Cultural

A bridge between Culture and Society

The Benetton Group has long been involved in a series of cultural, social, artistic and sporting activities. Some of these, such as the Benetton Foundation, which focuses on issues relating to the preservation and promotion of the local culture and landscape heritage, reflect the strong links which the Group has traditionally maintained with its territorial roots. The territorial ties are also an important component of Benetton's approach to sport. From its involvement in rugby, volleyball and basketball, to its historic victories in Formula One, the Group promotes not only the quest for competitive excellence, but an important social element focusing on participation.

Others reflect the Group's international outlook, such as the Leleque Museum under the patronage of Benetton in Patagonia or the Pivano Library. Always with an international spirit, open to research and a desire of documentation, are Fabrica, Benetton's communication research centre, and Colors, the magazine about the rest of the world.The social commitment of the Benetton Group has been developing for decades thanks to the strong relationship and cooperation with renowned international non profit organizations.

Fabrica

Fabrica is a communication research centre financed by the Benetton Group. It was created in 1994 with the aim of combining culture with industry and offering young people from around the world an opportunity for creative growth and multicultural interchange. Fabrica is based in Treviso, in a complex restored and enlarged by Tadao Ando.

Fabrica invites young artists/designers to its centre, offering them a one-year study grant and providing them with a professional training opportunity and a wealth of resources and relations. The young resident artists develop cultural and social communication projects in the areas of design, visual communication, photography, interaction, video, music and publishing under the guidance of experts.

Colors

Established in 1991 with the premise that diversity is positive but that all cultures have equal value, COLORS is a magazine, which since its beginning has continued to stir public attention, often considered a unique point of reference, because of its pictures and discussed themes.

Pictures are, above all else, COLORS' expressive medium: a method that is universal and reaches the greatest number of people with a strong, immediate impact. Using this visual language, COLORS' themes alternate between the challengingly serious, such as ecology, wars around the world, the fight against aids, and the frankly frivolous such as shopping, fashion, toys, but each is seen from an unconventional, irreverent perspective. Distributed in 40 countries, 3 editions, published in 4 languages.


Social

Benetton has proven a tangible action to the company's commitment to ethical values, with a multi-ethnic approach, respect for the environment and support of human rights. This action has been growing throughout the years thanks to a strong collaboration with numerous renown international non profit organizations. Benetton worked with Jane Goodall, renowned primatologist and United Nations Messenger of Peace on the 2004 communication campaign dedicated to the protection of primates who are endangered species, photographed by James Mollison.

In the previous years Benetton worked with the World Food Program, the United Nations agency, to face the theme of world hunger (2003), with the United Nations Volunteers, in occasion of the International Volunteers Year (2001). Together with UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) Benetton developed a campaign (1998) to generate solidarity towards refugees of the war in Kosovo. The company also supported SOS Racisme in aid of the poorest African Countries and the Associazione per la Pace in aid of war victims in Bosnia Herzegovina, collaborations that led to other projects, in particular Benetton's anti-racist institutional advertising campaign of the three hearts (1995), and has also supported Caritas Switzerland and the International Federation of the Red Cross promoting the Clothing Redistribution Project (1993).

The social commitment goes beyond the campaigns, as other important cooperations include: the celebration of the World Braille Day (January 4th 2002), with the World Blind Union; the production of the international communication campaign for the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, in collaboration with the United Nations (1998), the realization of the symbol of the first international world food summit, held in Rome in November 1996, promoted by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), a charity in favour of War Child (1995). Benetton also promoted several initiatives with LILA, GAPA, and the Gay Men's Health Crisis to tackle the theme of Aids.

Ponzano Children

Benetton has always held strong links with its town of origin and was keen to offer its help in creating a children's centre. Its purpose is to provide an essential service which will improve the quality of life and work of the Group employees, and give support to the community.

In planning an educational facility aimed at excellence, and conscious of the ethic and social role of its corporate culture, Benetton Group placed great importance on social interaction, research and the wellbeing of the community and therefore appointed Reggio Children as the pedagogic consultant for the new school. The centre was designed by Alberto Campo Baeza, an internationally renowned Spanish architect.

Benetton Foundation

The Benetton Foundation, established in 1987, promotes initiatives on both international and local levels, with the aim of safeguarding and raising awareness of natural heritage. It also organizes multiple initiatives at its headquarters which is comprised of two prestigious historic buildings. The main field of scientific activity concerns the knowledge, study and management of landscape.

During the year, the Foundation organizes seminars, short courses, study trips and experimental workshops. Moreover, a campaign of study and publications is organized on a site designated by an international jury who then awards the International Carlo Scarpa Prize for Gardens. In this field of research and experimentation, the Foundation collaborates to the construction of a new-concept European university.

In the Palazzo Caotorta, the Benetton Foundation also boasts a comprehensive documentation centre, comprised of a library which contains more than sixty thousand volumes, maps and images archive. It has received some important donations: the works of Lino Bianchi Barriviera, one of the great engravers of 20th-century Italy; the libraries of Ippolito Pizzetti and Fernanda Pivano; and Gaetano Cozzi's house.

Moreover, in the Palazzo Bomben the Foundation has exposition rooms and an auditorium where it organizes cultural, scientific, artistic and musical events, devoted particularly to the city and the youth and school world.

Leleque Museum

Under the patronage of Benetton in Patagonia, the Leleque museum was inaugurated as the result of the will and passion of both Pablo Korchenewski, who has devoted an entire lifetime to collecting artefacts of Patagonian populations, and of Carlo Benetton. It is the first and only such structure dedicated to the history of Patagonia. More than 15,000 exhibits, including archaeological remains, testimony, documents and photographs narrate 13,000 years of history and culture of a mythical land. The Leleque Museum narrates the experience of indigenous peoples and immigrants in Patagonia, the changes undergone by the societies living in the territory and the relationship between different ethnic groups. Their conflicts, beliefs, and religious rites are some of the issues approached in this long history.

Sport

Benetton Group has for many years sponsored the Rugby, Basketball and Volleyball teams in Treviso, highlighting Benetton's profound link with its roots and its hometown in a context that is not only competitive but also social. For the Group, sport and business have the same philosophy: passion, challenge, competition and results. Over the years this has translated into numerous victories, thanks to which Benetton Rugby has collected 15 league championships, Sisley Volley 9 and Benetton Basket 5. VerdeSport SpA links all these societies, managing the coordination and organization of all the events, mostly meant for the sport youth. 'La Ghirada', a real city of sport in Treviso, was realized with the purpose of practicing together: amateurs, professionals or simply sport lovers