On behalf of the entire Creative community in Italy, we are proud to announce that starting today that our local creative agencies (The Big Now/mcgarrybowen, Isobar, MKTG and The Story Lab) are becoming a Benefit Corporation (in Italian, “società benefit”), the first agency part of a global network to uphold a legal standard of operating as a purpose-driven business. This means that our creative services in Italy now has the legal framework to actively prioritize the long-term societal benefits over short-term outcomes for our people, clients and communities we operate in.    

Italy was the first European country to introduce a legal framework that defines a ‘Benefit Corporation’ as a legal entity and to formally relate certain aspects of such corporation. The Italian law introduced in 2016 stipulates that Benefit Corporations must pursue the creation of societal benefits in a responsible, sustainable and transparent manner. Moving forward, out creative community in Italy will not only uphold the highest standards required by Benefit Corporation, but also publicly report its performance and progress in creating long-term societal good on an annual basis.   

In our first year as a Benefit Corporation, the creative team in Italy will focus on training our people, partners and clients on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) so that we can collectively contribute to a more inclusive society. We will also ensure our business practices, procurement process and client servicing are actively contributing to our global Social Impact agenda and regional DEI priorities.  

We have also launched The Code in Italy earlier this year with a strong emphasis on making sure schools and students with fewer extracurricular opportunities have access to our training and workshops so we can equip them with the latest knowledge and skills to thrive in today’s digital economy.  

Last but not least, we look forward to working with brands who have transitioned to Benefit Corporations themselves and share similar values to maximize the impact of our work. In fact, we are joining forces with our clients for the second year in celebration of Pride Month and support for the LGBTQ+ communities. Stay tuned for more information on our Pride campaign.