21 September 2026
Donostia-San Sebastián
The Eraldatu Association and Rural Kutxa’s Social Action department have presented the third edition of the Social Impact Final Year Project Programme at the University of Deusto’s San Sebastián campus to this year’s participants.
This initiative was launched in 2024 by five organisations (Deusto Business School, the Antonio Aranzabal Foundation, Rural Kutxa, the Artizarra Foundation and Sinnple) with the aim of connecting young people’s academic talent with the real needs of businesses and entrepreneurs, in order to drive, measure and manage the social and environmental impact of organisations in our local community.
Beyond the classroom: bridging the gap to the business world
The success of its first two editions, which involved 16 young people and four companies (Plastigaur, Euskaber, Irisbond and Reiner), has been recognised by both the organisations and the students. For the organisations, the initiative has enabled them to develop an impact measurement model, supporting their potential preparation for funding applications or accreditation; for the students, it has provided valuable practical experience in impact measurement.
In this third edition, the call for proposals doubles its scope and strategic impact. On this occasion, 26 students, 4 leading organisations and 6 specialist tutors will be taking part. The aim of the projects involving selected companies (Last Tour and Echemar) and entrepreneurs (Rural Citizen and Gotaa Lab) is to generate and transfer knowledge from and in collaboration with the participating organisations.
There will also be two projects focusing on two key areas of work aimed at advancing purpose-driven organisations. The first project will involve an international mapping and comparative analysis of tax measures to promote social and environmental impact in businesses. The second will focus on mapping the legal structures and business benefits best suited to promoting social impact. Through these projects, new ways of advancing social impact in organisations across our region are being identified.
Projects, training and outreach relating to social impact
Taking part in this programme is about more than simply completing a project. Participants commit to dedicating around 60 additional hours to activities related to social impact, including advanced methodological training using tools such as Eraldatzen and active participation in professional impact forums. For this reason, the programme provides participants with a grant.
Through initiatives such as the Social Impact Final Year Project Programme, the Eraldatu ecosystem brings its motto to life: "More impact, fewer words", demonstrating that young people and academia can be true catalysts for the cultural and economic change our planet needs.
