Italy: Milan and Rome

'The people in our offices in Milan and Rome have participated in several community and pro bono initiatives over the years. We look forward to building on this commitment to create a more focused social and environmental programme in the coming months. As part of this, one of our first initiatives in 2008 was to change our electricity supplies to 'greener' sources as part of our efforts to reduce our contribution to climate change.'
Vittorio Salvadori di Wiesenhoff, partner responsible for CSR in Milan, and Gian Luca Zampa, partner responsible for CSR in Rome

Milan

In 2008, volunteers took part in the annual 'Drugs Collection Day' organised by the Banco Farmaceutico (connected with the Banco Alimentare). Almost all the pharmacy shops in Italy take part, and volunteers invite customers to buy medicines and products specifically for children. The medicines collected are then distributed among various local charities.

During 2008 the Milan office donated technical equipment (including computers and screens) to Banco Informatico Onlus, for distribution to developing countries.

The Milan office has been raising funds since 1998 for the Comitato Maria Letizia Verga – supporting young children with leukaemia and their families.

Rome

A volunteer from our Rome office works with the Peter Pan Association, which provides accommodation and other support to children with cancer and their families. The Rome office also works with AISCUP, an association that supports cancer patients while they are undergoing treatment. Volunteers give patients lifts to and from hospital and participate in fundraising activities to help provide counselling and physiotherapy support.

Another member of the office is an active volunteer with the homelessness organisation Caritas.

The Rome office has also donated computers to Consorzio Gioventù Digitale to enable older people to benefit from free IT courses.

In association with Casa Arcobaleno Association (AIPD), we also provide legal assistance to the families of children with Down's syndrome.

Community Challenge

As part of our 2008 Community Challenge, volunteers from our offices in Milan and Rome once again participated in the Fondazione Banco Alimentare Onlus's food collection day when volunteers persuade people to donate food for organisations helping poor and marginalised people in Italy. Some of our volunteers worked at supermarkets, convincing people to donate food, while others worked at the tills collecting food and packing it. The team sent over 100 boxes of food to the charity.