Why Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) works best when people are involved: insights from a recent event
Last May 14, our President Pietro Palella spoke about ST Foundation’s role in social responsibility, employee volunteering, and collaboration with universities during the event “Companies and Social Impact: Creating Value with the University” in Trento, Italy. We sat down with him to capture the key takeaways from this inspiring discussion.
Pietro, let’s start with the core of the discussion. What stood out for you?
It was a very interesting and timely discussion. The event brought together consultants, SMEs, foundations, and academics to reflect on how companies, especially in a local ecosystem made up mainly of small and medium-sized enterprises, can foster a genuine culture of corporate social responsibility.
The roundtable format made for a rich exchange of ideas and concrete experiences.
You were asked a key question: what motivates a company to create a foundation? How did you answer?
I answered by drawing on the experience of ST Foundation. A foundation can be a very effective way to make a company’s social responsibility strategy tangible and visible.
In our case, the Foundation is the concrete expression of ST’s commitment to society. It allows us to structure our contributions, involve our people, and generate long-term impact through education and volunteering.
What is the relationship between ST and ST Foundation for those who may not know it?
The relationship is very close and very direct. We involve our employees as volunteers, which means the Foundation is much more than a funding instrument: it is a living part of the company’s social responsibility strategy.
ST employees are actively involved in delivering courses and supporting initiatives, which creates a strong connection between business and community.
What value does this bring to employees?
It brings a great sense of pride. Employees do not feel they are only working for a company; they also feel they are contributing to something meaningful for society.
This is especially true for younger generations, who are now much more interested than in the past in working for organizations that have a positive social impact. Volunteering strengthens engagement and reinforces a sense of belonging.
During the event, you also reflected on the longevity of foundations. What did you observe?
I noticed that many foundations do not have a very long lifespan. Roughly half seem to disappear early, either because their purpose has been exhausted or because funding runs out.
ST Foundation is different: it was born in 2001 and has proven to be highly durable. I came to this realization clearly during the event.
One of the reasons is that we do not rely only on financial support; we mainly rely on the commitment of our people.
In practical terms, how is ST Foundation supported?
The Foundation is primarily funded by ST, of course, but it is also sustained by the engagement of our employees, who deliver the courses. This combination ensures continuity and resilience. When support is not only financial but also human, the model becomes much more sustainable over time.
The event also highlighted the role of universities. How does ST Foundation collaborate with academia?
We have developed several valuable partnerships.
With Università Cattolica, for example, we work together on how best to design coding courses for primary and middle school students. The goal is not simply to teach children how to program a small robot, but to help develop reasoning skills and broader cognitive abilities.
With the same university, we are also working on developing ways to measure the impact of our basic computer science course. This partnership shows how academic expertise can strengthen social impact.
What was your overall impression of the event?
It was a high-quality and stimulating discussion. The room was full, with representatives from companies, foundations, consulting firms, and even university students.
The panel was very well moderated by Professor Ericka Costa, who guided the conversation with great clarity and depth.
It was also enriching to listen to the other speakers, including representatives from Teatro alla Scala and Humana, who brought different but complementary perspectives on strategic philanthropy, employer branding and engagement, and social impact.
What key message would you like to share with SMEs and local organizations?
Social responsibility does not require a large structure to begin with. Even smaller companies can make a real difference by engaging their people, building partnerships, and creating initiatives that are authentic, concrete, and sustainable.
Thank you Pietro!