We ACT Day 2020: the third edition of Chiesi’s event for a sustainable future

Manchester, UK, 24 September 2020 – Chiesi Farmaceutici, an international research-focussed pharmaceutical group (the Chiesi Group) based in Italy, is once again preparing to celebrate ‘We ACT Day: We Actively Care for Tomorrow’, which falls during the global mobilisation week dedicated to climate change. “We Act” is a term coined by Chiesi in 2018 for its own programme aimed at raising awareness and involving all of its employees to develop a more conscious way of behaving, so as to generate a positive impact on society and the environment.

We ACT Day 2020 (24th-25th September) coincides with the fifth anniversary of the creation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed at transforming our world. Chiesi are committed to this transformation and have adopted nine of the goals it believes it can make the most significant contribution to.     

“In spite of the difficulties we have had to face over recent months due to the pandemic, I am delighted to once again celebrate We Act Day. It is a significant moment for our Company, particularly as it is a Benefit Company and certified B Corp^® committed year-round to creating wellbeing for people, society and the planet”, comments Maria Paola Chiesi, Shared Value & Sustainability Head of the Chiesi Group. “A two-day event, this year in virtual format dedicated to an exchange of ideas and best practices between colleagues but also guest speakers from outside the company, whose important contributions will further the continuing improvement of our activities. Because let us not forget that people have always been and will continue to be the key figures in our development process”.

To comply with COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 edition will be held via live stream for all of Chiesi’s employees in Italy but will be celebrated across the rest of the Group with local projects including one in the UK.

There are four sessions relating to issues closely linked to the sustainability programme which Chiesi has introduced over the years: Community, Carbon Neutrality, Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) and Patients. The Community session will address this year’s health and social emergency and the path to recovery.

Discussions will then move on to ‘Diversity & Inclusion’, two words which pave the way for a new way of interpreting work. With the help of Valentina Dolciotti, editor and founder of DiverCity Magazine, we will analyse the real meaning of D&I, focussing on Chiesi’s diversities, female leadership and generational differences. 

 In 2019 Chiesi announced its intention of achieving carbon neutrality by the end of 2035. In this year’s We Act Day, a session will therefore also be dedicated to ‘Environment & Carbon Neutrality’, to gain an in-depth understanding of issues relating to environmental sustainability and energy policies, along with a series of best practices aimed at carbon neutrality.       

Lastly, we will look at patients, the main target of Chiesi’s activities and mission to improve their quality of life every day. The Group’s therapeutic areas will be examined through the testimony of patients, business partners, associations and carers. At the end of the event the Chiesi Empathy Manifesto will be launched to emphasise the central role patients play for the company.   

 The UK affiliate Chiesi Limited will also host a virtual event that includes guest speakers, June Sarpong (TV broadcaster), Monty Halls (TV broadcaster and marine biologist), Kate Sandle (Director of Programmes and Engagement at B Corp UK) and John Nowell (author), who will cover topics such as Diversity & Inclusion and the environment, with the aim of mobilising employees to undertake a community initiative that can help save lives.