FONDAZIONE GIACOMO BRODOLINI

Their core work

Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini is a Rome-based research foundation specializing in labour market analysis, social policy, and gender equality. They study how work is changing — from platform economies and digital labour to in-work poverty — and develop evidence-based policy recommendations. Their research bridges social innovation with public service design, focusing on citizen participation, welfare reform, and the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early work (2016–2017) centered on digital public services and institutional transformation — e-government platforms, citizen co-production, and gender equality audits. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward labour rights, the platform economy, and poverty — studying gig workers, in-work poverty, and the European Pillar of Social Rights. The trajectory shows a move from governance tools and institutional processes toward the human consequences of economic change.

They are moving toward the social impact of new work models, making them a strong partner for projects examining fair work, platform regulation, or welfare system reform.

How they like to work

Fondazione Brodolini operates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator, which positions them as a reliable research contributor rather than a project driver. With 52 unique partners across 19 countries from just 4 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia — averaging 13+ partners per project. This broad network suggests they are valued for their specific social research expertise and can integrate smoothly into multi-national teams.

Despite only 4 projects, they have built a remarkably wide network of 52 partners across 19 countries, indicating they join large European consortia and rarely repeat partners. Their reach spans most of the EU, with no narrow geographic cluster.

What sets them apart

Their distinctive value lies in connecting labour market research with policy design — they don't just study problems like in-work poverty or platform labour, they translate findings into welfare policy recommendations and institutional change processes. Based in Italy but working across 19 countries, they bring a Southern European perspective on employment precarity that is increasingly relevant as platform work and working poverty rise across the EU. For consortium builders, they offer strong qualitative and quantitative social research capacity without competing for coordination roles.

Highlights from their portfolio

• WeGovNow
  Their largest funded project (EUR 255K), exploring how digital tools can enable citizens to co-produce public services — an early entry into govtech research.
• WorkYP
  Directly addresses in-work poverty and the European Pillar of Social Rights — a politically high-priority topic that signals the foundation's policy relevance.
• PLUS
  Tackles platform economy labour across urban spaces, combining digital work analysis with welfare policy — a topic at the center of current EU regulatory debates.