BUSINESS Marcolin Partners With AIRC Foundation to Support Breast Cancer Research By Staff Tuesday, October 1, 2024 12:15 AM LONGARONE and MILAN, Italy—Marcolin and AIRC Foundation for Cancer Research in Italy (Fondazione AIRC per la Ricerca sul Cancro, or AIRC) have signed a two-year agreement, for 2024 and 2025, dedicated to supporting scientific research, according to an announcement. Through this agreement, Marcolin pledges to fund a scholarship for training of a young researcher, making a concrete contribution to oncology research with a particular focus on breast cancer. Alongside this donation, Marcolin said it will involve its employees in raising awareness and outreach on breast cancer research and prevention issues during October, which is also known as Pink Ribbon Month. Marcolin said this agreement is part of a broader vision of social responsibility that the Group has been pursing for years, “sensitive to all those initiatives aimed at valuing the centrality of people, their well-being and creating sustainable value over time.” Clara Magnanini, group communication and environmental, social and governance director at Marcolin, said, “As a Group, we are proud to support AIRC Foundation on such a critically important issue as breast cancer research. We believe in the importance of scientific research as an engine of progress, which is why we have chosen to invest in talent capable of turning ideas into opportunities for society and individuals. At Marcolin, about 60 percent of employees are women. We feel that promoting a climate of awareness within our work environment on issues such as prevention of the most common female cancer is a duty.” Chiara Occulti, chief marketing and fundraising officer of AIRC Foundation, said, “Thanks to research, today about 88 percent of women with breast cancer are alive five years after diagnosis. However, the challenge is still open for patients affected by the more aggressive forms, for whom treatments are not yet effective enough. With the help of supporters and partners of the Pink Ribbon Campaign, we can face the last mile together that separates us from the most important goal: curing all women. A goal that seems close, but the last mile is always the hardest to travel and requires even greater commitment from researchers because this is where the most difficult obstacles lie.”