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A very important distinction was won by the Region of Crete in this year's Bravo Sustainability Awards 2022, which took place at the Old Parliament House (Greek: Μέγαρο της Παλαιάς Βουλής, Paleá Voulí), as part of the Bravo Sustainability Week 2022, organized by the QualityNet Foundation. The distinction concerns the Pillar SOCIETY (BRAVO SOCIETY), for the Action: "Mapping mechanism of social services, needs and pockets of local deprivation for social inclusion policy making in the Region of Crete", of the Regional Observatory for Social Inclusion supported by the the Laboratory of Social Analysis and Applied Social Research (EKAEKE) of the Department of Sociology of the University of Crete.

The aim of the action is to capture the degree of policy response to the needs of individual social groups and areas in the Region of Crete through the formation of a stable mechanism for locating pockets of local deprivation and needs assessment. The ultimate goal of the initiative is the development of social inclusion policies that will contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of the inhabitants of the Region of Crete, taking special care of the vulnerable groups.

The initiative transfers innovative practices in social policy making, based on new technologies (Geoinformation System of the Region of Crete / GIS Crete). Using the mechanism:

Α.indicators and tools depicted on interactive maps identify:

• the local deprivation in terms of income, employment, welfare / care, housing, education, health, etc.
• the services provided locally to address the problems of poverty and deprivation faced by individuals and households in Crete.

Β. needs assessment at the local level is taking place, based on indicators above and also those related to material deprivation, income, inequalities, social exclusion and social groups.

Indicatively, the results of the action taken by the Observatory in the Region of Crete so far (2021 -), include:

- 28 static maps of spatial deprivation.

- 50 interactive maps of spatial deprivation.

- Mapping covers 786 "small areas" in the Region of Crete: small communities within the Municipalities as well as smaller urban areas in the cities of Heraklion and Chania.

- more than 2000 registrations of social policy services and programs.

- 200 indicators of deprivation, income, inequality and living conditions.

- 10 research texts.

- At least 1000 social policy actors and citizens were informed through publicity and dissemination of results.

In promoting social innovation, the Observatory has worked and continues to work with all social policy actors, at national, regional and local levels. More information: https://socialobservatory.crete.gov.gr

Every year the Bravo Insitution develops a social dialogue for Sustainable Development based on the initiatives developed in our country. This year, the Bravo Institution set a "record" of participation, with more than 300 initiatives participating in the Annual Social Dialogue for Sustainable Development, from 185 participating Organizations from the business community, Local Government Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and Academic Institutions. The evaluation of the initiatives that emerge is done through the scientific committees of the Institution, which consist of 170 members and with the active participation of more than 16,000 Active Citizens, the best initiatives that support a sustainable future have emerged.