The latest Executive MBA Business Chat organised by the UB Business School addressed social economy projects during a conference by Esperança Grado under the title “Grup Àuria: 40 años de Economía Social”. The session was held on November 19^th, 2018, at the Faculty of Economics and Business.

During the session, the executive provided an overview of the 40 years of Àuria Grup as a social economy enterprise in central Catalonia. She also explained how they combine basic features of a business and the spirit of service to the community, including quality of life, participation in society, equal opportunities, and defence of human rights. Esperança Grado worked for 31 years at Àuria Grup. She began as a workshop instructor but climbed several rungs of the professional ladder and rose to general director of industrial services and cosmetic projects with a turnover of €2.5M and in charge of 275 workers.

Àuria Grup is a leading group in the social sector in the Anoia region that works for the quality of life, participation of people at risk of social exclusion, employability, job creation and social transformation. The cooperative brings together more than 900 collaborators and 570 employees, making it the largest company in the Anoia region. Àuria provides support for people with intellectual disabilities or mental illness and their families, specialised training, different paths of integration in the labour market, day care, occupational therapy, accommodation and leisure.

This Business Chat session is the first in a series that will bring top CEOs and managers into the Executive MBA classroom in 2018-2019. In previous academic years, we have had the opportunity to welcome Fluidra’s international general director, Pere Ballart; Grupo Fesal Invers partner and CEO, José Enrique Alarcón; Universitas founding partners, Carlos Garza and Manuel Flores; and Fundación CARES CEO, Helena Borbón Porta, among others.