership at Italpreziosi}

A Business Model Rooted in Purpose

Italpreziosi’s motivation begins with its core identity. The company doesn’t just refine metals—it refines the system. “Everything we do is about responsibility,” explains Alessia Bussey, the company’s Director of CSR and Sustainability. “We want to be sure that every action, every policy, every innovation is aligned with our core values.”

This commitment is more than performative. Italpreziosi holds some of the highest certifications in the industry—Fairmined, LBMA Good Delivery, B Corp, RJC Chain of Custody—indicating rigorous adherence to environmental and human rights standards. But for Italpreziosi, these are not endpoints. They’re starting blocks. “Compliance is the minimum,” Bussey says.

“Our goal is transformation.”

Innovation with Integrity

“This app wasn’t developed because it’s trendy,” Bussey notes. “It was developed because these miners, who are essential to our supply chain, deserve access to the same tools and protections as anyone else.” The goal? Democratize opportunity. Level the playing field. Create dignity in every link of the value chain.

From Arezzo to the Andes: A Global Ethic

The company’s ethical reach stretches well beyond Italy. Italpreziosi’s sourcing process is built around long-term partnerships with mines and cooperatives that share its values. “Community is everywhere,” Bussey says. “Even if you don’t see them—the miners, their families—they’re there. They matter.”

Supply chains are fully traceable, barcoded, and monitored to ensure that every gram of gold processed in Arezzo meets the highest standards of environmental care and human rights. Shortcuts are rejected—even when they come at a financial cost. “We’ve sacrificed short-term profit for long-term integrity,” one executive acknowledged during a recent site visit. It’s a trade few in the industry are willing to make. Italpreziosi sees it as non-negotiable.

Local Heart, Global Vision

While Italpreziosi is global in scope, it remains deeply rooted in its local context. The company actively invests in the wellbeing of Arezzo’s residents, funding cultural programs, school infrastructure, and recreational spaces. These efforts are not mere charity—they are part of a coherent strategy to embed ethical thinking at all levels of the business. “We give priority to projects with direct, measurable impact,” Bussey says.

“It’s about nurturing the ecosystem we live in.”

Whether it’s rebuilding a recreational area for children or supporting biodiversity and climate change initiatives, the company’s community involvement in Arezzo reveals a profound motivation: to enrich the places it touches—not just economically, but socially and culturally.

Motivated by People, Not Profit

A hallmark of Italpreziosi’s culture is its dedication to people—employees, partners, and communities alike. The company defies industry stereotypes with a workforce that is young, diverse, and majority female. The average employee is just 36.5 years old, and women are not only present—they lead.
Ciabatti’s leadership style is itself a reflection of this motivation. Rather than commanding from above, she nurtures from within, emphasizing collaboration, trust, and mutual respect. “Ivana has created a space where people feel they belong,” one team member shared. That sense of belonging breeds commitment—and innovation.

Gender equity is another area where Italpreziosi leads by example. An external auditor once remarked that the company was “far above industry standards” when it came to gender equality. Diversity, one visitor noted, “creates innovation.” And here, it’s more than a talking point—it’s a practice.

Accountability as Innovation

Even failure is treated differently at Italpreziosi. The company has detailed risk mitigation procedures in place not to avoid accountability, but to ensure transparency. “If failure happens, you have to show that you did your best,” said Bussey. “Then you remedy it. That’s what strong governance is about.”
The company’s many certifications—B Corp, LBMA Good Delivery, and more—aren’t just trophies. They are proof of a deliberate and consistent effort to hold itself accountable to the highest ethical standards.

A New Standard for Gold

_{1 Kilo of Gold from Italpreziosi}

In an industry long shadowed by environmental degradation and labor exploitation, Italpreziosi is drawing a new map—one defined by ethics, not extraction. The company’s motivation is neither abstract nor optional. It is deeply practical and deeply human. “Innovation is not just about technology,” said Bussey. “It’s about creating impact through social, environmental, and cultural change.” That’s the gold Italpreziosi is truly refining—not just the material, but the meaning. Whether it’s a playground in Arezzo or a smartphone app in the Andes, every initiative reflects a golden thread of purpose. In a market where gold is often seen as the final prize, Italpreziosi shows that its greatest value lies not in the material, but in the mission. Here, gold becomes not just a product, but a promise—of dignity, equity, and transformation.

ACB Social Inclusion’s appraoch to migrant integration

ACB Social Inclusion sign outside the door

During my time in Italy, and Europe as a whole, I have been working on my undergraduate thesis through the Honors college. My research focused on refugee work: I was doing a comparative study of Ukrainian refugee integration in both Italy and the Czech Republic. I secured a grant through the Honors College, and was able to travel to the Czech Republic for my paper. Throughout my research, I interviewed many different organizations that worked with migrants and refugees, in both Italy and the Czech Republic. So last week, when we were able to visit ACB Social Inclusion, a group that works with migrants and refugees  (mainly Northern African and Banglsdeshian specifically) in Arezzo, I was familiar with how some of their programs worked.  This gave me a solid starting point when we were talking to Paola Miraglia, the director of ACB Social Inclusion, to understand how they worked and how they support their clients.

When we sat down with Paolo, she immediately started talking about the migrants that they help. Oftentimes, they come with very little money, and according to Paola, had already paid large sums of money to cross the sea to make it into Italy and Arezzo. When they arrive, they are often immediately greeted and taken into exploitive labor. “They are offered a package of everything: Sleep, food, and work,” she said. “Only that, obviously, it means working 14 hours without holidays, maybe with a contract for only two hours.” They come into Arezzo, and Italy as a whole, expecting to make a new living, but in reality, they are making very little money and not able to make a life for themselves.

When this first started to happen, Paola and ACB did not recognize what was happening. “At first, we didn’t even understand the structure,” Paola admitted. “Now we’ve retrained our staff to recognize it. Our entire intake process changed.” This was a change born out of necessity. They had to figure out new ways to make migrants feel comfortable within Italy and have a solid standard of living. It was an innovation created to help people. That kind of adaptability, responding to the needs of the people they help, is the kind of innovation that makes a lasting impact.

ACB Social Inclusion working with migrants, found on their website

ACB’s approach to this issue made me recognize what it meant for migrants to integrate into a society. Something I learned throughout my research this semester was what the process of migrant integration actually looked like. My research made me realize that integration isn’t just about living in a country and working 14 hours a day, but about their quality of life. Because ACB re-trained their staff for these matters, they were now able to effectively help migrants integrate. This understanding of integration helped me see how innovation can be about systems that revolve around empathy and cultural understanding.  This willingness to adapt not only created immediate support structures for migrants, but also created a new long-term vision for the organization. 

ACB’s innovation to adapt to the exploitation of migrants meant that their new model was able to provide assistance to migrants they hadn’t throughout before. “[We had to provide] legal assistance, assistance with housing or anything else,” Paola said. This shift to legal assistance and housing meant that migrants could start to feel comfortable in their new lives By retraining their staff to identify exploitation, and work with these migrants, ACB introduced legal assistance and housing support into their intake model, expanding beyond initial reception services. As a result, migrants who were able to be confident and stable with their lives. 

ACB Social Inclusion’s demonstrates that adaptability can transform migrant support from reception to integration By retraining staff to learn how to work with the exploitation of migrants, ACB not only addressed immediate concerns in their model but also laid foundations for long-term stability. This approach allowed migrants to form communities through ACB’s implementation of housing and community services, increasing their quality of life.  

ACB Social Inclusion’s multi-faceted perspective on change and growth

Walking into the building that ACB Social Inclusion operates out of, I couldn’t help but think that the organization was hiding in plain sight. It was a short walk from one of Arezzo’s central streets. After sitting to visit with Paola Miraglia, the director of the local nonprofit, the physical space seemed to resonate with the overall mission of ACB Social Inclusion. There are two two key objectives that comprise this: helping the migrant community by acting as cultural mediators, and working with students from migrant communities to promote greater intercultural learning. These objectives are broad, and they set ACB Social Inclusion apart from other social service organizations. Beyond solely providing practical services, ACB uses innovative approaches to connect deeply with the Arezzo community. Paola spoke about the challenges faced by these individuals, opening my eyes to a part of the world that I had been ignorant of. The issues that ACB combats are ones that exist all throughout the community of Arezzo, just as the building exists off of one of the city’s central streets. 

I went in visiting ACB wanting to use the perspective of technology as a framework to look at the innovations they implement. However, as Paola spoke, it became clearer to me that understanding the use of technology in progressing the mission of ACB is impossible without first understanding the importance of community. The very nature of the organization revolves around the Arezzo community and the ethnic communities that exist within. A census done in 2011, the most recent one done in Italy, found that over 12% of the Arezzo’s population consists of nationalities other than Italian. ACB Social Inclusion is central in providing services to non-citizens and members of smaller communities, ranging from practical services such as supplying housing and food to cultural immersion and adaptation opportunities. 

Beyond this community impact, the organization is a community within itself. Paola recalled the year that Covid put a hold on funding for their projects. When this happened, ACB employees realized that resolution was possible only if they worked as a team. Each team member worked the same hours for significantly less pay. This shows the dedication that each individual has for pursuing positive change. Paola’s personal passion demonstrates this same attitude. When asked what drives her, she responded: “To learn every day.” To her, this means maintaining the desire to improve, understand, and maintain adaptability even after 20 years with the organization. “The world is unfair… even creating a change in your own localized community can make a huge difference.” One of the ways ACB Social Inclusion spurs this change is through technological innovation.

 Technology allows ACB to connect with the community in various ways. One of the ways the organization approaches social inclusion and cultural immersion is by making foundational information easily accessible. They have created a system of posters that display QR codes, each poster providing detailed information on certain topics in several languages. For example, the poster produced for the local hospital answers the most commonly asked questions patients have. These QR codes are now displayed on site at the hospital. That being said, ACB Social Inclusion recognizes that not everyone has had equal opportunity to education, and literacy levels vary. To prevent inaccessibility, the QR codes present information in video format.

Not only does the organization exist to serve the communities of Arezzo, the information provided in each document must be supplied and verified by the larger community. Before ACB can begin producing the content, community members at each poster location provide extensive details on the most relevant information. The organization’s relationship with the community is certainly a symbiotic one.

Like all facets of ACB, the poster project has considerable depth. This intricacy caused a few problems to arise when implementing the innovation. One of the issues that arose involved the logistics of cultural mediators. 

Many ACB employees act as cultural mediators, meaning they understand both the cultural context of Italy and that of the individual who has asked for help. This idea is important when producing digital media, as the information must be credible before being sourced out to the larger community. ACB works diligently to employ individuals well-versed in both cultures they are representing, guaranteeing that the information provided is not only accessible, but also relevant. The problem-solving approach that ACB Social Inclusion uses allows them to find well-suited professionals to record the videos for technology-based projects.

Oftentimes, innovation can’t simply be viewed through one specific framework. There is an interplay between the various aspects, such as community, technology, and teamwork. Each is foundational to the mission of ACB Social Inclusion. I find it fitting that an organization that deals intimately with sensitive, intricate social situations uses such a vast variety of approaches to innovation. This is an essential mindset, which has allowed them to continue moving forward in a complicated sector of work. 

Quotes in this article have been provided to the best of my ability, as the interview was oftentimes translated from Italian to English, with the Assistant Director of OUA Ursula Armstrong acting as a mediator.

“Behind every successful business is someone who made a courageous decision” quote hung at the front of Italpreziosi

When it comes to precious metals, gold is one of the most valuable ones out there. With value, however, risk can be very high. Italpreziosi, located in an industrial district within Arezzo, is one of the most innovative and forward thinking gold production companies out there. They use their innovation to take new risks and overcome any challenges that they may face. Some of these risks they take involve how profit off the gold they mine.

“We cannot wait until we receive the gold physically… we can have a big margin or a big loss. So we hedge the position and we have no exposure on the market for the fluctuation.”

Fortune can quickly shift in the gold market. Gold prices fluctuate quickly and interchangeably, meaning to invest in gold is to constantly take a risk. Italpreziosi manages this risk by selling freshly mined ore immediately to a company: Minimizing the exposure they have to volatile market swings. This is a typical response to market swings: sell before the prices change too much in one direction.

But risk is more than just typical corporate responses, and risk in the industry can’t be confined to this basic practice. Italpreziosi focuses on taking risks to build a sustainable company: One that is both environmentally friendly and ethically responsible. Italpreziosi co-owns mining companies to mine their ore, and they choose companies that must have a focus on sustainability, something that wasn’t common in this industry. This illustrates how they see risk not as something to merely avoid but as something to engage with intentionally, redefining industry norms in the process.

“Mining companies are one of our suppliers, and we carry out thorough assessments before accepting even a single gram of material from them. The assessment is very strict. The large majority of the opportunities that we have, we give up.”

This shows that Italpreziosi’s approach to sustainability is just as important as the gold itself. They could choose cheaper companies, maximizing their profit, but instead  they focus on sustainability and safe business practices to protect the countries where gold is mined, both the employees and the environment. Their ability to deny cheaper labor and practices is innovative in itself. It sets a new precedent within the industry, demonstrating that profitability and ethical responsibility don’t have to be mutually exclusive. By prioritizing long-term stability over short-term gains, Italpreziosi positions itself as a model for how modern companies can manage risk while driving meaningful, sustainable change.

 This decision to reject the majority of opportunities isn’t just about in the moment ethical standards–it’s a calculated long-term risk management strategy, protecting the company’s reputation and operational security.

Graph from Italpreziosi’s website showing their policy directives

“You don’t know how [the miners] work every day. So you have to make sure that you can actually be managing any potential risk related to mismanagement on the social and environmental side.”

There is, however, still risk in using third-parties within their business practices. Gold mining, and ore mining in general, has a big risk of human rights and environmental violations, and companies like Italpreziosi cannot afford to look the other way. Italpreziosi’s proactive strategy includes educating suppliers, enforcing traceability, and refusing to partner with those who cannot meet their standards.This highlights a critical tension in modern global industries: Trusting third-parties while knowing you can’t always fully control them. Italpreziosi’s emphasis on education and traceability is a pragmatic acknowledgment of that tension, and a smart way to reduce operational and reputational risk.

Graph from their website showing their environmental impact score

“If you don’t know what your impact is, you cannot do anything.”

In the constantly changing world of precious metals, risk is inevitable – but how a company chooses to approach risk with innovative solutions defines its long-term standard and character.  By embedding sustainability and ethics at the core of its operations, Italpreziosi has distinguished itself in an industry historically known for opacity and exploitation.

How Italpreziosi has remained successful after 40 years of operation

In early April, I had the opportunity to visit one of Arezzo’s most prominent companies with my Innovators in Journalism class at OU. From the outside facade of Italpreziosi, I never could have guessed what was waiting within. Just behind closed doors is a company that is truly golden and glowing. This is in part due to the innovative approach Italpreziosi demonstrates, but also due to what they manufacture. Italpreziosi is a leading player in the world of gold. Based in Arezzo, the company deals with many services, such as precious metals trading, metal banks, investment gold, and refining gold. The list goes on. Italpreziosi has been active since 1984, yet remains ahead of the game even after decades of being in operation. One of the ways they do this is by maintaining a future-forward attitude regarding business organization and management. 

Throughout the entire inspection process, Italpreziosi uses expert-level precision. They start with gold from mines or recycled gold, then send it through analysis, a refining system, and finally produce it into gold bars. Following production, the varying types and weights of gold are distributed to individuals, banks, and companies. This attention to detail is a meticulous process; despite the tedium, Italpreziosi has remained committed to ethical and sustainable gold since 2007. This commitment is evident within seconds of opening their 2023 Impact Report and reading their business model, but it is also seen from the start of the production process itself, with the use of recycled gold products. 

Two major factors allow Italpreziosi to stay ahead as a sustainable company in the fast-paced business world. Those two factors are SDGs and ESGs. In recent years, the company committed to contributing to the SDG, or Sustainable Development Goals, of Agenda 2030. This is an action program that was signed by the governments of UN member countries in September 2015. Each goal allows companies to measure their impact both at a current level and potential (or future) level. Out of the seventeen development goals outlined in the agenda, Italpreziosi has already adopted six of them: good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, peace, and partnerships. Each initiative promotes positive growth inside the company, allowing Italpreziosi to stand out in comparison to companies that have yet to adopt SDGs. 

ESG is another pillar of Italpreziosi’s business model. ESG stands for Environment, Social, and Governance. These topics are aligned with Global Reporting Initiative Standards, a system that allows companies to track material themes based on stakeholder interest and impact on the organization. Technologies such as these help Italpreziosi to remain connected to the interests of their clients, prevent mistakes or miscommunications, and work towards their goals at a faster rate. 

“Engaging with our stakeholders is a fundamental and constructive step for Italpreziosi, to understand its current and future performance, but also to seek solutions for all those challenges that our industry is facing.” 

Failure is something that threatens to loom over any company and is something that any good business must consider. Italpreziosi approaches the idea of failure from a preventative point of view. By implementing the use of SDGs and ESG, they have created a clear structure that promotes success. The governance aspect is especially important for this. Under the ESG model, transparency and due diligence are the primary subtopics of governance, meaning that companies implementing governance keep a very close eye out for corruption, money laundering, economic value being generated, and raw material traceability. In addition to this, Italpreziosi conducts frequent risk-assessment, creating specific plans and procedures for each possible outcome they face. 

“[Risk assessment] is important for a company for reputation and potential sanctions, and you have to consider that… if you have a strong governance, you have policies, you have a structure that demonstrates that you did everything you could do… failure can [still] happen. The thing is, if you demonstrate that you did everything transparently in the possibility you had, there is nothing you can be afraid of.” 

This response shows just how high of a standard the ideas of governance, SDGs and ESGs are held to within the company, and rightfully so. These models have helped Italpreziosi transform over the past decade, from a small company to a booming business. 

“Then, if failure happens, you have to have a mitigation action plan. You have actions to resolve and remedy. Remediation is crucial.” 

The organized and highly structured approach to business, risk assessment, and potential failure is one of the many factors that keep this gold manufacturing on top. 

After learning more about Italpreziosi’s innovative approach to business, the other students and I had the opportunity to tour the facility and see behind-the-scenes production on-site. As we toured the facility, the careful attention to detail was evident in every step of the process. Every person we spoke to seemed passionate about the work they were doing. From the smelting to the lab analysis, the manufacturing process truly seemed to be expertly done. It is one thing for a company to claim a business model, but seeing these words put into action is what truly sets Italpreziosi apart. Through the use of their innovative and forward-thinking methods, they have transformed the production process, and the company, for the better.