Pact4Future Focuses on Purpose

"It is increasingly important to talk about corporate purpose today because institutions – including companies – are the offspring of their times and contexts." With these words, Gianmario Verona, Bocconi Professor and President of Human Technopole, immediately gets to the heart of the matter to introduce Pact4Future's topic for its third day on Wednesday 27 March, Purpose.

The international forum organized by Bocconi and Corriere della Sera will be held in Milan over four days, featuring 9 events and more than 80 speakers. They include visionary scientists and entrepreneurs, activists and artists who are using creativity to change the world. The economic and entrepreneurial system, along with foundations and non-profit organizations will meet and dialogue to make a pact and share virtuous projects and actions dedicated to three words: People, Purpose and Planet (see the forum's full program).

"The new industrial revolution – permeated by both the challenges of environmental and social sustainability and the opportunities and threats produced by generative artificial intelligence – is radically changing the context in which we live," explains Verona. "And purpose is nothing more than a tool designed to help us positively self-regulate our organization's actions."

It is precisely values, along with responsibility towards all stakeholders and the commitment to make society more inclusive and sustainable that will be discussed at the two events scheduled for 27 March: the first at 3pm in the afternoon at Fondazione Cariplo (register here) and the second at 8:30pm in the Bocconi Aula Magna (register here).

The speakers at the two events will be visionary entrepreneurs and CEOs who are making a difference with their companies. In particular, the afternoon will feature the following participants: Roberto Cingolani (CEO and General Manager of Leonardo), Andrea Illy (Chair of illycaffè and Chair of the Regenerative Society Foundation), Costanza Musso (CEO of Marco Antonio Grendi dal 1828), Lara Ponti (CEO of Ponti), Giovanni Sandri (Managing Director, Head of Southern Europe - Italy, Iberia, Greece and Israel at Blackrock), Steven Shiel, (Special advisor to the Chief CA & E Officer, L'Oréal). The importance of purpose in research and information will be the focus of the discussions with Francesca Pasinelli (Managing Director of the Telethon Foundation) and Marino Zerial, (Director of Human Technopole), who will both talk with Massimo Sideri, columnist at Corriere della Sera, and Marinella Soldi (President of RAI), interviewed by Daniele Manca, Deputy Editor of Corriere della Sera.

"Purpose is not an ideological battle. It is certainly not a rival of profit, but it is also not a marketing campaign aimed at hiding what we keep doing even though we'd rather not talk about it (as happens with any kind of 'washing')," explains Verona. "Purpose is the ability to act in accordance with the civil conditions of where we live. This includes the E for Environment and the S for Social as reference points for an organization that invents products, and produces and distributes them in a modern way, as well as the G for Governance that guarantees they are respected."

All this can be learned through the stories of the speakers during the evening event on the Bocconi stage. Allen Blue (VP of Product Management and Co-Founder at LinkedIn) and Francesca Rossi (AI Ethics Global Leader at IBM) will focus on the role of artificial intelligence and today's companies that are increasingly permeated by this technology. Roberta Ventura (Founder of SEP the brand) will also speak, who with her fashion brand works with women in refugee camps, overcoming "the challenge of creating a world that leaves no one behind by employing entrepreneurial skills." Michelin-starred chef Davide Oldani, creator of pop cuisine that combines high quality and accessibility, will also take the stage. Other speakers include Adama Sanneh (Co-Founder and CEO of the Moleskine Foundation), who aims to inspire a new generation of young activists whose creative thoughts and actions aspire to change their own future and that of their communities, and entrepreneurs Alberto Cartasegna (Co-Founder of Miscusi Family) and Stefania Di Bartolomeo (CEO and Founder of Physis Investment).

Lastly, Ditonellapiaga's music and energy, whose single released on 22 March tells the story of "Mary, a free, curious girl, who dreams of the stars and discovers what it means to go from 0 to 100," will conclude the evening's event.


Pact4Future – PURPOSE. From the right:
Roberto Cingolani, Amministratore Delegato e Direttore Generale Leonardo
Andrea Illy, Presidente illycaffè e Presidente Regenerative Society Foundation
Daniele Manca, Vicedirettore Corriere della Sera
Costanza Musso, Amministratore Delegato Marco Antonio Grendi dal 1828
Francesca Pasinelli, Consigliere Delegato Fondazione Telethon
Lara Ponti, Amministratore Delegato Ponti
Giovanni Sandri, Managing Director, Head of Southern Europe - Italia, Iberia, Grecia e Israele Blackrock
Steven Shiel, Special advisor to the Chief CA & E Officer, L'Oréal
Massimo Sideri, Inviato ed Editorialista Corriere della Sera e Direttore scientifico Rcs Academy Innovation
Marinella Soldi, Presidente RAI
Gianmario Verona, Professore ordinario di Management Università Bocconi e Presidente Human Technopole
Marino Zerial, Direttore Human Technopole


Pact4Future – PURPOSE. From the right:
Allen Blue, Co-founder LinkedIn
Alberto Cartasegna, Co-fondatore Miscusi Family
Mario Corti, Senior Partner di KPMG Italia
Stefania Di Bartolomeo, CEO e Fondatrice di Physis Investment
Ditonellapiaga, Cantautrice e musicista
Daniele Manca, Vicedirettore Corriere della Sera
Davide Oldani, Chef
Francesca Rossi, AI Ethics Global Leader IBM
Adama Sanneh, Co-fondatore e Amministratore Delegato Moleskine Foundation