World food day

Longarone, 12 October 2020

To mark World Food Day, which takes place on 16 October, the Fondazione De Rigo H.E.A.R.T will be taking part - with Group employees and alongside other Italian companies - in the second phase of the #ConnectedagainstHunger digital challenge launched this year by Action Against Hunger, with the aim of contributing to a reduction in malnutrition the world over.

It represents the largest global sports event dedicated to businesses: thanks to the collaboration with SquadEasy - the international platform committed to promoting ‘team play’ and the wellbeing of company employees (200,000 users have been involved thus far), the organisation has developed an app that aims to involve the business community in a large-scale common effort, on the one hand, to encourage the safe practise of sports activities, and on the other, to enable millions of malnourished children to receive food and clean water during the Coronavirus crisis.

48 major international groups from France, Italy, India and Canada have opted to be part of the initiative. In Italy, in addition to De Rigo, Lavazza, Enercom, Assimoco, Epson Italia, CITI Italia and Planetek have also accepted the challenge. Around 1,000 employees - including 100 from De Rigo - will be enlisted to support the activities promoted by Action Against Hunger in 47 countries around the world.

The De Rigo Group teams, in full compliance with current safety and anti-crowd measures, will be able to download SquadEasy onto their smartphones and enter a special code for employees - whether they are beginners or seasoned sportsmen and sportswomen - enabling them to take part in the three planned disciplines: running, walking and cycling. With teams of a minimum of two and a maximum of ten people, the participants will have one month to cover a greater number of kilometres than their ‘rival’ athletes. The app will track their performances, generating a league table. It will be a challenge within a challenge: the participants, in addition to benefiting from re-gaining their fitness levels, will also be the protagonists of a ‘role play’ to all intents and purposes. As well as ‘measuring’ their sports performances, they will become humanitarian workers for a month, learning more - through quizzes - about the food safety projects led by Action Against Hunger promoted in the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Pakistan and Cameroon.

“Through the Fondazione De Rigo H.E.A.R.T, the De Rigo family is committed to promoting the training, wellbeing and health of those in need, in addition to that of our employees. This is why, in such an emotionally and psychologically challenging time, we have chosen to support #ConnectedagainstHunger - the digital challenge launched by Action Against Hunger. A great human adventure that establishes a virtuous link between Italy and Africa. The De Rigo employees who have ‘accepted the challenge’ are simultaneously taking care of themselves whilst contributing to combating hunger in Africa. A small yet significant gesture that fills hearts with joy and provides satisfaction in times when a sense of distance prevails”, concluded Barbara De Rigo, President of the Fondazione De Rigo H.E.A.R.T.

“In light of the rapid spread of Covid-19, it has become even more important to support people who are already victims of conflict, natural disasters and poverty”, commented Simone Garroni, Director-General of Action Against Hunger Italy. “In order to pursue our commitment to fighting malnutrition in the time of Coronavirus, we will continue to promote a form of solidarity 3.0, raising awareness within companies that can safely stand alongside us in the global war on Coronavirus, with the help and involvement of their employees. The pandemic is in fact having an inevitable impact on the world's most vulnerable communities. As a result, we are now doubling our efforts to tackle the significant food crisis caused by Covid-19”.

Globally speaking, in the space of just twelve years, thanks to the involvement of 10,000 people and around 200 companies, the ‘physical’ event has raised a staggering ten million euros, offering over 350,000 malnourished children the possibility to access life-saving treatments based on ready-to-use therapeutic foods. The two previous Italian editions saw the ‘Challenge against Hunger’ raise enough funds to treat 3,000 malnourished children.