How does MAIRE promote a culture of interdependence and shared responsibility?

MAIRE is a very demanding company with challenging goals. This may seem like a constraint, but in reality, it is a great playing field. In recent years, we have worked hard on the issue of responsibility: not only the sense of belonging to a project, but also the awareness that our actions have a direct impact on its success.

The motto RISE TOGETHER reminds us that no one can achieve the ultimate goal alone. That is why we insist on individual responsibility and self-development. Development is driven by individual awareness and shared responsibility: each person is the protagonist of their own journey, supported by an ecosystem that makes the most of their potential.

How does MAIRE promote a culture of interdependence and shared responsibility? MAIRE is a very demanding company with challenging goals. This may seem like a constraint, but in reality, it is a great playing field. In recent years, we have worked hard on the issue of responsibility: not only the sense of belonging to a project, but also the awareness that our actions have a direct impact on its success. The motto RISE TOGETHER reminds us that no one can achieve the ultimate goal alone. That is why we insist on individual responsibility and self-development. Development is driven by individual awareness and shared responsibility: each person is the protagonist of their own journey, supported by an ecosystem that makes the most of their potential.

At MAIRE, multiculturalism is recognized by everyone as a value. We are a multicultural Group, and this constitutes a source of wealth.

Can you please expand upon what this concept of self-development entails?

We are increasingly trying to start from individual awareness. The real question is not "what path does the company offer me?" but "who do I want to become, what do I want to bring to my role?". And that is where the discussion with colleagues and managers arises, in a process that also values cross-cutting skills. As I said, no one grows alone: it is the context, together with relationships with others, that makes authentic and lasting development possible.

These are not revolutionary concepts, but we are proud of the way we have introduced them and made them a reality. At MAIRE, we work to ensure that everyone has a personalized path, aligned with their expectations: not everyone is aiming for vertical growth. Development also means consolidating skills in one's role, exploring new perspectives, or broadening experiences horizontally. That's why I prefer not to overuse the word "growth", as it seems to imply only upward movement: growth can also mean changing perspective, taking on a different role, or trying new paths.

In reality, the process must start with the individual: recognizing your strengths, understanding who you want to be and become, and then – with the support of your manager – designing a path that supports the achievement of shared goals. An important tool is the "development conversation," an ongoing dialogue between manager and employee to stimulate awareness and responsibility. It's a paradigm shift: it's not the company that decides for you, but you who guides your own path, obviously taking the needs of the organization into consideration as well.

Do the Flourishing Program and mentoring initiatives fit into this approach?

Yes, absolutely. I am thinking of the Flourishing Program and two recent initiatives: Challenging Mentoring and Development by Design. In the first, for example, there is not only a one-to-one relationship between a young Flourisher and a senior manager: participants work in groups on challenges drawn from the business plan, developing real business cases. It is a way to grow together, strengthening community and team spirit.

Inclusion and integration are part of the RISE TOGETHER motto. What do they mean for you in concrete terms?

"Rise" is momentum, movement. "Together" is responsibility and belonging. But it is not something that arises on its own: sometimes it needs to be cultivated. At MAIRE, multiculturalism is recognized by everyone as something of great value. We are a multicultural Group, and this is a source of wealth. Last year, we decided to run a worldwide training program on the themes of "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion" to help people recognize how diversity is a strategic lever: recognizing, integrating, and valuing it allows us to address complexity with richer and more sustainable solutions.

"Together" holds significant meaning, because we are all different from one another. It signifies mutual responsibility, a sense of belonging, but also the capacity to view others as individuals who have different perspectives, skills, and abilities to contribute. This does not always happen spontaneously: sometimes it requires the awareness that working together is not only a necessity, but also leads to better results than working alone.

This year with this aim in mind we involved "people coordinators", that is, colleagues who have people reporting directly to them. International studies show that employee development depends heavily on the beliefs of their managers. That is why we invited them into the classroom, had them work both on themselves and together, including through activities like gamification. They yielded very positive results: deep insights, new awareness, and the ability to view diversity as an asset.

The goal is to engage all team members, to enhance each person's strengths and to bring out the best in everyone in order to achieve common goals. That is why, rather than traditional training on "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion," for us it was a journey of managerial development. We worked on the skills that enable team leadership, helping each person find their own "path to flourishing" in everyday life.

You have referred to "talent" in the singular a number of times. What is the reason behind this choice?

At MAIRE, every person has talent: our job is to create the conditions for each person to express and develop it. Everyone has their own talents and the responsibility to develop them. Of course, there are groups that are more closely monitored than others, but without the contribution of the entire organization, we cannot go far.

The so-called "belly" of the company – those who carry out the day-to-day, less visible activities – is what guarantees continuity and value. That is why we invest in both the highest-potential groups as well as the entire corporate population: for example, we have given each employee access to LinkedIn Learning, a digital training library that allows them to consolidate knowledge and skills, face challenges, and cultivate curiosity.

The Project Control Academy with the University of Catania is a concrete example of growth through synergy. What goals have you set for yourselves?

The Academies are tools for synergy and trust: they generate shared value across generations, territories, and skills, strengthening our social and industrial impact. We have enabled our employees to pool their experience and transform it into knowledge that is useful to others. It is a journey that enriches everyone involved: the young people who join and the professionals who teach.

We are implementing similar experiences in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and soon in Kazakhstan. It is an investment that creates value not only for the young people, but also for our more senior staff: those who get involved as classroom teachers develop new communication and teaching skills. It is mutually enriching.

Looking to the future, what are the key levers for sustainable and inclusive growth?

The awareness that goals cannot be achieved alone. Our market is so complex that one person's vision is not enough. We need discussion, dialogue, and shared ideas. This is why the ability to generate ideas together will be increasingly important. In the future, we will need to further strengthen team behavior, reward collective work, and support everything that reinforces collaboration.

And there is one element that I consider indispensable: mutual trust. Without trust in each other's abilities, in different points of view, and even in the differences that characterize us, we cannot truly work as a team. Trust is the foundation of sustainable and inclusive growth: only through collaboration, listening, and a shared vision can we take on the challenges of the future. RISE TOGETHER is not just a motto, but a daily choice: to grow together, valuing differences, to build a more equitable, innovative, and sustainable future.