Community projects that create opportunities and have a positive impact on the local area help build tourism sustainability. A great example is Fundació Rubricatus, a non-profit organisation that works to ensure integration in the workplace for people with intellectual disabilities, through employment, training and active participation in the community.
Part of the city’s heritage
Fundació Rubricatus was created in 1997 by a group of people from El Prat de Llobregat (many of them family members of children with an intellectual disability) who had been working since the 1970s to develop educational and workplace projects and guarantee opportunities and future prospects for their children. This led them to create an organisation to address their needs, which now symbolises a city’s collective commitment to inclusion, dignity and equal opportunities.
Its aim is to promote autonomy, improve people’s quality of life and ensure full social inclusion through initiatives that combine the social economy, environmental sustainability and innovation.
Work with value
To achieve its mission, the organisation has a Special Work Centre (Tesiprat Serveis), where various production and professional activities are carried out in a real work environment. This model creates stable employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities while offering services to local businesses and institutions.
Its initiatives have a real impact on the surrounding community. Examples include ReCosir, a circular economy project that gives textile waste a second life, a vehicle cleaning service that uses sustainable techniques without any water consumption, and a gardening service with a visible impact on both public and private spaces.
A commitment to sustainable tourism
The organisation’s tourism initiatives include projects that recycle materials or reduce the environmental impact of services. For example, single-use ear buds from tourism services can be reused and turned into new products, such as lanyards for events.
In the food and drink sector, the organisation has a catering service that offers inclusive, healthy dishes using local products, and manages spaces such as the Restaurant del Sagnier and the Refugi de Ribera café, which promote accessible, responsible food.
Fundació Rubricatus is part of the Destination Barcelona Commitment to Tourism Sustainability, which recognises and certifies the best practices in its business model.
A project for all
Initiatives like the Fundació Rubricatus remind us that sustainable tourism also requires social transformation, in order to contribute towards building more responsible, inclusive destinations committed to people and local communities.
Their task is not just to improve many people’s lives, but also to encourage us to be part of this change and enjoy the results of a collective project that brings value to the area.
Discover Fundació Rubricatus at fundaciorubricatus.org
