Switzerland: Gender equality, the Italian language and labour market.

“Inform to educate, publish to raise awareness, preserve to keep the memory, fight for a future full of solidarity, in which social values are shared and strive for a society based on true democracy.”

This the mission of “Corriere dell’Italianità”, a successful publication (both printed and digital) read across Europe as well as globally. The newspaper has a 57-year-old history, a very interesting and growing readership and is very well established within institutional and political environments.

But what is Italian-ness in Italy and the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, as well as all over the world, and what shines behind old and tired stereotypes?
 
Established in 1962, Corriere dell'Italianità aims at raising awareness on Italian culture, in Italy, in the Italian-speaking Switzerland, and all over the world. A publication of excellence that increasingly leverages innovation, digitisation, social values and the core societal themes we see reflected in politics, economy, the labour market, science, sports and free time.  Headed by President Franco Narducci, member of Parliament of the Italian Republic (XV and XVI terms) and Vice President of the Foreign Affairs Commission, and spearheaded by Valeria Camia, director of Corriere, an experienced journalist with a strong background in the social policies sector and European universities.

I was delighted and honoured when I had the pleasure of giving an interview on my work and commitment to the cause of diversity and EQ-driven leadership to Corriere, and when I was later asked to join their outstanding board as a board member.

One of the first events I had the pleasure of attending took place on 23rd November 2019, where the Swiss Parliament President, Marina Carobbio Guscetti, offered a broad overview of the political scenario of the Swiss Confederation after the elections held on 20 October and the ballot for the formation of the Council of States.

Marina Carobbio with journalist Simona Cereghetti

Among the numerous relevant subjects discussed by President Carobbio, I reckon that a couple of pressing issues deserve a special mention as they also characterised the policy she adopted throughout her presidential mandate - which ended on 1 December 2019, after which she was elected to Councillor of the Assembly's upper house*.

In front of a crowded audience, Marina Carobbio answered the pressing questions of Simona Cereghetti – RSI's journalist and Berne correspondent. She started her reflection on gender disparities with the current situation in Parliament.

Today, the women sitting at the National Council represent 42% of all members, while the Council of States has 12 women (around 26%). Compared to the situation before the electoral round, these are extraordinary figures.

Thanks to an awareness-raising campaign supported by several social sectors (such as the "Helvetia ruft" campaign and the 14 June strike), today Switzerland lags behind significantly less with regards to equality between women and men in politics! Certainly, there remains ample room for improvement with the aim to increase female presence and visibility in key roles but the determination of Swiss women and the new-found unity goes beyond political parties and bode well for future development! Gradually, Swiss society is realising – both at an inter-generational and inter-party level – that remarkable results can be obtained through gender solidarity in terms of justice and reduction of inequalities between men and women.

At a closer look, it is clear that this achievement is also supported by men. This new attitude brings up other important subjects such as the traditional perception of the caregiver work, which is a task carried out mostly by women without a salary nor social insurance contributions.

A deception that will impinge upon their future retirement pension. In recent months or even weeks, discussions have been initiated in various working groups – both political and institutional ones – to examine the issue of workers leaving the labour market to look after not only their seriously ill children but also the elderly. “Within this ageing society”, said President Carobbio, “we can no longer postpone the issue of the role of women (and men) in care-giving activities. Facing the problem of gender differences becomes then a crucial issue because of its impact on social cohesion and, last but not least, on democracy – a kind of democracy that should guarantee not only equal rights but also equal opportunities.”

Along with the “genre” issue, the "Italian language" plays a decisive role in participation in political life and social cohesion in Switzerland. In a country founded on different cultures and traditions, expressed also linguistically, the use of all four national languages ​​must be defended and strengthened.

We must underline that, for this reason, Marina Carobbio has made a change in the parliamentary operations, imposing a widespread use of her mother tongue, Italian, following up on what Chiara Simoneschi Cortesi had done before: she was, in fact, the first Italian-speaking woman President of the National Council (2008-2009) who carried out part of her parliamentary work in her mother tongue. In a country where anglicisms are commonly used and English seems to be taking over national minority languages ​​between the various Swiss linguistic regions, the protection of the Italian language allows the safeguard of the history and culture of an important sector of the Swiss Confederation. A sector that struggles in finding a place of its own, squeezed between "the rest of Switzerland" to the north and the Lombard landscape to the south.

Manuela Andaloro

(Adapted from Valeria Camia’s article in Corriere dell’Italianita’)

*Marina Carobbio, role update: As of the 1st of December 2019, Member of Parliament Marina Carrobbio is a Councillor of the States: also a member of the commission on social security and health, a member of the commission on science, education and culture in which she promotes multilingualism, Italian-ness and gender equality and a member of the finance committee in which her political priorities are the climate crisis, pensions and labour mobility.

Switzerland’s new President for 2020. In Switzerland, the position of president is ceremonial. Switzerland’s executive is led jointly by all seven members of the Federal Council, known as les sept sages (the seven wise ones) by French speakers. The ceremonial role of the president rotates annually among Federal Council members. In addition to the diplomatic duties of the president, he or she chairs Federal Council meetings and has the tie-breaker vote on contentious decisions. In 2020 the role of president passes to Simonetta Sommaruga, Switzerland’s minister of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication.  

Bringing EQ-driven leadership into companies.

Interview by Valeria Camia, journalist, web director Corriere dell'Italianità, to Manuela Andaloro Senior Advisor and Board Member, for Corriere degli Italiani

A successful entrepreneur, an ambassador of gender equality, and a mother, Manuela Andaloro tells her story. 

Business woman Manuela Andaloro has been the CEO of SmartBizHub since 2017. Together with her team, she does management consulting, especially in the field of new technologies and sustainability, working with multinationals and government agencies throughout Europe. Manuela travels often and is active in advocating and raising awareness on diversity, gender equality and on the balance between family and work. She was recently nominated for a major award on gender diversity. For many years, she has been advocating “diversity and inclusion” in companies. Could Manuela picture her current reality when, just a twenty-year-old student at IULM University in Milan, she got her first corporate role as an analyst at ACNielsen, working hard to keep up with her studies?

Manuela has been not only a successful entrepreneur in recent years, for over 17 years she has had important roles in leading financial companies in Europe, since 2012, she’s also a mother. A mother of two small children (4 and 6 years old), in Switzerland, a country in which achieving a balance between family and work is particularly complicated. Maternity leave is granted for only 3 months and fathers are excluded, as opposed to a European average of 6 to 12 months (or even 3 years in Germany) of leave, which in many cases can be shared equally between both parents. If wage parity remains a dream, the same goes for career opportunities, respect for diversity and promotion of social inclusion.

“Finding a balance between career and family is one of the hardest challenges that my husband and I – along with hundreds of parents with careers, I have met over the years – are facing in Swiss society, which in most cases still gives women the role of housekeepers and child carers. This concept is deeply rooted in the culture of this country. I still remember this chat I had with a doctor I had consulted because I felt tired after the birth of my first child and my return to work 5 months later. I remember the doctor asking me why I kept on working. It was shocking. And that was just the beginning. I was shocked again when I went back to work, first part time, then full time. Society in many cases expected me to be mainly a mother”, says Manuela, who considers herself lucky, because “there was still a job for me when my maternity leave was over if you consider that one in seven women in Switzerland loses her job when she becomes a mother.” Not to mention the economic situation, as private nurseries and kindergartens, that can provide more flexible times to allow parents to work, are very expensive and so precluded to many.

To be honest, Manuela actually had some thoughts about giving up her career, or taking a break. It was never easy to leave my children with the babysitter or at the nursery until late, to work and travel even on weekends, and being under the critical eye of society. But Manuela did not give up. She was courageous and aware of the need to break up with an obsolete, individualistic and non-empathic mindset, which does not leave enough space for women and is unable to cope with the new global picture of society and its stakeholders.

— Images, left to right: Manuela Andaloro moderating a FinTech international event in January 2019 in Zurich (credits: British Embassy Bern); speaking about adapting our working cultures to reflect a more modern world and diverse society, June 2019, Amsterdam. (Credits: EWPN, Money 2020); on stage speaking about new role models and leadership, October 2018, London (Credits: PayExpo); Balancing private life and work on a weekend. —

The trump card that can reconcile career and family, says Manuela, is a new type of EQ-driven leadership. “The best leaders of today invest their time and energy in understanding the people they work with and their teams. It’s the EIQ, or emotional intelligence quotient, which experts say has become today more important than IQ and is a better index of success for people, companies and society. This is why we must work to change the old mindset: a new approach will not only favour women but will also foster a type of leadership based on empathic soft skills. In the digital age and its new challenges, women should not be fighting to integrate themselves into a system that has proved to be disastrous as it supports only one model, the alpha personality, mostly very dominant figures. I met women that had old-fashioned leadership styles, not very cooperative and participatory, and men who lead in an inclusive way and pay attention to the social fabric outside and inside the company. Adopting a leadership based on arrogance, blind self-confidence and lack of empathy does not work today, in the face of the probable failure of liberal democracies, the negative influence of social platforms, the climate crisis, artificial intelligence and the associated risks. Both women and men should all work together to transform the mindset of companies (and politics), making room for the new facts on the ground”.

For women, it means they have to learn to believe more in themselves, to not settle for less and to act, without always waiting for the right moment in decisions concerning private and working life – to have a child or to accept a new role of great responsibility that involves changes. “Sacrificing one’s ambitions even before trying is harmful to oneself, to other women, to new generations and to the men that are witnessing this behaviour”.

On 14 June, over half a million women and men across Switzerland joined the demonstrations following the strike, plus all those who participated in a “digital” way. What do you wish for, Manuela? “I wish for strong governmental reforms and independent inspections of companies to assess corporate culture, and diversity within them. And I also expect each of us to raise awareness of issues of vital importance, in each of our daily roles, as mothers, fathers, teachers, workers, leaders. Starting from making our children aware of the importance of equality, inclusion and an open mind-set to face today’s new challenges”.

Valeria Camia with Manuela Andaloro

Manuela Andaloro is a senior professional with over 19 years of executive experience in global roles in financial services, business strategy and digital transformation, having lived in Milan, London and Zurich and worked for firms such as Nielsen, Financial News and UBS. Since 2017, she is the Founder of Swiss-based SmartBizHub, a management consultancy specialising in marketing, positioning, communications, sustainability, future tech and future work. Manuela is a professional speaker, a published author, and an editorial consultant for various leading publications on the topics of finance, social shifts, impact, culture and leadership. She serves as advisory board member of various Swiss and international organizations, and as a board member of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Europe. Manuela is a D&I champion and advocate for EQ- driven leadership, speaks English, Italian, German and Spanish and lives in Zurich with her husband and two children. 

As published in Corriere dell’ Italianita’ cover story, 30 July 2019 view original article in Italian here.

Do we use our life well? Why Marchionne's final exit left us all wondering.

Sergio Marchionne, CEO Fiat Chrysler; Chairman, Ferrari (1952-2018)

(Extracted and adapted from Beppe Severgnini’s “Usiamo bene la nostra vita”, Corriere, 27.7.18)

I happened to be travelling from Switzerland to our holiday home in Sicily in the days leading up to Sergio Marchionne’s unexpected death.

From north to south, from the nearby Zurich Universitätsspital where he was being treated, across the border and down to the south of his home country, not one channel, newspaper or radio station missed to worry about Sergio’s health. In a genuine, incredulous effort to give an explanation to the unbelievable.

On Wednesday, the man who fixed Fiat, Chrysler and Ferrari, Sergio Marchionne, died at age 66.

His death was sudden—a surprising turn of events following complications from shoulder surgery. For 15 years, the Canadian-Italian executive, clad in his signature slouchy black sweater, had stood up in defiance of global market forces that seemed almost certain to put the Italian industrial giant to bed. That his health were to take a fatal turn as he was arranging for his replacement to take the helm seems too ironic. (Mike Manley, the British head of Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep brand, has been named Marchionne’s successor.)

As I reported the news to my father, who had been checking the news daily, during a stroll in a local shopping center, I was met with a deeply sad and incredulous stare, his own, and those of about four other clients who just happened to walk past us as I spoke, and gathered around me in disbelief. The genuine sadness and incredulity struck me.

Why has his death hit a nerve and left such a strong mark? Is it because he was a world famous Italian? He wasn’t the only one, luckily. Is it because his departure was premature and sudden? It’s not the only one sadly.  Perhaps because his fame went well beyond automotive? Italy has an incredible number of outstanding brains across many sectors, but the commotion seen in the last few days is reserved to very few.

If the departure of Sergio Marchionne has hit deeply Italy’s sensitivity – a nation that these days loves to come across as insensitive, lying to itself – the reason lies elsewhere.

It is perhaps the most simple, deepest yet most difficult reason to confess.

Successful, rich, envied, he departed unexpectedly, leaving everything behind. Wealth and rags: affluence, success, envy and flattery. Instinctively, we wondered: if everything is so fast and drastic, are we using our life well?

Our time is limited and we must use it well. “Be like gardeners: invest your energies so that everything you do will last a lifetime or longer”, he said two years ago in a speech addressing university students in Rome.

Why did it have to be Sergio Marchionne to remind us of all this? Because, accordingly to the world’s standards, he had so much: power, fame, money, admiration, the dynamism of the new, long “middle age” – and with so much he had to depart, abruptly.

It made us all more humble, in a time proud of its own arrogance.

Thank you old boy, with your ever present sweater.

(Extracted and adapted from Beppe Severgnini’s “Usiamo bene la nostra vita”, Corriere, 27.7.18)

M.

Cara Milano...

Quando si capisce il valore delle cose? Purtroppo, spesso, quando non le si hanno piu`. E delle citta`? Quando si percepisce il valore di dove si vive?

Sono andata via da Milano, mia citta` per 25 dei miei allora 27 anni, nell` ottobre 2007, un`offerta di lavoro a Londra, "...parto ma sto via solo un paio d`anni, seguo un`opportunita` di lavoro..." poi tre anni, "ma torno!", non si rinuncia cosi` al marocchino e al corriere alla mattina, al tuo barista, al Duomo e all`"ape" in Corso Sempione..., a poter vedere i propri genitori e amici di una vita quando si vuole (i genitori!! quanto valgono? Non esiste valore per loro, troppo alto! Ripenso a come mi hanno salutata a Malpensa quel 5 Ottobre di 8 anni fa, sapevano molto piu` di quanto sapessi io...) poi un nuovo ruolo, poi incontro il mio vicino di casa a Notting Hill, ci spostiamo a Zurigo...and the rest is history.

Nuovo ruolo in una grande azienda, ci sposiamo, arrivano cost center nr 1 e cost center nr 2 (thanks Mrs Moneypenny), rispettivamente 3 anni e 7 mesi e, lo sappiamo, la prospettiva cambia e per ora Milano e` casa, anche se non quella dove vivo, ed e` un "energy top up" dove tornare una volta al mese. Chi l`avrebbe mai detto che sarei dovuta andare via per poterla apprezzare cosi` tanto?

Ma Lei, Lei rimane sempre nel cuore. Anzi. Sara` che il passato in qualche modo si idealizza, sara` che da lontano sembra ancora piu` bella.... Insomma noi italiani a volte abbiamo nel DNA quello che gli inglesi chiamano "whining", pagniucolare, lamentarsi di continuo ignorando i lati positivi della faccenda. E invece, specialmente quando si tratta di Milano, dobbiamo ricordarci che una citta` del genere non "capita", una citta` cosi bella, cosi europea, che nel giro di pochi decenni e` passata da "industriale e grigia" a capitale della moda, del design, della vita si` dolce ma produttiva, una citta` che ad oggi sta al passo con le altre grandi capitali europee, da Parigi a Francoforte a Vienna, una citta` cosi` la si crea giorno per giorno. Milano da` lezioni di vita alle cugine europee, fine e silenziosa.  

Il due maggio 2015, ventimila cittadini sono scesi nelle strade con lo slogan "Milano non si tocca", hanno dedicato la loro domenica a pulire la loro citta` dopo i danni dei No Expo all`apertura del 1 maggio 2015. Che esempio di civilta`, che orgoglio. Siamo il fiore all`occhiello di un` Europa che inizia a muovere solo adesso i primi veri passi. 

Quali altre citta` avrebbero dato questo esempio di umilita` e orgoglio? Da cittadina italiana ed europea, credo, nessuna. 

Ecco due articoli interessanti di repubblica e del corriere. Cara Milano, ci vediamo nel weekend, i miei bimbi, anche se meta` tedeschi e svizzeri di nascita, devono sentirsi a casa anche nelle tue strade. Riconoscere i tuoi tesori, il tuo ritmo e la tua storia. 

Il mio piccolo treenne durante la nostra ultima colazione al bar lo scorso ottobre, ha ordinato un "mini cappuccio e briosche please", mission accomplished?

M.

P.S. 32 reasons to never visit Milan - Milan in the middle of the future - FT: the city reinassance

Next World's Fair: Expo 2015, Milan

So what is an Expo? What can we expect from the next World Exhibition? A little bit of history first. On November 23, 2010, the event was officially announced by the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE). The BIE General Assembly in Paris decided in favour of the Milanese candidature on March 31, 2008. The Expo Committee later chose that the event will be held under the theme Feeding the planet, energy for life.

Expo 2015 is the next scheduled Universal Exposition after Expo 2012, and will be hosted by Milan, Italy, between 1 May and 31 October 2015. This will be the second time Milan hosts the exposition, the first being the Milan International of 1906.

`The Expo will explore the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" and is expected to attract over 20 million visitors to its 1.1 million square meters of exhibition area. Over the six-month period, Milan will become a global showcase where more than 140 participating countries will show the best of their technology that offers a concrete answer to a vital need: being able to guarantee healthy, safe and sufficient food for everyone, while respecting the Planet and its equilibrium.` Read more here. 

As I am planning to visit the Expo with my family, I tried to understand whether this is an event that children can also enjoy and learn from. Turns out the organizers did plan in great detail on this too, here is what I have found:

Expo & Children: TheChildren`s Park

The Children’s Park is designed as a forest, housing eight installations, each inspired by the theme. Sabina Cantarelli has curated the Children`s Park project and creation.

Sabina, can you give us three reasons to visit?

Three main reasons to visit the park are the setting, the games and the interaction. Firstly, Expo Milano 2015 aims to offer children a place where they can learn and have fun at the same time. Secondly, the Children’s Park is packed full of games and activities to get children actively involved. Lastly, it provides a wonderful opportunity to develop relationships through the installations, where they are encouraged to interact with others.

What is your vision of the future?

The concept of the Children’s Park is that only through the knowledge of others and the environment and by working together can we solve some of the major challenges that the planet is facing. It’s a powerful message delivered in a powerful setting. (Content by expo2015.org)

Milan – Zurich with SBB:  Milan is only 280 km away from Zurich and from 2017 SBB and Trenitalia will launch the new fast train that will cover that distance in 2 hours. Until then, direct trains run daily every two hours from Zurich HB and will get you to Stazione Centrale in just under 4 hours. A quick cab ride will take you to the city center. Here more details to plan your trip. 

Expo Prices: Two adults one child, open ticket 69 €, one adult open ticket 32€.

Most sought after pavilions: Rumour has it that a few pavilions, with their exhibitions and events, will be a once in a life time must attend: United Arab Emirates, China, Italy, France, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, UK, Switzerland, Czech Republic.

What to do in Milan:

Over the years many friends and colleagues have asked me what to do and where to go while visiting Milan. Here is a quick snapshot of what I would recommend doing in my home town (yes, including the shopping!). 

And here an interesting article (in Italian) with a list if 10 `secret` beauties in the city. 

Enjoy and don`t forget to share your experience!

Milano in pillole

Over the years many friends and colleagues have asked me what to do and where to go while visiting Milan. Here is a quick snapshot of what I would recommend doing in my hometown.

Hotels and flats in Milan:

I suggest to stay close to the Duomo - the Cathedral area (via Dante, Duomo, Cairoli, S.Babila, Sempione), it's the main central pedestrian area and every other central area you want to get to is close either with trams or metro or with a short cab ride. For hotels and short flat rentals, www.airbnb.com and booking.com are the best bets.

If you are up for a treat, I can recommend the Magna pars suites, Hotel Château Monfort or Armani hotel.

Shopping in Milan

For a good shopping centre I suggest "La Rinascente" (think Selfridges in London) it’s by Duomo, at the end of via Dante. This is also a shopping area, there are many high street chains and high-end boutiques around Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and San Babila. Don`t forget to go for a quick walk in Via Montenapoleone (THE shopping street :), think New Bond street in London, so the likes of Gucci, Armani, Ralph Lauren, and so on will be all there.

Other shopping areas are Corso Vercelli, where you will find shoe makers that have hand-made tailored leather shoes for over 100 years - many politicians and show business crowds can be seen shopping nearby, and Corso Magenta, a less historical but interesting area where to go for an afternoon shopping stroll.

As for outlets, there is a big one an hour drive from Milan, it’s called Serravalle outlet, if you like high end outlets, you will totally enjoy this Italian brands-packed one! :)

The Area of Sant’ Ambrogio is quite nice for a stroll and so is Navigli (the Canal area designed by Leonardo da Vinci , packed with little cute bars) and Brera, quite posh artistic area with many good restaurants, bars and tons of interesting artsy shops.

Pinacoteca di Brera is also a very nice art gallery. The other must-visit in Milan belongs to Leonardo da Vinci, the Last Supper (L'ultima cena), to visit this you will need to book online months before ...the queue can be painfully long.

Also don`t miss a quick hike up the Duomo (or cheat and get the elevator!) for breathtaking views and the Torre Branca, the high tower in the middle of Parco Sempione.

Drinks and Food in Milan

Milano is quite famous for its “aperitivo”, a Milanese version of the happy hour, that means that it’s plenty of fashion bars and lounge bars that offer mouth watering buffets, very good quality food mostly, free if you have drinks. Here are my favourite ones:

In the area of Corso Sempione, Arco della Pace area- 'my area' ;-) 

• Living  (best for aperitivo, especially if you can sit outside facing the park and the arch, and don`t miss the Sauvignon Blanc Specogna from Friuli, our favourite!)
• Deseo  (great for Sunday morning brunch)
• Milano (via Procaccini, 37, nice aperitivo big bar if the weather lets you down this is a good place) 
• Bar Bianco (in the middle of the park Sempione, open only in summer)
• 10 Corso Como (very nice bar for a quick drink while you are around the shops, Corso Como 10 is also a famous shop itself)

Don`t forget to go for an evening stroll to the Navigli area and choose a nice bar that inspires you.

Public transport can be pretty efficient and famous are the historic trans of Milan, don’t miss a chance to ride them. Taxis are the other obvious choice to move around, remember to memorise the cab number or code you are given on the phone. The companies I use are 0039 026969, 0039 02 8585 or 0039 024040. 

As for food, a few restaurants I can highly recommend:

• Salsamenteria Verdiana
• Papermoon
• La Torre di Pisa
• Pane e Acqua
• Shambala
• 4cento
• La Taverna dei Golosi
• Osteria Cavallini
• Officina 12
• Da Giacomo Arengario (breathtaking views of the Duomo)
• Cracco
• Savini

Don’t forget to check out the Brera area too, there are so many cute restaurants there. If you are around the Duomo area at lunchtime be adventurous and try a “panzerotto di Luini”. Luini started off as a bakery and now makes the best panzerotto (small calzone) in town, people queue there every day of the week.

For sushi in Milan try Nu, Trussardi or Finger.

If you are looking for a family friendly restaurant I suggest Pollicino but generally, except the very posh places, most restaurants will be happy to have children and offer children menus and highchairs, especially for lunch or early dinners. Just let them know before you reserve.

In general, for any tips on family friendly places in Milan, and activities, have a look on mumadvisor.

Are you into theater, operas, ballet? Then don`t miss a night at Teatro alla Scala, a world-renowned opera house right behind the Duomo. 

Last but not least, if you are visiting between May and October 2015, don`t miss out on Expo 2015, the next world`s fair!

Divertiti!