In 2017, a framework agreement to supply fabric flags for the Croatian capital (city flags, Croatian flags, and EU flags) was awarded to Humana Nova, a social cooperative that employs people with disabilities and other socially excluded individuals through textile production, and URIHO, a sheltered workshop owned by the City of Zagreb.
What made this tender significant was the mechanism that made it possible: a reserved contract set aside exclusively for organisations employing people who face barriers in the mainstream labour market. It was Croatia's first reserved contract for social enterprises above €500,000.
But, it almost didn't happen. The process was anything but straightforward. From the initial application to the first order, nearly nine months passed, a timeline that tests the financial resilience of any organisation, and particularly one with limited reserves and a workforce that requires ongoing support. The administrative complexity was considerable. Reserved contracts for social enterprises were still unfamiliar territory in Croatia, and the uncertainty ran in both directions: public authorities were unsure whether a social enterprise could deliver at that scale, and Humana Nova had to demonstrate not just willingness but capacity.
The contract was implemented professionally and in full compliance with the requirements. And in doing so, Humana Nova helped establish something beyond its own balance sheet: proof that social enterprises in Croatia could take on major public tenders and deliver. For social enterprises across Croatia and beyond, it offered a concrete example of procurement as a lever for social inclusion, not just an administrative process.
Over 25 years, RREUSE has witnessed many moments that have reshaped what social enterprises can achieve in Europe. The Zagreb flag contract of 2017 is one we don't forget.
