Initiative

Work-family reconciliation; “Myleaf” users platform

Summary of the initiative

Contship Italia Group is an Italian company in the maritime terminal operation business and investments for container-related activities.

The entire activity of the Group is inspired by the principles that a good business climate is characterized by concrete support to problem solving from how to address emergencies to how to improve the life quality of employees and their families. This is not only the basis for the well-being of the employee in the workplace and, consequently, in the family but, above all, this is a key factor for the entire company to achieve and improve quality performance and productivity.

In order to implement these objectives, the Contship Italia has developed a project entitled “Work-Family Reconciliation” in one of its company location (La Spezia Container Terminal - LSCT) to provide services of corporate welfare.

Created in 2007, this project provides employees with a range of services: babysitter, day care and caregivers for the elderly, summer camps and more. These services are not free but there are special arrangements with the service providers. The company pays the part of these services considered most essential.

For the development of that project, the company has requested the collaboration of the Catholic University of Milan, Faculty of Political Sciences – Department of Sociology. This Faculty has developed a software tool - the platform “Myleaf”- where the employee of LSCT can check what are the services provided by the company, book these services and give his or her opinion after their use and monitor his or her own requests.

The successful result of the project has convinced the management of the Contship Italia to propose it to other companies of the Group. The first steps have already been initiated by the scheduling of the first meetings with local businesses and local institutions. This has been coordinated by Confindustria Reggio Calabria, local employer organisation of Reggio Calabria (member of Confindustria).