Barilla commits to refugee training and sponsors new LGBT+ news platform as part of ongoing diversity & inclusion journey
27 September 2018
The Barilla Group today announces an expansion of its commitment to refugee training and employment as it joins the Tent Partnership for Refugees, as well as a sponsorship of the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s new Openly (www.openlynews.com) digital news platform, which report on the many issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT+) people in the world.
“Over the last several years, we have made significant progress in our diversity and inclusion journey,” said Kristen Anderson, Barilla Chief Diversity Officer. “As a next step on that journey, we are proud to commit to deepened support for both the refugee and LGBT+ communities worldwide. At Barilla, we believe that diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to do, it is central to our way of doing business. Everyone is welcome at our table, and these partnerships are just one more way that we hope to foster a more inclusive world.”
Tent Partnership for Refugees
With the unprecedented scope of the refugee crisis, Barilla has committed to train refugees in its manufacturing plants and offices in Sweden, France, Italy and Germany, to reach a minimum of 75 additional refugees over the next five years. The employment opportunities will be identified based on business need in these markets. Barilla will work with local organizations and government agencies to identify, train and onboard refugees into its workforce, and to provide services such as language training.
Barilla announced its commitment at an event co-hosted by the Tent Partnership for Refugees and the World Bank on Sept. 24 at Apella in New York City on the margins of the UN General Assembly. The event highlighted the critical role of the business community in helping refugees and featured representatives from the private sector, NGOs, the World Bank, UN agencies and governments.
Thomson Reuters Foundation and Openly
Openly will serve a global audience looking for authoritative, impartial and trustworthy news reporting on the many issues affecting the LGBT+ community. The Foundation’s global editorial team, supported by a network of more than 250 freelancers spanning all continents and partially funded by Barilla, is charged with sourcing Openly’s original news content. The Foundation leverages the reach and reputation of Thomson Reuters to deliver programs that promote the highest standards of journalism, and acts as a source of unbiased thought leadership in under-reported human rights news coverage, including slavery, women’s rights, climate and more.
The launch of Openly will be celebrated at an event on Sept. 27 at Thomson Reuters in New York City, in partnership with the United Nations LGBTI Core Group and the UN Free & Equal campaign of the UN Human Rights Office. The event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Don Lemon, host of CNN Tonight, with LGBT+ activists from around the world examining how the media reports on LGBT+ issues.
Openly goes live on Sept. 27 at 12 p.m. BST, 7 a.m. EST. https://www.openlynews.com/
About The Tent Partnership for Refugees
The Tent Partnership for Refugees, founded by Chobani’s Hamdi Ulukaya, works closely with businesses to help them develop and implement concrete commitments to support and empower refugees. Ulukaya launched Tent with the belief that the private sector is uniquely positioned to address the global refugee crisis by mobilizing the networks, resources, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the business community. Tent has over 90+ members supporting refugees across 34 countries.
Tent believes that companies have the greatest impact when they treat refugees not as victims, but as economically-productive workers, suppliers, entrepreneurs, and customers - and when they leverage their core business operations to hire refugees, integrate them into supply chains, invest in refugees, and deliver services to them. Learn more about Tent: www.tent.org
About the Thomson Reuters Foundation
The Thomson Reuters Foundation acts to promote the highest standards in journalism and spread the practice of legal pro bono worldwide. The organisation runs initiatives that inform, connect and empower people around the world: access to free legal assistance, editorial coverage of the world’s under-reported news, media development and training, and the Trust Conference.
Latest Press Releases
26 June 2023
SUSTAINABILITY2022 Sustainability Report Barilla: more sustainable supply chains together with 9,000 farms, commitment to renewable energy and 100% recyclable packaging, continued support for local communities
Sustainable supply chains, consistent reductions in emissions and water consumption, new investment of €1 billion and tangible support for communities
6 June 2023
BARILLA GROUPFlooding, Barilla Group's support for Emilia-Romagna: 1 million euros to rebuild sports centres for children and young people in the Ravenna area
Barilla is funding reconstruction in Conselice and Sant'Agata sul Santerno, with a donation of 1 million euros to the Civil Defense Authority.
30 May 2023
INNOVATIONBarilla and Davines, together towards regenerative agriculture, with “Bello e Buono” project
"Bello e Buono” (‘beautiful and good’) is the Barilla and Davines Group plan to develop agricultural systems and practices to improve the health and biodiversity of agricultural land.