An Anti-Discrimination Desk for the Bocconi Community

To allow everyone to work and study in an inclusive and respectful environment, Bocconi University has established an Anti-Discrimination Service Desk. Nicoletta Parvis, Attorney, will hold the role of Anti-Discrimination Counselor at the Desk, which started in the 2024-2025 academic year. Ms Parvis – who is not an employee of the University but rather an external consultant – will provide advice and assistance to anyone who feels they have been victims of discrimination or harassment in the Bocconi academic community. 

This initiative was proposed and developed by the "Anti-Discrimination" working group, chaired by the Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Sustainability, Paola Profeta. She explains: "The Anti-Discrimination Desk is one of several initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion within the Bocconi community. The goal is to consolidate a culture based on respect and inclusion, essential values in academic life. The Desk is a listening space for students, faculty and staff, where issues related to possible discrimination or harassment can be addressed with professionalism and confidentiality." 

The Anti-Discrimination Counselor will first and foremost welcome the person and actively listen to their story. She will then assess the merits and seriousness of the issue and, if a criminal offense is deemed to have taken place, she will provide indications on how to effectively contact legal authorities. If it is a case of discrimination, she can propose measures and initiatives to improve the situation and, if necessary, can refer the person involved to the Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Sustainability. Disciplinary measures may also be considered, which the interested party must in any case report personally. Alternatively, if the facts reported are not illegal or discriminatory, the Anti-Discrimination Counselor can explain the reasons in detail. In any case, when exercising her role, the Anti-Discrimination Counselor refers to the rules included in the following regulatory instruments: the Honor Code in the Bocconi Student Code of Conduct; the Code of Conduct for Bocconi University and SDA Bocconi School of Management Faculty; the Statute and the University Academic Regulations; the Bocconi staff collective labor agreement; other regulations dedicated to specific topics (e.g. Activation and Management of Alias Identities). "The goal of my work," explains Ms Parvis, "is to better focus on the case and understand whether it is actually discrimination, a relationship problem or a misinterpretation of one's role or the behavior of others in that context. Bocconi University also provides a psychological counseling service that, in cases like these, could support and compliment the Anti-Discrimination Counselor’s work."

Nicoletta Parvis is available at the Anti-Discrimination Service Desk Tuesdays 1pm-4pm at the B in Touch Point Room 008 in the Piazza Sraffa 11 building. Appointments are not required, but in-person meetings or scheduled calls can be set up by writing to: antidiscrimination@unibocconi.it.