Italy was the first European country to introduce the legal status of Benefit Company (with Law no. 208 of 2015), which provides for a dual purpose business activity. In addition to profit, the company undertakes to pursue one or more missions of communal benefit, operating in a responsible, sustainable, and transparent manner in relation to individuals, communities, the local area and environment, cultural artefacts and traditions, bodies and associations, and other areas of social benefit.
Last 27 April the Dolomiti Paganella Tourist Agency became the first tourist agency in Italy and Europe to adopt this legal status in its Articles of Association. This means that in the future the APT must, as provided for in the law, assess the positive and negative impacts of its decisions and activities on society, on the environment, and on other interested parties. This philosophy will guide all aspects of our operation and be applied and shared in relations with collaborators, programmes, specific marketing initiatives over time, as well as in relations with suppliers, whose services must be provided in line with our benefit mission goals.
This ambitious objective will profoundly impact the operating methods of our company, but also marks one of the first concrete steps in a process initiated eighteen months ago with the Dolomiti Paganella Future Lab, moving on from words to actions.
“This is a fundamental step towards ensuring a future in equilibrium with the natural environment of which we, and those who come after us, are an integral part,” explained the director of the APT, Luca D’Angelo. “So we will be dedicating special attention to a whole series of initiatives that promote, for example, behaviours to reduce waste, implementing circular economy projects in tourism, incentivising forms of soft mobility, in a way that induces a genuine virtuous cycle to the benefit of all concerned, from people to nature”.
Listen to the first episode of the “FUTURO – La destinazione che sarà” podcast
An extraordinary journey to understand what it means to be a benefit company and why it is so important for the future of a community and for the environment. (audio in Italian only)
#1 Pillola dal Futuro
‘Pillole dal Futuro’ is an editorial project created to guide the community to the final event on October 29, a way to keep the discussion alive on the 4 tough questions of the Future Lab through the voice of some relevant figures of our destination. The six ‘pills’ were delivered to the homes of all residents during the summer months.
