«The goal was not to limit ourselves to a conventional message, but to create a genuine invitation to participate, » explains Irene Di Amato, member of the Board of Directors and Communication and Fund Raising Manager of the Fondazione MAIRE - ETS. ‭«We want to involve people in a project that speaks to their conscience and skills, that inspires colleagues and the community to contribute in even different ways: with time, experience, memories, and expertise. Because every gesture – big or small – can build the future» . 

It is from this collective vision that the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS's 5xMille campaign was born, created around the message: "Build the stories of the future with us." More than just a slogan, it is a narrative that opens up to everyone's contribution, transforming a tax gesture into an action of trust, vision, and shared impact. 

A social mission with industrial roots

The Fondazione MAIRE - ETS is a Third Sector Entity that was established within a large publicly traded industrial group. Its hybrid and virtuous organizational architecture allows the Fondazione to operate with autonomy while in synergy with a business ecosystem oriented towards innovation. 

«The fact that the Foundation was created by a company such as MAIRE is both a challenge and an opportunity for us, » continues Irene Di Amato. «Two legally distinct entities, yet united by the same idea of the future: to generate social, environmental, and cultural impact through technological innovation.» . 

Since 2024, the Foundation's activities have been included in the sustainability report, within the Group's consolidated financial statements as a positive indirect impact. This link makes the Foundation a "sensitive bridge" between business, the local territory, and the community. « Our mission – adds Irene Di Amato – is to contribute to building a more just, equitable, and sustainable future by taking action where there is a need to listen and act, especially in the field of education». 

Three pillars, one goal: to generate impact

The funds raised through the 5xMille tax initiative support the Foundation's activities along three main trajectories: education, industrial heritage, and socio-economic research. These three pillars de"ne a concrete mission: to build opportunities, appreciate the value of the past, and clearly understand the transformations that are taking place. 

Training is at the heart of many of the Foundation's projects. « With MAIREmpower, launched in 2024, we are supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds on their journey to a university degree, with three-year scholarships and dedicated coaching support, », explains Di Amato. The goal is clear: to combat educational poverty and make access to STEM faculties a right, not a privilege. Special attention is paid to girls who want to pursue engineering: « We are also committed to encouraging women to enter fields where their presence is still marginal, so that the engineering of the future is truly inclusive and diverse. ». 

But inclusion is not "just" about gender. «Last year, the Foundation launched a research project on migration flows and energy transition, which will end this year,‭" says Irene Di Amato. The goal is to develop – using the research results as a starting point – a training program that promotes the inclusion of migrants in the job market of the energy transition sector. ».  It is a way of connecting the themes of innovation and social responsibility, aiming for a future that integrates rather than excludes. 

The second area of focus is the valorization of our historic industrial heritage. The MAIRE Historical Archive, a vast and valuable collection of documents, is being returned to the community through educational projects, exhibitions, and digitization. Here too, the involvement is collective: «Many colleagues are contributing documents, stories, and experiences that enrich our archive. It is a way to preser- ve memory, but also to teach the value of Italian industrial history to new generations. ». 

The third area of focus concerns studies and research, with particular attention to the most pressing social issues. «We want to generate ideas, analysis, and knowledge – emphasizes Irene Di Amato – and put them at the service of concrete training and educational policies. » The call for proposals dedicated to migrants is only the first step: in the coming years, the Foundation intends to strengthen its role as an active player in the field of applied research and cultural transformation. 

More than a donation: a generative alliance

Choosing to give 5xMille to the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS means being part of a pact between generations. But the contribution does not end with the tax gesture. There are many other ways to participate, especially for Group employees: by dedicating your time, skills, equipment, and memories. By participating as a trainer, by proposing educational projects, by giving back an experience. 

«Our colleagues at MAIRE are the first ambassadors of the Fondazione, » recalls Irene Di Amato. «When they go into schools, when they dedicate part of their time to training or enhancing the archives, they are helping to build a legacy that is not only corporate, but also cultural. This is what we mean when we say, "Build the stories of the future with us": opening up spaces where everyone can leave a mark, starting with what they know and who they are. ».

A horizon open to new generations 

Every project undertaken by the Foundation is driven by a deep conviction: the younger generations already hold within them, in potential, the future we imagine. It is a future that requires technical expertise, certainly, but also humanistic vision, social awareness, and the ability to listen and to care. 

«We were born to train the 'humanist engineers' of tomorrow: people capable of combining knowledge and responsibility, » Irene Di Amato concludes. «Donating 5xMille is a way of saying it loud and clear: I believe in it. And I want to be part of it. Not as a spectator, but as a builder. »