Four different best practices, yet united by a common thread: translating the values of ARD Raccanello—Respect, Persistence, and Dynamism—into real action.
1. Parenting Support
The first project concerns the Parenting Support Policy, introduced in 2024 to support people through an important phase of their family and work lives. The Policy includes concrete measures: five additional days of company-paid paternity leave, a baby bonus upon the birth or arrival of a child, paid leave for children's medical visits, and greater flexibility through smart working during the child's early years. In the two-year period 2024–2025, a total of € 21.000 was provided to support parenting. The value of the initiative was confirmed by the decision to fully extend the Policy for the two-year period 2026–2027, making it a cornerstone of our corporate welfare.
2.Skills Mapping
The second best practice is the skills mapping project, launched with the 2022–2026 Business Plan to better understand roles, responsibilities, existing skills, and skills in need of development. Through the Ideal Jobs, compiled by managers, and the Nomination Sheets, filled out by employees, we have built a clearer information base on activities, skills, aspirations, and gaps. This process has led to concrete actions: internal courses on ARD products, mentoring between different functions, job changes, more targeted training programs, and selection processes more aligned with the organization's real needs. The mapping has helped us make the company's existing knowledge more visible and transform it into a useful tool for supporting change.
3.Corporate Volunteering
The third project concerns corporate volunteering, launched in 2025 as a concrete expression of our commitment to the local community. After an initial internal survey, which demonstrated employee interest in social and environmental initiatives, we engaged the Volunteer Service Center of Padua and Rovigo to identify initiatives consistent with the preferences that emerged. This process resulted in two projects: one social (meal delivery to the homeless) and one environmental (waste collection in green spaces and in the city center).
4.Listening to turn ideas into action
The fourth best practice concerns organizational listening, developed through Great Place To Work® surveys, Focus Groups, and the "Proposte e Consigli" digital channel. Since 2023, we have chosen to systematically measure the company climate, with the aim of better understanding people's perceptions of trust, fairness, respect, pride, and team spirit. Alongside climate analyses, Focus Groups and the "Proposte e Consigli" digital channel have enabled us to collect proposals, ideas, and feedback from employees. In almost two years, 74 reports have been received: 30 have already been implemented, two are in the implementation phase, 21 are being analyzed, and 21 have been deemed unworkable. For us, this is the key point: listening only works if it is connected to visible decisions. . When people see that their ideas can be transformed into real change, trust, participation, and a sense of belonging grow.

Valuing people, skills, and potential at all stages of a company's life, strengthening ties with the local community, and creating listening spaces capable of generating concrete action. This is the essence of our four best practices. Participating in HR+ allowed us to engage with other organizations and reflect on the role of HR from a broader perspective. Because best practices never arise by chance: they are built over time, by listening to people, observing the organization's needs, and turning ideas into action.