Foreign managers find Italy unappealing
Italy is demonstrating a significant and growing focus on sustainability in businesses, with a notable emphasis on environmental sustainability and employee well-being, comparable to leading foreign countries. This conclusion comes from a study conducted by AstraRicerche for Manageritalia and Kilpatrick, which surveyed over 500 Italian managers who chose to work and live abroad.
The study found that abroad, there is nearly five times more focus on employee well-being compared to Italy (71.8% vs 15%). Similarly, a greater attention for environmental sustainability is observed abroad compared to Italy (44.6% vs 25.1%). However, the specific foreign countries compared to Italy were not specified in the study.
Italian companies receive less attention for sustainability compared to foreign companies in terms of social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, Italy appears less attentive than abroad in all the dimensions of sustainability investigated.
Despite the overall findings, several Italian companies are making strides in sustainability. For instance, Fincons Group, a leading Italian company, is recognised among the most sustainable in Italy, excelling in environmental, social, and economic aspects of sustainability. The company scored 76.87/100 in the "Champions of Sustainability 2025/2026," reflecting a concrete commitment to responsible growth.
Major Italian corporations such as Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s prominent bank, integrate sustainability deeply within their business strategies, focusing on decarbonization targets, CO2 mitigation, and inclusion/diversity practices. The bank is acknowledged internationally, featuring among the top 100 sustainable listed companies globally, and emphasizes governance aligned with environmental and social goals.
Leonardo, the aerospace and defense giant, presents a comprehensive sustainability roadmap (Sustainability in Action 2025) that integrates climate action, circular economy, biodiversity protection, and strong social commitments such as promoting inclusion, diversity, and STEM education. This highlights Italy’s combination of global security, sustainability, and employee/community well-being.
The study will be presented today at the conference "The Power of Sustainable Business" in Milan. While the analysis on sustainability did not provide specific data or statistics to support the findings, it underscores Italy's commitment to sustainability and its potential for growth in this area. The study did not mention any specific Italian companies that were part of the investigation, focusing instead on the core dimensions of social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
The study suggests a stronger focus on employee well-being and environmental sustainability abroad, with figures indicating a 71.8% focus on employee well-being versus 15% in Italy, and 44.6% focus on environmental sustainability abroad compared to 25.1% in Italy.
However, it appears that Italian companies like Fincons Group, Intesa Sanpaolo, and Leonardo, despite not being specifically mentioned in the study, are making significant strides in sustainability, excelling in diverse aspects such as environmental, social, and economic sustainability, and are recognized as leaders in this field.
