ABAD

What ABAD does

ABAD Società Cooperativa Sociale E.T.S. is a Type B Social Cooperative founded in 1994 and headquartered in Buguggiate, Province of Varese, Italy. The cooperative's statutory mission is the work integration of persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged individuals belonging to protected categories under Italian law. ABAD operates six core service lines: civil and industrial cleaning, sanitization using Victory electrostatic atomizer technology, green maintenance, assembly and packaging, urban hygiene, and a social area managed in partnership with Abaco APS. Its specialized offering, the Article 14 Convention, enables companies with 15+ employees to fulfill their disability employment quota obligations (under Law 68/99) by outsourcing sheltered employment to ABAD, without direct hiring.

The cooperative generates revenue through service contracts with private companies, public entities, and residential clients, primarily across the Provinces of Varese, Milan, and Como. Revenue is supplemented by tax-deductible donations (5×1000), 8×1000 contributions from Caritas Ambrosiana, FSE+ public grants, and social entrepreneurship activities including the Dona Valore used clothing collection initiative (Solid'R certified since 2018) and the L'Orto del Borgo social agriculture project. ABAD holds ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications, is pursuing UNI PdR 125:2022 gender parity certification, and maintains a workforce of approximately 40-45 employees, over one-third of whom are disadvantaged workers, supported by 20 workstations for vocational training and observation.

The cooperative's go-to-market is relationship-driven, relying on direct outreach to companies, municipalities, public tenders, and territorial social services networks. Strategic partnerships with Elmec (IT training island), Abaco APS (social services), Caritas Ambrosiana, Rete R.I.U.S.E., and Lions Club Sette Laghi anchor ABAD in the local social economy. ABAD is governed as a member-based cooperative under Third Sector Entity (ETS) regulations, with leadership including Giuseppe Di Carlo (Director/President), Stefania Pozzi (Administrator), and Sara Gorlini (Director of Social Area).

Name

ABAD

Legal name

Abad Società Cooperativa Sociale E.T.S.

Website

https://abadcoop.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ABAD is a Type B Italian Social Cooperative founded in 1994 that provides cleaning, sanitization, green maintenance, assembly/packaging, and urban hygiene services while employing disadvantaged workers. It enables companies to fulfill disability employment quotas via Article 14 agreements, operating primarily in the Province of Varese.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Employment and Facility Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAM

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

Keywords

• Professional cleaning services
• Disability employment outsourcing
• Industrial sanitization services
• Green area maintenance
• Assembly packaging services

Headquarters

HQ city

Varese

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Cleaning and Sanitation Services: ABAD generates revenue through service contracts for civil and industrial cleaning, sanitation, and disinfection services delivered to private companies, residential clients, condominiums, and public entities in the Province of Varese. Services include periodic cleaning, specialized treatments, and post-construction cleaning. Revenue is earned through recurring service agreements and public procurement tenders.
2. Assembly and Packaging Services: ABAD operates an approximately 300 sqm assembly and packaging facility with ~20 workstations serving companies in the Provinces of Varese and Milan. Services include packaging, sorting, labeling, plastic and mechanical assembly, and electrical wiring. Revenue is generated through work contracts and commission agreements with client companies.
3. Green Maintenance Services: Revenue is earned through contracts for green space maintenance including lawn mowing, hedge trimming, tree pruning, courtyard cleaning, leaf collection, and weed control for private gardens, public areas, and historic villa parks.
4. Urban Hygiene Services: ABAD provides urban hygiene and decor services including street sweeping and park/garden maintenance on behalf of public entities, generating revenue through public service contracts.
5. Articolo 14 Convenzioni (Sheltered Employment Contracts): Under Article 14 of the Italian Biagi Law, companies with 15+ employees outsource sheltered employment obligations to ABAD. The cooperative employs disabled workers and companies commit work orders sufficient to cover worker costs. This generates revenue through service contracts with private companies.
6. Dona Valore – Used Clothing Collection (Social Entrepreneurship): ABAD participates in the 'Dona Valore' social entrepreneurship initiative for used clothing collection, operating collection containers in the Province of Varese and partially in Como. Clothing is delivered to companies for regeneration and resale. This activity generates revenue supporting social programs and complements Caritas Ambrosiana projects.
7. Donations and Public Contributions: ABAD receives donations (tax-deductible under Italian third-sector law), 5×1000 tax allocations, 8×1000 contributions from Caritas Ambrosiana, and public grants (including FSE+ funding for gender equality certification). These represent non-revenue income supporting the cooperative's social mission.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ABAD is a Type B Italian Social Cooperative that delivers professional cleaning, industrial sanitization, green area maintenance, assembly and packaging, and urban hygiene services while integrating disadvantaged workers into employment. Its flagship offering is the Convenzione ex art. 14 disability-employment outsourcing service, which enables companies with 15 or more employees to fulfill mandatory disability-hiring quotas by contracting ABAD to employ disadvantaged staff on their behalf. The cooperative complements these contracted services with social-impact projects such as the Dona Valore used-clothing initiative and the L'Orto del Borgo social agriculture project.

Product overview

ABAD is a Type B Social Cooperative founded in 1994 that provides integrated social employment services for protected category workers. The company operates as a unified service portfolio rather than a platform architecture, comprising six core operational services: Pulizie civili e industriali (civil and industrial cleaning), Sanificazioni (sanitization using Victory electrostatic atomizer), Manutenzione del verde (green maintenance), Assemblaggio e Confezionamento (assembly and packaging with 20 workstations), Igiene urbana (urban hygiene), and Area Sociale/Abaco (social services including vocational training and psychological support). Specialized offerings include Convenzione Articolo 14 (enabling companies to fulfill disability hiring quotas) and social entrepreneurship initiatives like Dona Valore (used clothing collection) and L'Orto del Borgo (social agriculture). All procedures are ISO certified.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dona Valore: A social entrepreneurship initiative for collecting used clothing, operating across the Diocese of Milan and managed by the Rete R.I.U.S.E. network. Generates employment for people in difficulty.
• L'Orto del Borgo
• Abaco

Products and services

• Convenzione ex Art. 14 (Article 14 Disability Employment Outsourcing) A legal-employment outsourcing service that enables Italian companies with 15 or more employees to meet mandatory disability-hiring obligations by contracting ABAD to employ disadvantaged workers and assign them to the client company's operations. Targeted at HR managers, compliance officers, and corporate social responsibility leads.
• Professional Cleaning Services Scheduled and on-demand cleaning services for offices, commercial premises, and public buildings, delivered by ABAD's integrated workforce of disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged workers. Targeted at facility managers, property managers, and corporate clients.
• Industrial Sanitization Services Disinfection and sanitization of workplaces, industrial sites, and public environments using Victory electrostatic atomizer technology, which produces fine charged droplets that coat surfaces evenly. Targeted at industrial site managers, schools, healthcare facilities, and public entities.
• Green Area Maintenance Maintenance of green areas, gardens, and grounds for municipalities, condominium complexes, and private properties, carried out by ABAD's integrated workforce. Targeted at municipalities, property managers, and residential complexes.
• Assembly and Packaging Services Manual assembly, packaging, kitting, and light industrial processing services performed by ABAD's workforce for client companies. Targeted at industrial manufacturers, logistics operators, and commercial businesses needing supplemental production capacity.
• Urban Hygiene Services Cleaning and maintenance of public spaces, streets, and urban environments for municipalities and public entities. Targeted at municipal governments and public-sector facility managers.
• L'Orto del Borgo (Social Agriculture) A social agriculture initiative that cultivates and sells produce while engaging disadvantaged workers in horticultural, therapeutic, and inclusion activities. Targeted at consumers, local markets, and supporters of social enterprises.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over one third of ~40-45 employees are disadvantaged workers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant and minor.

• ElmeccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2024Elmec and ABAD collaborated to create an 'isola formativa' (training island) where ABAD workers perform laptop cleaning and sanitization as part of Elmec's device regeneration process. On 31 July 2024, Elmec hosted a welcome day for ABAD participants, providing them with a PC and backpack each. The partnership provides ABAD workers with real-work vocational training while delivering a service to Elmec.
• Abaco APS (Associazione di Promozione Sociale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAbaco APS provides ABAD with a multidisciplinary team of professional educators and psychosocial operators who draft and monitor individualized integration projects. Abaco operates the 'Area Sociale' (social area) within ABAD, providing educational services, autonomy training, and accompaniment for adults with disabilities.
• Caritas AmbrosianasignificantOthersCaritas Ambrosiana granted ABAD an 8×1000 contribution used to rent a commercial vehicle for the 'Dona Valore' used clothing collection social enterprise branch. The partnership supports ABAD's social entrepreneurship and operational expansion.
• Lions Club Sette LaghiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Lions Club Sette Laghi organized a beneficent dinner at Palace Grand Hotel in Varese, with Gerry Scotti as guest of honor, to raise awareness and support for ABAD's mission. The event generated press coverage by La Prealpina and Rete 55 television.
• Rete R.I.U.S.E. (Diocesi di Milano)significantChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorABAD participates in the 'Dona Valore' used clothing collection initiative managed by Rete R.I.U.S.E. across the Diocese of Milan. ABAD manages collection containers and weekly pickup in the Province of Varese and partially Como, delivering clothes to partner companies for regeneration and resale in developing markets.
• Reti e Progetti – Labora Con, Fare InclusioneminorOthersABAD participates in territorial networks including 'Labora Con' and 'Fare Inclusione', which are social inclusion consortia or projects operating in Varese Province to promote employment of disadvantaged persons.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Markas: Italian family-owned facility services company specializing in cleaning, sanitation, and integrated services for healthcare, public, and corporate clients. Directly comparable service portfolio with strong presence in northern Italy.
• Pulitori ed Affini: Italian cooperative specializing in cleaning and facility services with a strong social-employment focus through protected-category worker integration. Closely comparable cooperative model and Article-14-style mission.
• Consorzio Nazionale Servizi (CNS): Italian cooperative consortium providing facility services, cleaning, sanitation, and social-employment services to public and private clients. Directly comparable as a multi-line cooperative competitor operating under similar work-integration frameworks across Italy.
• Il Cerchio Società Cooperativa Sociale: Italian Type B social cooperative offering cleaning, sanitation, and assembly services with a strong focus on employing disadvantaged persons. Closely aligned mission, scale, and operating model in northern Italy.
• Manutencoop Facility Management: Italian cooperative-led facility services group offering cleaning, sanitation, green maintenance, and integrated building services. Comparable service mix and cooperative governance, though operating at substantially greater scale.
• Cooperativa Sociale Codess: Italian Type B social cooperative providing work integration services, facility management, cleaning, and assembly operations across multiple regions. Comparable cooperative structure, mission, and service portfolio.

Others

• Caritas Italiana Social Cooperatives: Network of Caritas-affiliated cooperatives and social enterprises running work-integration programs including cleaning, assembly, and used-clothing collection. Comparable social-mission focus and funding model, though primarily charitable rather than commercial.
• Consorzio CGM (Nuovo Comitato Diciotto): Italian consortium coordinating social cooperatives, including those offering facility services and work integration. Relevant as an ecosystem enabler and potential partner or competitor for ABAD's territorial positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Dussmann Service Italia: Italian subsidiary of Dussmann Group providing cleaning, disinfection, and facility management. Overlaps with ABAD's industrial cleaning and sanitization services, operating at much larger scale as an established incumbent.
• ISS Italia (ISS A/S Italian subsidiary): Italian arm of global facility-services giant ISS, providing cleaning, sanitation, and workplace services to enterprise and public-sector clients. Comparable core cleaning/sanitization offering but without ABAD's work-integration specialization.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/abadcooperativasociale
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abad-cooperativa-sociale

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ABAD