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Logo of the event "Global Inclusion 2020"

TIM partners with “Global Inclusion 2020”

"The States General of Inclusion," as described by the press, will consist of two days, 10 and 11 September, full of initiatives and the exchange of ideas live from 3 Italian cities - Bologna, Milan and Rome - connected to the digital event. This event is dedicated to inclusive rebirth, in memory of a great Diversity Manager, perhaps the first in Italy, our colleague Fabio Galluccio.

09/14/2020 - 09:30 AM

The goal is to rally the Italian ecosystem of inclusion: civil society, businesses, voluntary associations, universities and institutions, working together to promote cultural change for the explicit implementation of Art.3 of the Italian Constitution.

For the first time, TIM is the partner of the main Italian event dedicated to inclusion issues and valuing diversity. An event awarded with the “Medaglia del Presidente della Repubblica” (Medal of the President of the Republic) by President Sergio Mattarella.

TIM presence is in line with our commitment on this front, which has also been recognised internationally. For over three years, in fact, we have been the top Italian company and the first telco in the world on Refinitiv’s Diversity and Inclusion Index.

During the event, individuals, companies and organisations endorsed the Statute of Inclusive Rebirth with which businesses, non-profit associations, universities and institutions aim to help transform the country into a community open to the future, enhancing networks and alliances geared towards preserving and increasing the value of the Italian system with commitment, industriousness and solidarity. 

We discussed the spirit of the Statute and the Global Inclusion 2020 event with Luigi Bobba, chairman of the “Global Inclusion Committee – art. 3” and historical exponent of the Italian voluntary sector.

Interview

Luigi Bobba

Why is it necessary to reach a concept of global inclusion in 2020? Where’s the value and what results are expected?

I think the pandemic crisis we’ve experienced in recent months has highlighted the appropriateness, or rather the need, for a radical principle of social justice. If we look at the crisis not with feel-good parameters (“everything will be fine” or “we’ll carry on as before”) or as a mere digression that will not question the values that have guided the world order up until today, it seems clear that the principle of inclusion must be global and not referred to just one country or to one or more social categories. We must necessarily exit this crisis “together,” or rather by questioning some cornerstones of our economic and social system. Environmental and social sustainability as well as respect for people's rights and dignity must be the pillars upon which to construct this process of global inclusion. If we don't, there is an ever greater risk of conflict between different generations, social classes, ethnic groups and countries. We cannot contemplate surviving as the human race on a sick planet tainted by unacceptable inequalities.

 

At the 2020 edition, the Statute for Inclusive Rebirth has been presented and endorsed by organisations and individuals. What cornerstones is it based on?

The key principle is that we can only exit from the crisis – we all suddenly found ourselves disoriented and lost – together. This requires virtuous cooperation between people, companies and nations. In recent months I’ve often used a metaphor borrowed from Erri De Luca: to find our way again, we must be like salmon which, to generate new life, decide to embark on a counter-intuitive journey, swimming upstream to return to the spring. Only if we rediscover the fundamental values of living together, if we turn enterprises and work into positive tools to create value, will we be able to rise from the ashes.

Secondly, it seems clear how the use of new digital technologies is a great opportunity which, however, is generating new inequalities and new exclusions. The way forward involves keeping the levers of digital innovation and social innovation together.

A third principle concerns the fact that the pandemic crisis is redesigning work, training and professional relationships. This does not always occur in a linear fashion. In education, some categories of children and teenagers have been cut off from remote learning due to a lack of digital tools and skills; logistics workers or those providing services to people – who certainly can’t carry out their work remotely – have often found themselves in a situation where there is little respect for their rights and their contracts. So while its true that smart working represents an important revolution, it does not represent an opportunity for everyone.

Fourth principle: businesses can act as torchbearers for the creation of new value. Businesses that are inspired by environmental and social sustainability, that have chosen to establish roots in their territorial communities, are those that seem better equipped to remain competitive and to successfully exit the crisis.

 

The ecosystem you have envisaged for global inclusion involves the joint action of civil society, universities, companies and the voluntary sector. But what diversified roles must and can these actors play to create a harmonious symphony of inclusion?

There are certainly specific and diverse roles. I come from the voluntary sector and that’s my background, but I envisage a future of continuous contamination between the four players that represent the ecosystem of inclusion. Contamination is essential in this process, as it allows values and skills to move from one world to another. Positive experiences are already occurring. For example, the experience of Roche, where a number of employees were involved in responding to the freephone number set up by the Ministry of Health to provide information to citizens during the lockdown; TIM itself, which made equipment and technologies available to hospitals and schools. So in the future, companies will be able to share their expertise and technologies with the voluntary sector.

The voluntary sector must also go beyond the logic of subordination to public institutions, not putting itself forward solely as a service provider. Instead it must partner with public players in designing new solutions to reach a community and inclusive welfare. The most fragile and weakest are, in fact, those who paid the highest price in the crisis.

The relationship between the voluntary sector and universities must also be fostered. In the last few months I created a legal monitoring unit for the voluntary sector, “Terzjus,” a tool to monitor, oversee and support the implementation of reform in the voluntary sector, taking advantage of the expertise of a highly authoritative scientific committee.

 

What are the main inclusion trends of this current decade?

I’ll answer that by mentioning some interesting cases.

The event was attended by the guest Vincenzo Linarello, chairman of the GOEL consortium, who managed to create a network of agricultural cooperative enterprises in Locri to offer the opportunity to promote the products of that region and to create work for many young people. One of the biggest successes was achieved with the brand “Cangiari” which produces handwoven fabrics following the ancient tradition of Calabrian weaving - of Greek and Byzantine origin – which, combined with research and innovation, results in unique products with exquisite sartorial finishes fit for high fashion.

There’s also the experience of Jobmetoo by Daniele Regolo who, taking his personal situation as a starting point, has created a business of inclusion for people with hearing disabilities, producing a service that brings together job supply and demand.

But the biggest problem for Italy is the inclusion of young people and women. It is no coincidence that the former governor of the ECB, Mario Draghi, focused on young people in his recent talk at the Meeting in Rimini:  more investment in education and jobs for young people, this is how to revive the country.

We need to fall in love with the idea of the future if we want to overcome fear and find the impetus to start growing again.

 

The committee you chair, the “Global Inclusion Committee - Art. 3,” mentions Art. 3 of the Constitution of the Italian Republic in its name. 72 years after it came into force, what still needs to be completed to achieve the ideal of equality and equal opportunities on which the article is based?

 When it was suggested that I become chairman of this committee, I was struck by one thing. The fact that it was understood that article 3 is made up of two parts: the first, which is the most known, establishes that “All citizens shall have equal social dignity and shall be equal before the law, without distinction of gender, race, language, religion, political opinion, personal and social conditions.”; and then the second (less quoted) part highlights the “duty” of the Republic (and therefore not only of institutions but of every player in the ecosystem) to “remove those obstacles of an economic or social nature which constrain the freedom and equality of citizens, thereby impeding the full development of the human person and the effective participation of all workers in the political, economic and social organisation of the country.”

Institutions, people, academia, the voluntary sector, the world of work, all working together. It's no coincidence that the word “workers” is used, as we can imagine that companies must become the advocates of this change and take on this responsibility as a duty. The Global Inclusion Committee has infused its activities with this “task” and this year's event, focused on the Statute of an “Inclusive Rebirth,” aims to promote and spread not only the culture but also the practice of inclusion in companies and workplaces. 

Biography

Luigi Bobba

Luigi Bobba was born in Cigliano, in the province of Vercelli, in 1955.

He is married to Ornella and is the father of two children, Arianna and Giuliana.

He graduated in Political Sciences from the University of Turin in 1979, where he worked as a researcher from 1979 to 1981. Freelance journalist, social researcher, contract professor with the University of Salerno in 2002. He is the author of several articles, papers and publications on youth policies, welfare, policies for training and guidance and the Voluntary Sector. He has published approximately 30 books from 1984 to the present day. The most recent are “Il posto dei cattolici” (Einaudi, 2007) and “Non profit” (Editrice La Scuola, 2009).
He has been chairman of Enaip (1998-2004), Patronato Acli (2004-2006) and Iref (1997-2007).
His personal path is intertwined with that of ACLI, the Italian Christian Workers Associations with which he came into contact in the mid-70s through his undertakings and by volunteering in the club in his town. After joining the Youth Movement, he became its Secretary in 1983 and held this office until 1986.
He then continued his work with ACLI, mainly dealing with training and employment.

In the early 1980s he created the Movimento Primo Lavoro (First Job Movement) and was the organiser of Job&Orienta, held in Verona each year from 1991 and addressing school, guidance, training and work matters.

At ACLI, his first role was national Deputy Chairman (1994-1998) and then Chairman (1998-2006).

He is a proponent of the Voluntary Sector and an advocate for its growth. He participated in the creation of Banca Etica, of which he was Deputy Chairman from 1998 to 2004. He was Spokesperson of the Forum of the Voluntary Sector from 1997 to 2000, and in 1998 signed the “Solidarity Pact” together with the then Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

In 2006, he brought his personal and professional expertise and experience as a leader of associations to politics, putting himself forward as a candidate for the La Margherita party.

He was elected Senator in April 2006, becoming a member of the Labour Commission at the Senate. He has submitted several draft legislations ranging from the right to training for workers to the civil service for the elderly.

In 2008, with the establishment of the PD, he became the first provincial Secretary of the Democratic Party in Vercelli.

In the 2008 elections he was elected an MP in the ranks of the Democratic Party and held the role of Deputy Chairman of the Labour Commission of the Chamber of Deputies. He dedicated himself in particular to the reform of some welfare institutions and submitted a first draft bill for the reform of the Voluntary Sector.

In the 2013 political elections he was confirmed as an MP in the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party. He became a member of the Budget Committee of the Chamber and of the Special Committee for childhood and adolescence.

In 2014 he was appointed Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour with the government led by Matteo Renzi (2014-2016), and then in the government led by Paolo Gentiloni (2016-2018).

As Undersecretary, in particular he oversaw the reform of the Voluntary Sector, which became law in 2016, the reform of the Universal Civil Service (2017), as well as professional training policies with the introduction for the first time in Italy of a “dual system for school and work” and the apprenticeship training contract.

He oversaw the development of policies for corporate welfare and for the job placement of migrants, the reform of charitable institutions and measures to support self-employment and smart working.

He is chairman of Enaip Mozambico Serviços de Formaçao,  the Promoting Committee of Global Inclusion and Terzjus – Law Monitoring Unit of the Voluntary Sector, philanthropy and social enterprise.

 

A  tribute to Fabio Galluccio

Global Inclusion 2020 was a particularly important event for us as it was dedicated to the memory of Fabio Galluccio who died last March. At TIM, with his pioneering vision, Fabio laid the foundations for the start of diversity and inclusion management in Italy and of an important welfare system.

So in partnership with TIMVISION we organised “Giovane è la notte” (The night is young), a creative digital laboratory dedicated to age diversity issues, and created a video  (in Italian only) on TIM's approach to welfare, inclusion and diversity, starting with the legacy of Fabio’s work.


Fabio Galluccio, Diversity Manager at TIM

Who was Fabio Galluccio?

Fabio Galluccio, Diversity Manager at  TIM

Fabio was a prominent figure in the Italian managerial world who succeeded in developing astute and innovative thinking at TIM on welfare issues and a pioneering approach, in the national context, to the promotion of diversity and inclusion.Fabio 

He collaborated with the TIM Group until 2016 where he was head of the People Caring sector, introducing many projects and initiatives at the company for the well-being of its employees who now make it one of the leading companies on the Italian scene.

In this process, he consistently worked together with the boards of directors of Valore D and Parks – Liberi e Uguali, business associations focused respectively on developing employment and leadership for women and the inclusion of LGBTI people in the world of work. With Anna Zattoni and Francesca Rizzo he was a founding member of Jointly.

Fabio also undertook historical research, often focused on uncommon and little explored aspects. We recall in particular his publications on fascism and its consequences.

He died on 13 March 2020 at 65 years old.