In a strong competition of socially innovative projects from Central and Eastern Europe, Humana Nova has won the prestigious European award SozialMarie 2026 for its model of inclusive circular economy. Humana Nova HR Manager Karolina Kraljić accepted the award at the official ceremony on May 11 at the Casino Zögernitz in Vienna.
Out of 360 projects submitted this year, only 15 were awarded. The top three winning projects are from Slovakia (the EDU-UA program for the education and integration of Ukrainian children), the Czech Republic (Modern Self-Defense), and Slovenia (Cinema Without Barriers). The total prize fund was 55,000 euros.
Inclusive circular economy: A market model with a positive impact on society and the environment
The inclusive circular economy model, which Humana Nova has been operating for fifteen years, combines the collection and reuse of textile surpluses with the employment of people from vulnerable social groups including people with disabilities, single mothers, members of minorities and others.
Among the textile waste Humana Nova is collecting, there are often well-preserved clothes that the company places in its second-hand clothing store. A small part of the collected textiles is redesigned into new pieces of clothing. Cotton textiles that are not suitable for this type of use are cut into industrial rags, while all remaining unusable textiles are recycled, creating industrial felt. This turns waste into new value. The model also includes a production of new textile products from locally available and certified eco-materials.
At the core of this model is employment of people from socially vulnerable groups and adjustment of the workplace to an employee's unique abilities, which enables true inclusion. Humana Nova has 61 employees, including 38 people with disabilities and 21 people from other vulnerable groups. Employees work without production quotas.
An important aspect of this social enterprise's activities is education and workshops that encourage environmental and social awareness of children, young people and citizens.
About SozialMarie
SozialMarie is the first European award for social innovation. It has been awarded since 2005 to projects that offer innovative, effective and sustainable solutions to contemporary social challenges. It is awarded by the Austrian Unruhe Foundation.
This year, more than 360 projects from Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary were submitted. Each year, an expert jury nominates a maximum of 35 projects for the award. Ultimately, the 15 best are awarded according to the criteria of social innovation.
Success of Croatian projects
Among the awarded projects this year, five are from Croatia. This shows that in Croatia you can expect some very high-quality social innovations. Alongside Humana Nova, other awarded projects are:
- Project O2 from Grubišno Polje: Reforestation of hard-to-reach areas using drones and seed bombs.
- Eko Lika GREENNovation: Converting discarded raw sheep wool into ecological fertilizers and repellents.
- Energy cooperative KLIK from Križevci: Free, independent support for citizens in the energy transition.
- Women's Trade Union School: An educational program by the Zagreb association BRID, which has been running for more than a decade.
Congrats to all the winners!
