[Rome 20 June 2024] - The non-profit company Echo Labs by FERCAM & DACHSER has been recognized for the second consecutive year with the prestigious "Welcome. Working for Refugee Integration" by UNHCR, for its 2023 commitment to the professional integration of political refugees.

The recognition, established in 2017, certifies companies that stand out for providing work and social inclusion to refugees, demonstrating a concrete commitment in protecting the rights of those who enjoy international protection. During the six editions, the project has grown both in number of participating companies and in breadth of intentions and objectives. 'Welcome. Working for the integration of refugees" is not just a logo or a prize, but a concrete programme of structured and collaborative integration in which the skills of the different actors involved are integrated and mutually supported. In this edition, the Welcome logo was awarded to 220 companies that, in 2023, launched 11,770 initiatives promoting employment inclusion.

In 2023, Echo Labs welcomed three new employees into its carpentry lab: Fanto Samake, 19, a Malian carpenter known for his energy and enthusiasm, and two young people, Ali Coulibali (Mali) and Muse Abdullahi Mahad (Guinea), who is being professionally trained to learn the profession of carpenter. The Echo Labs team is now led by Sebastien Omozokpia, first hired in 2022.

The awarding of the “Welcome. Working for Refugee Integration” logo follows a rigorous selection process that includes detailed analysis of documents and data submitted during the application, as well as in-depth interviews with a group of experts. Echo Labs has successfully passed these stages, confirming its role as a permanent laboratory for training, work and social integration of people from different cultures.

The award was given during a ceremony at LUISS University in Rome. Fanto Samake collected it accompanied by Dino Menichetti Echo Labs’ President, and Claudia Coscarella Project Manager.

Menichetti, supporting the development of new arrivals with energy and vision, said: «we are deeply honored to receive this recognition again; it confirms that what we are doing has a value for the community. One of Echo Labs primary objectives is precisely to create training and work opportunities for vulnerable occupational groups, such as political refugees, offering them not just a workplace but a real path of individual growth».